Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals drew the NHL’s biggest audience in 36 years.
The Penguins’ win over the Red Wings drew a 4.3/8 final rating and 8 million viewers on NBC Friday night, up 30% in ratings and 51% in viewers from a 3.3 and 5.3 million for Oilers/Hurricanes Game 7 in ’06, and the most-viewed NHL telecast on any network since Canadiens/Blackhawks Game 6 drew 9.4 million in 1973.
The 8 million viewers tops the average viewership for last year’s MLB League Championship Series (6.7 million), and finishes just behind the viewership for the NBA Conference Finals (8.6 million). Additionally, the 4.3 rating tops last year’s PGA Championship (2.8) and British Open (3.3), as well as the recent the Indianapolis 500 (4.0).
Game 7 helped NBC to a dominant Friday night victory, as the net outrated ABC, CBS and FOX combined in the key adults 18-49 and 18-34 demographics. NBC had its highest rated Friday night in the adults 18-49 demo since last year’s Beijing Olympics.
Overall, NBC averaged a 3.1 rating and 5.6 million viewers for its five-game coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals, flat in ratings but up 6% in viewers from a 3.1 and 5.3 million for the net’s four-game coverage last year. The 5.6 million viewers is the highest average for the Stanley Cup Finals on broadcast since ’02.
The entire seven-game series averaged a 2.7 rating and 4.9 million viewers on NBC and Versus, up 8% in ratings and 14% in viewers from a 2.5 and 4.3 million for last year’s six-game series.
Ratings for the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals.
* Games 1 and 2 compared to last year’s Game 3 and 4; Games 3 and 4 compared to last year’s Game 1 and 2.
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating | vs. ’08 | Viewers | vs. ’08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., 5/29/09 | 8:00 PM | Penguins/Red Wings Game 1 | NBC |
2.4
|
0%
|
4.4 mil
|
8%
|
| Sun., 5/30/09 | 8:00 PM | Penguins/Red Wings Game 2 | NBC |
3.1
|
35%
|
5.4 mil
|
33%
|
| Tue., 6/2/09 | 8:00 PM | Red Wings/Penguins Game 3 | VS |
1.7
|
42%
|
3.0 mil
|
26%
|
| Thu., 6/4/09 | 8:00 PM | Red Wings/Penguins Game 4 | VS |
1.8
|
38%
|
3.4 mil
|
32%
|
| Sat., 6/6/09 | 8:00 PM | Penguins/Red Wings Game 5 | NBC |
2.4
|
-37%
|
4.4 mil
|
-29%
|
| Tue., 6/9/09 | 8:00 PM | Red Wings/Penguins Game 6 | NBC |
3.4
|
-15%
|
5.8 mil
|
-14%
|
| Fri., 6/12/09 | 8:00 PM | Penguins/Red Wings Game 7 | NBC |
4.3
|
—
|
8.0 mil
|
—
|
|
Average rating/viewership
|
2.7
|
9%
|
4.9 mil
|
13%
|
|||
Source: NBC
