Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals was not much of a draw for NBC last Saturday night.
The Red Wings’ blowout win over the Penguins drew a 2.4/5 final rating and 4.4 million viewers on NBC last Saturday, down 37% in ratings and 29% in viewers from a 3.8 and 6.2 million for last year’s Game 5, which aired on a Monday night. Compared to ’07, the 2.4 rating is 33% from a 1.8 for Ducks/Senators Game 5, which aired on a Wednesday night.
Through three telecasts (Games 1, 2 and 5), NBC is averaging a 2.6 rating and 4.7 million viewers for coverage of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, down 7% and 2%, respectively, from a 2.8 and 4.8 million for the net’s first three telecasts last year (Games 3, 4 and 5).
The Stanley Cup Finals as a whole is averaging 4.1 million viewers on NBC and Versus, up 5% from 3.9 million through the same point last year.
Despite the low numbers, Game 5 helped NBC win the night in prime time in the adults 18-49 demo on Saturday.
