For the third straight year, the final game of the NHL season was the most-viewed in the United States since the early 1970s.
Game 7 of the Bruins/Canucks Stanley Cup Final earned a 4.8 final rating and 8.54 million viewers on NBC Wednesday night, up 12% in ratings and 7% in viewership from Game 7 in 2009 (PIT/DET G7: 4.3, 7.992M), and up 46% and 61%, respectively, from Game 7 in 2006 (EDM/CAR G7: 3.3, 5.29M), the last Game 7 to feature a Canadian team.
Wednesday’s game ranks as the highest rated NHL telecast since 1974 and the most-viewed since 1973. Overall, the game stands as the fourth-most viewed Stanley Cup Final telecast ever in the United States.
The game also ranks as the second-most viewed Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, trailing only Canadiens/Blackhawks Game 7 in 1971 (12.41M, CBS).
For some perspective, Canucks/Rangers Game 7 in 1994 earned a 3.5 U.S. rating and 5.439 million viewers on ESPN (the ESPN telecast was blacked out in New York).
This is the third-straight year NBC has hit a multi-decade high in viewership for the clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final. Game 7 of Penguins/Red Wings (7.992M) in 2009 was the most-viewed Stanley Cup game since 1974, a mark topped by Blackhawks/Flyers Game 6 (8.279M) the next season.
Three of the ten most-viewed Stanley Cup Final telecasts of the past 45 years have taken place in the past three seasons alone.
Game 7 drew a 3.4 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic, tying Game 7 in 2009 (3.4) and up 48% from 2006 (2.3). The game was the top program of the night on broadcast in total viewers and adults 18-49, topping a new episode of So You Think You Can Dance on FOX (7.59M, 2.7 A18-49).
NBC won the night on broadcast in households, total viewership and adults 18-49.
Overall, the 2011 Stanley Cup Final averaged a 2.7 rating and 4.6 million viewers on Versus and NBC. Additional details on the series as a whole are forthcoming.
Ratings/Viewership For Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final
Dating back to 1994
|
Year
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
A18-49
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Wed., 6/15/11 | BOS 4, VAN 0 | NBC |
4.8
|
8,540
|
3.4
|
| 2009 | Fri., 6/12/09 | PIT 2, DET 1 | NBC |
4.3
|
7,992
|
3.4
|
| 2006 | Mon., 6/19/06 | EDM 1, CAR 3 | NBC |
3.3
|
5,290
|
2.3
|
| 2004 | Mon., 6/7/04 | CGY 1, TB 2 | ABC |
4.2
|
6,290
|
2.6
|
| 2003 | Mon., 6/9/03 | ANA 0, NJ 3 | ABC |
4.6
|
7,169
|
3.4
|
| 2001 | Sat., 6/9/01 | NJ 1, COL 3 | ABC |
4.2
|
6,950
|
—
|
| 1994 | Tue., 6/14/94 | VAN 2, NY 3 | ESPN |
3.5
|
5,439
|
—
|
(Numbers from NBC Sports Group via TV By the Numbers)
