Pushed to primetime due to inclement weather, Saturday’s NHL Winter Classic had a modest rise in overnight ratings on NBC.
The Capitals’ win over the Penguins in the Winter Classic earned a 2.8 overnight rating on NBC Saturday night, up 8% from last year (PHI/BOS: 2.6), but down a tick from 2009 (DET/CHI: 2.9).
The 2.8 overnight is the second-highest for a regular season NHL game since February 1996 (regional: 3.0, FOX).
Not surprisingly, the telecast was more-than-doubled in the overnights by the Fiesta Bowl on ESPN (CONN/OK: 6.7), which aired at virtually the same time.
Saturday’s game was originally scheduled from 1 PM ET, but was pushed back due to rain in the Pittsburgh area. The previous three Winter Classics all began at 1 PM ET.
