As one would expect, moving the NHL All-Star Game back to a broadcast network resulted in the game’s best numbers since it last aired on a free TV.
The 2017 NHL All-Star Game had a 1.6 overnight rating on NBC Sunday afternoon, up a third from last year (1.2) and up 78% from 2015 (0.9), both of which aired on NBCSN. The 1.6 is the highest for the NHL All-Star Game since it previously aired on a broadcast network, 2004 on ABC (2.5). The previous high over that span was last year’s 1.2
The 1.6 is also the highest for an indoor NHL telecast on any network, not counting the playoffs, since regional action on the opening weekend of the lockout-shortened 2013 season (2.0).
Head-to-head, the All-Star Game trailed ABC’s Thunder/Cavaliers NBA game (2.5) and final round coverage of the PGA at Torrey Pines on CBS (2.1). It also trailed the NFL Pro Bowl later in the night (4.6), though that is a surprise to nobody.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily 1.30, with additional info from NBC Sports/Twitter 1.30)
