Despite being blacked out in both home markets, Game 7 between the Flyers and Rangers earned strong numbers on NBCSN.
Game 7 of the Flyers/Rangers first round Stanley Cup playoff series earned 1.1 million viewers on NBCSN Wednesday night, the most-viewed first round game on cable since Capitals/Bruins Game 7 in 2012 (1.3M). The national broadcast was blacked out in both New York and Philadelphia.
In the New York market, the game earned a 5.51 rating on MSG Network and MSG Plus — ranking as the second-highest rated Rangers telecast in N.Y. since 1997. Local ratings in Philadelphia were not available.
Later in the night, Kings/Sharks Game 7 earned 528,000 viewers on NBCSN. The game aired opposite Avalanche/Wild Game 7 on CNBC; viewership for that game was not immediately available.
Overall, NBCSN averaged 614,000 viewers for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs — up 35% from last year (455K), but down 18% from 2012 (744K). This year ranked as the third-most viewed first round ever on NBCSN (previously VERSUS and OLN), trailing 2012 and 2011 (642K).
Including games on CNBC, which averaged 299,000 viewers, the first round averaged 518,000 viewers on cable.
(Averages from NBC Sports Group Press Box; Wed. numbers from The Futon Critic; local numbers from Sports Business Daily)
