The Bruins/Canadiens rivalry failed to give NBCSN a viewership bump. In other news, golf’s annual World Challenge sank on NBC, and local ratings for the Atlanta Hawks are up double digits.
Bruins/Canadiens Dips, Red Wings/Capitals Up Big, on NBCSN
- Wednesday’s Bruins/Canadiens NHL regular season game drew 436,000 viewers on NBCSN, down 4% from Maple Leafs/Red Wings last year (455K) but up 2% from Flyers/Red Wings in 2013 (426K). Penguins/Avalanche had 237,000 later in the night; there were no comparable windows last year or in 2013. On Tuesday, Red Wings/Capitals scored 418,000 — up 146% from Kings/Sabres last year (170K), up 207% from Stars/Blackhawks in 2013 (136K). (via Sports TV Ratings [1], [2])
Weak Outing For Golf’s World Challenge
- Final round coverage of golf’s annual World Challenge drew a 0.6 final rating and 835,000 viewers on NBC last Sunday, down a tick in ratings and 20% in viewership from last year (0.7, 1.0M) and down 57% and 59%, respectively, from Tiger Woods‘ second-place finish in 2013 (1.4, 2.1M). The 0.6 rating is the lowest for the final round of the event since at least 2008, and likely in the 17-year history of the event. Third round action the previous day had a 0.7 and 953,000, down a tick in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (0.8, 1.1M) and down 42% and 44%, respectively, from 2013 (1.2, 1.7M). (Nielsen)
Hawks Ratings Up Locally
- Atlanta Hawks NBA regular season games were averaging a 1.41 rating on Fox Sports Southeast (previously SportSouth) through Tuesday, up 13% from last year (1.25). Keep in mind last year’s Hawks ratings did not really take off until January, when the team was in the midst of an 18-game winning streak. (FS Southeast)
