Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final held steady in the overnight ratings, despite facing far less competition than a year ago.
Monday’s Blues-Bruins Stanley Cup Final Game 1 earned a 3.7 overnight rating on NBC, even with Capitals-Golden Knights last year and up 6% from Predators-Penguins in 2017 (3.5).
The 3.7 is tied as the highest for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final since 2015 (Blackhawks-Lightning: 4.2) and the fourth-highest since 1999. Bruins-Blackhawks in 2013 holds the top spot (4.9), followed by Blackhawks-Lightning in ’15 and Rangers-Kings in 2014 (3.8).
Even so, better numbers could have been expected. Last year’s Game 1 aired opposite an NBA conference final Game 7 and this year’s game faced no such competition.
St. Louis led all markets with a 29.0 rating, its highest ever for an NHL game on NBC Sports. Boston ranked second at a 25.2, down 10% from the Bruins’ Game 1 against Chicago in 2013 (28.1) and down 1% from their Game 1 against Vancouver in 2011 (25.5). The Red Sox’ World Series opener last fall had a 35.1.
Bruins secondary market Providence, R.I., ranked third with an 18.8. Buffalo was the top neutral market with an 8.4. Indianapolis was fifth at a 7.3, but that rating is for the Indy 500 banquet that preempted the game on Indianapolis NBC affiliate WTHR. The game itself aired on digital subchannels in the market.
