With the NBA dominating the night, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final struggled on NBC.
Game 1 of the Sharks/Penguins Stanley Cup Final earned a 2.7 overnight rating on NBC Monday night, down 36% from Blackhawks/Lightning last year (4.2) and down 29% from Rangers/Kings in 2014 (3.8). Coverage aired opposite Game 7 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals on TNT, which had an 11.2 overnight.
The Penguins’ win earned the lowest overnight for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final since Kings/Devils four years ago (2.4) and the third-lowest since NBC began carrying the opener in 2009.
The 2.7 is the second-lowest for any Stanley Cup Final game since 2012, ahead of only Kings/Rangers Game 3 in 2014 — a game that aired on NBCSN (2.5). Each of last year’s Blackhawks/Lightning games scored at least a 2.9, and the four on NBC scored at least a 3.8.
The last time a Stanley Cup Final game took place on Memorial Day, Game 2 of Flyers/Blackhawks scored a 4.1 overnight rating. There was no NBA competition that year.
(Mon. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
