A second straight Game 7 rout did not do well for NBCSN. In other news, the Islanders/Lightning series delivered NBC’s worst numbers of the postseason, and last week’s Kentucky Oaks sank by more than a third.
Predators/Sharks Least-Watched Semifinal Game 7 Since 2010
- Game 7 of the Predators/Sharks Stanley Cup playoff series drew a 0.6 final rating and 1.1 million viewers on NBCSN Thursday night, marking the least-watched second round Game 7 since Flyers/Bruins in 2010 — when national coverage on Versus was blacked out locally (930K). The Sharks’ blowout win was the first game of the series to crack the million viewer mark. (via Programming Insider)
Islanders/Lightning Was Weak Draw For NBC
- On the NBC broadcast network, last Sunday’s Islanders/Lightning Game 5 had a 0.8 final rating and 1.2 million viewers — marking the network’s second-smallest audience of the playoffs (12 telecasts), ahead of only Game 2 of the same series a week earlier (1.24M to 1.20M). Blues/Stars Game 5 had a 0.9 and 1.3 million the day before, and the previously reported Penguins/Capitals Game 5 had a 2.4 and 4.2 million. NBC did not air any games on the comparable weekend last year. (via Sports Business Daily)
Kentucky Oaks Down Big on NBCSN
- Last Friday’s Kentucky Oaks delivered 175,000 viewers on NBCSN, down 36% from last year (275K), down 18% from 2014 (212K) and the smallest audience for the pre-Derby event since at least 2012. As previously noted, the Kentucky Derby Draw also declined 36%, while the Derby itself fell by just 3%. (via Sports TV Ratings)
