The NHL season is off to a good start on Versus.
Through 8 telecasts, Versus is averaging 313,000 viewers for NHL coverage, up 19% from 264,000 through the same point last year.
The season opening October 1 doubleheader averaged 417,000 viewers — not the 833,000 that was previously reported. In particular, Capitals/Bruins drew 501,000 viewers, and Sharks/Avalanche drew 332,000 viewers. To put that in perspective, “only three telecasts” last season “topped a half-million viewers.”
Other games of note: Panthers/Blackhawks (from Finland) drew 100,000 viewers on October 2, while Red Wings/Blues (from Sweden) drew 278,000. Red Wings/Sabres on October 13 drew 467,000 viewers, the second-most of the season, while Flames/Blackhawks the previous night drew 177,000, the second-fewest of the season.
The 313,000 viewers for the NHL on Versus is slightly below the 315,000 the net averaged for 11 IRL races during the ’09 season, but tops the WNBA regular season on ESPN2 (269,000) and the MLS regular season on ESPN2 (292,000, through 20 telecasts).
Source: Sports Business Daily
