NBC’s first round coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs could not quite match the levels set two years ago, but easily topped last year.
The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 2.2 million viewers on NBC (six telecasts), up 39% from last year (1.6M), but down 15% from 2012 (2.6M). NBC aired only three telecasts last year, as the second weekend of the playoffs coincided with golf’s The Players Championship.
Combined, NBC, NBCSN and CNBC averaged 752,000 viewers for the first round — up 57% from last year (478K), but down 19% from 2012 (929K). [Additional details on cable viewership available here.]
Last week’s Game 6 of the Blackhawks/Blues series earned a 1.7 final rating and 2.8 million viewers on NBC — the second-most viewed game of the playoffs. The only game to earn a larger audience was Red Wings/Bruins Game 2 a week earlier (2.784M to 2.778M). Compared to Bruins/Capitals Game 6 two years ago, however, viewership declined by 21% (3.5M to 2.8M).
Rangers/Flyers Game 5 earlier in the day drew a 1.2 and 1.8 million, and Bruins/Red Wings Game 5 last Saturday scored a 1.3 and 2.1 million.
(Averages from NBC Sports Group Press Box; last weekend’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)
