Stanley Cup playoff viewership has been surging after a slow start, but that momentum has hit a speed bump.
Tuesday’s Bruins-Blue Jackets Stanley Cup semifinal Game 3 earned a 1.0 rating and 1.66 million viewers on NBCSN, flat in ratings and down 3% in viewership from Capitals-Penguins last year (1.0, 1.71M), but up 66% in the latter from 2017 (Senators-Rangers: 1.00M, rating n/a).
Despite the lower numbers, the Blue Jackets’ win delivered the largest audience of the postseason on cable and the fourth-largest audience overall. The Bruins have played in the four most-watched games this postseason and five of the top six.
Later in the night, Sharks-Avalanche Game 3 had a 0.6 and 1.07 million — flat in ratings and up 4% in viewership from 2017 (Blues-Predators: 0.6, 1.03M). There was no comparable window last year.
On Wednesday night, Islanders-Hurricanes Game 3 had 1.19 million (-21%) and Blues-Stars Game 4 1.00 million (-3%).
Averages through Wednesday’s games were not available. Through Tuesday, the Stanley Cup Playoffs has averaged 923,000 viewers across NBC’s TV and digital platforms — up 1% from last year (912K) and still a seven-year high.
Locally, Bruins-Blue Jackets Game 3 had a 13.2 rating in Columbus, the market’s highest ever for an NHL game on NBC Sports. Sharks-Avalanche Game 3 had a 7.8 in Denver, also a local record for the NHL on NBC. Islanders-Hurricanes Game 3 had a 7.7 in Raleigh-Durham, that market’s highest for a second round game.
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 5.2, ShowBuzz Daily 5.2; NBC Sports PR 5.2]
