The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a ratings success despite lower numbers on broadcast, five series involving Canadian teams, and zero series going the distance.
First round coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 742,000 viewers across the NBC family of networks, up 4% from last year (713K) and the highest average since 2014 (753K). Not counting the NBC broadcast network, the first round averaged 574,000 viewers — up 10% from last year (520K) and the highest average since 2012 (632K). Figures include streaming viewership on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
The multi-year highs came despite the presence of five Canadian teams and a grand total of zero game sevens. Keep in mind NBC’s cable networks did benefit for the first time from ‘co-existing’ with local broadcasts in most markets (Boston and Pittsburgh excluded).
The first round ended on a strong note Sunday night. Capitals-Maple Leafs Game 6 had a 0.7 final rating and 1.1 million viewers on NBCSN, up 75% in ratings and 74% in viewership from Panthers-Islanders last year (0.4, 649K) and up a tick and 16% respectively from Canadiens-Senators in 2015 (0.6, 971K).
The Capitals’ win, which had 1.2 million with streaming included, delivered the third-largest first round audience ever on NBCSN* and the top audience with game sevens excluded.
Saturday’s Canadiens-Rangers Game 6 was the top draw of the first round with a 1.3 and 2.1 million on the NBC broadcast network, down 19% in ratings and 27% in viewership from Blackhawks-Blues last year (1.6, 2.8M) and down a tick and 15% respectively from Predators-Blackhawks in 2015 (1.4, 2.4M). Those figures were the second-worst for a primetime playoff game on NBC, ahead of only Predators-Blackhawks Game 2 the previous week (0.9, 1.7M).
Elsewhere on NBC, Saturday’s Wild-Blues Game 5 and Sunday’s Senators-Bruins Game 6 both had a 1.1 and 1.7 million. Both were up a tick in ratings, with the former up 9% in viewership (from 1.6M) and the latter 14% (from 1.5M). Rounding out the weekend, Oilers-Sharks Game 6 had a 0.2 and 348,000 on NBCSN Saturday night. There was no comparable window last year.
* Excludes joined-in-progress coverage of Penguins-Lightning Game 7 in 2011. While the telecast had 1.5 million viewers, it lasted less than 45 minutes.
(Wknd. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box 4.25, NBC Sports, ShowBuzz Daily 4.25)
