Ratings and viewership declined for coverage of the Stanley Cup Final on NBC, but the series ranked as the most-viewed in nearly forty years to involve a Canadian team.
NBC averaged a 3.1 rating and 5.31 million for coverage of the Bruins/Canucks Stanley Cup Final (five telecasts), down 9% in ratings and 17% in viewership from last year’s four games on the network (CHI/PHI: 3.4, 6.4M), and flat in ratings and down 5% in viewership compared to 2009 (PIT/DET: 3.1, 5.6M).
Though down from last year, the series ranks as the highest rated, most-viewed Stanley Cup Final on broadcast television to involve a Canadian team since 1973.
This year’s series easily outpaced previous Stanley Cup finals which featured Canadian teams. Ducks/Senators in 2007 averaged a 1.6 rating on NBC (three telecasts), Hurricanes/Oilers in 2006 averaged a 2.3 on NBC (five telecasts), Lightning/Flames in 2004 averaged a 2.6 on ABC (five telecasts).
Rangers/Canucks in 1994 averaged just a 1.6 on ESPN (seven telecasts).
As a whole, the seven-game Bruins/Canucks series averaged a 2.7 and 4.6 million viewers on NBC and Versus, “the most-watched combined network/cable Stanley Cup involving a Canadian team ever” (NBC, 6/16). Keep in mind that there have been only four such series (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2011).
The seven game series averaged a 28.1 rating in Boston, with Providence, RI (16.9), Buffalo (7.1), Hartford, CT (4.7) and Detroit (4.2) rounding out the top five.
(This year’s numbers from NBC Sports Group via TV By the Numbers; 1994 Rangers/Canucks average rating from USA Today, 6/17/94)
