The Stanley Cup Final continues to struggle in the ratings.
Game 2 of the Sharks/Penguins Stanley Cup Final had a 1.4 final rating and 2.5 million viewers on NBCSN Wednesday night, down 30% in ratings and 37% in viewership from Bruins/Blackhawks in 2013, the last Game 2 to air on the network (2.0, 4.0M).
In each of the past two years, Game 2 aired on the NBC broadcast network after horse racing’s Belmont Stakes. Blackhawks/Lightning had a 3.9 and 6.5 million last year, while Kings/Rangers scored a 3.7 and 6.4 million in 2014.
The Penguins’ overtime win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched Stanley Cup Final game in four years, since Devils/Kings Game 4 in 2012 (1.2, 2.1M). It was also the lowest rated Game 2 since Penguins/Red Wings in 2008 and the least-watched since Senators/Ducks in 2007 (576K), both of which aired on NBCSN precursor VERSUS. Keep in mind Game 2 aired on cable just once between 2008 and this year.
Both games of the Sharks/Penguins series have now hit a multi-year low.
Game 2 delivered a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49, down a third from 2013 (1.5). It was not the night’s top cable program in the demo, trailing a Family Guy re-run on Adult Swim (1.1). Of note, NBC’s American Ninja Warrior was the night’s top program in ratings (3.7), viewership (6.4M) and the demo (1.7).
(Wed. numbers via Programming Insider)
