Though not on par with the annual Winter Classic, the start of the NHL’s Stadium Series performed well on NBC over the weekend.
Sunday’s Rangers/Devils NHL outdoor game, which was delayed by more than an hour, drew a 1.3 final rating and 2.1 million viewers on NBC according to Nielsen fast-nationals. There was no comparable window last year.
Excluding the Winter Classic and regional windows, Rangers/Devils ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed regular season NHL telecast on NBC since the network resumed airing games in 2006.
Including those telecasts, Rangers/Devils ranks as the eighth-most viewed regular season telecast on NBC, trailing all seven Winter Classic telecasts and last year’s season opener. The game ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed outdoor game on NBC (seven telecasts).
Over on NBCSN, Saturday’s Ducks/Kings outdoor game scored a 0.35 U.S. rating and 622,000 viewers. The network’s previous outdoor telecast — Canadiens/Flames on “Hockey Day” in 2011 — earned a 0.3 and 608,000 viewers.
Locally, Rangers/Devils earned a 5.1 rating in New York and a 4.5 in Buffalo. Boston (2.9) was the top out-of-state market. Meanwhile, Ducks/Kings drew a 2.4 in Los Angeles, with Buffalo (1.6) the top neutral market.
Most-Viewed Regular Season NHL Telecasts on NBC
|
#
|
Date
|
Away
|
Home
|
Rating
|
Viewers
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Sat., 1/1/11 | Capitals | Penguins | 2.3 | 4.53M | Winter Classic |
|
2
|
Wed., 1/1/14 | Leafs | Red Wings | 2.5 | 4.40M | Winter Classic |
|
3
|
Thu., 1/1/09 | Red Wings | Blackhawks | 2.5 | 4.40M | Winter Classic |
|
4
|
Tue., 1/1/08 | Penguins | Sabres | 2.2 | 3.75M | Winter Classic |
|
5
|
Mon., 1/2/12 | Rangers | Flyers | 2.1 | 3.73M | Winter Classic |
|
6
|
Fri., 1/1/10 | Flyers | Bruins | 2.1 | 3.68M | Winter Classic |
|
7
|
Sat., 1/19/13 | Two regional games | 1.6 | 2.77M | Opening Day | |
|
8
|
Sun., 1/26/14 | Rangers | Devils | 1.3 | 2.08M | Stadium Series |
|
9
|
Sat., 1/14/06 | Three regional games | 1.3 | 1.96M | First NBC telecast | |
|
10
|
Sun., 2/19/12 | Three regional games | 1.3 | 1.94M | “Hockey Day” | |
(Weekend numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
