Stanley Cup viewership continues to hit multi-year highs despite a slew of unfamiliar teams.
Through Monday, the NHL conference finals have averaged 1.77 million viewers across NBC Sports’ TV and digital platforms — up 3% from last year (1.72M) and the highest since 2015, the last time the Blackhawks advanced this far in the postseason (1.85M).
The Golden Knights-Jets Western Conference final has averaged 1.84 million, up 70% from Predators-Ducks last year (1.1M) and the highest average at this point of any West final since 2015 (Blackhawks-Ducks: 1.85M). Keep in mind Game 1 of that series aired on NBC, while the first two games in 2016 and 2017 both aired on NBCSN.
Game 1 had a 1.4 rating and 2.34 million viewers on NBC Saturday night, up 182% in ratings and 174% in viewership from Predators-Ducks on a Friday last year (0.5, 856K) and up 57% and 42% respectively from Sharks-Blues on a Sunday in 2016 (0.9, 1.6M). Including streaming, it had 2.37 million.
Compared to Penguins-Senators in the same window on NBC last year, ratings fell 13% (from 1.6) and viewership 19% (from 2.9M). The double-digit declines were a marked shift from the overnights, which were dead even.
Game 2 Monday night had 1.24 million on NBCSN, down 2% from Predators-Ducks (1.27M) but up 11% from Sharks-Blues (1.11M). Ratings were not immediately available. Including streaming viewership, it had 1.29 million.
As for the Eastern Conference Final, Sunday’s Capitals-Lightning Game 2 delivered a 1.1 rating and 1.9 million viewers — up a tick in ratings and 11% in viewership from Senators-Penguins last year (1.0, 1.74M) and up a tick and 13% respectively from Lightning-Penguins in 2016 (1.0, 1.71M). It had 2.0 million viewers with streaming included.
The complete Stanley Cup Playoffs has now averaged 1.11 million viewers across NBC’s TV and digital platforms, up 7% from last year (1.03M) and the highest average since 2012 (1.14M).
