No matter what happens during the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL is virtually guaranteed some of its best ratings in years.
For the first time since 2003, there will be an all American Stanley Cup Finals. Not only that, there does not appear to be a bad match-up left. Philadelphia and Dallas are the fourth and fifth biggest markets in the country, Detroit is the self-proclaimed “Hockeytown”, and Pittsburgh features the biggest star in hockey, Sidney Crosby.
Everything is pointing to a major jump in ratings for the Stanley Cup Finals, which sank to record low ratings last year.
Partly because of the record low ratings for last year’s Ducks/Senators final, any increase this year figures to be very large. Any of the four potential Stanley Cup Finals match-ups (Flyers/Red Wings, Penguins/Red Wings, Flyers/Stars and Penguins/Stars) has the potential to average a 2.0 rating on NBC — which by itself would be a 25% increase over the 1.6 for last year’s series.
If the NHL is not able to garner much higher ratings for this year’s Finals, it could be a signal that the league really and truly is down for the count.
However, judging by the trend of this season, the league should be on its way to a major jump in the ratings for its marquee event. Already, the NHL has seen a record setting rating on Versus (Penguins/Rangers Game 4), and January’s Winter Classic was the highest rated NHL telecast in years.
Coming off of disastrous ratings in 2006-07, its about time the NHL finally had a banner year.
