The return of the National Hockey League has provided an expected boost to the beleaguered NBC Sports Network.
From the January 19 start of the NHL season to last Sunday, fourteen of the fifteen most-viewed programs on NBC Sports Network have been NHL-related, including the top ten.
The only other program in the top 15 was the Super Bowl edition of “NFL Turning Point” on February 6 (226K). Excluding the NHL and NFL, the top program on NBCSN over the past month was “Brian’s Song” last Sunday night (184K) [see chart].
Dating back to November 26, only 16 programs on NBCSN have earned at least 200,000 viewers. Of the 16 programs, 13 have been NHL-related, two have been NFL-related (including bonus coverage of a 49ers/Patriots game in December), and one was a boxing telecast.
In other NHL/NBC news, last Sunday’s Kings/Red Wings NHL regular season game earned a 0.9 final rating on the NBC broadcast network — up a tick from both Capitals/Rangers last year (0.8), and Bruins/Red Wings in 2011 (0.8).
Most-Viewed Programs on NBCSN, January 13-February 10
| # | Date | Time | Show | Type | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed., 1/23/13 | 7:30 PM | Bruins/Rangers | NHL |
0.5
|
956
|
| 2 | Wed., 1/30/13 | 8 PM | Blackhawks/Wild | NHL |
0.5
|
827
|
| 3 | Wed., 2/6/13 | 7:30 PM | Bruins/Canadiens | NHL |
0.4
|
771
|
| 4 | Sun., 2/10/13 | 7:30 PM | Devils/Penguins | NHL |
0.3
|
556
|
| 5 | Tue., 1/22/13 | 7:30 PM | Flyers/Devils | NHL |
0.3
|
449
|
| 6 | Sun., 1/27/13 | 8 PM | Wild/Blues | NHL |
0.2
|
401
|
| 7 | Mon., 1/21/13 | 7:30 PM | Red Wings/Blue Jackets | NHL |
0.2
|
390
|
| 8 | Tue., 2/5/13 | 7:30 PM | Lightning/Flyers | NHL |
0.2
|
300
|
| 9 | Sun., 1/20/13 | 10 PM | Blackhawks/Coyotes | NHL |
0.1
|
260
|
| 10 | Tue., 1/29/13 | 7:30 PM | Islanders/Penguins | NHL |
0.1
|
245
|
| 11 | Wed., 2/6/13 | 10:15 PM | "NFL Turning Point" | NFL |
0.1
|
226
|
| 12 | Sun., 2/10/13 | 7 PM | "NHL Live" pregame | NHL |
0.1
|
226
|
| 13 | Wed., 1/23/13 | 6:30 PM | "NHL Live" pregame | NHL |
0.1
|
214
|
| 14 | Tue., 2/5/13 | 10:15 PM | "NHL Live" postgame | NHL |
0.1
|
206
|
| 15 | Tue., 1/22/13 | 10:12 PM | "NHL Live" postgame | NHL |
0.1
|
193
|
| 16 | Sun., 2/10/13 | 11 PM | "Brian’s Song" | Movie |
0.1
|
184
|
(NBCSN numbers from Son of the Bronx [1], [2], [3], [4]; last weekend’s NHL on NBC rating from Sports Business Daily)
