As the Stanley Cup Final draws to a close, the ratings have yet to improve.
Friday’s Stanley Cup Final Game 4 (Lightning-Stars) averaged a 1.25 rating and 2.22 million viewers on the NBC broadcast network (2.26M including streaming), marking the lowest rated and least-watched Game 4 since 2012 — when Devils-Kings had a 1.2 and 2.07 million on NBCSN.
In addition to the eight-year low for Game 4, this year’s series also accounts for the least-watched Game 1 and 2 since 2007 and least-watched Game 3 since at least 2000. Overall, the first four games of this year’s series rank among the six least-watched Cup Final games since 2007, joining Games 3 and 4 in 2012.
Keep in mind the Stanley Cup Final is taking place sans-fans and four months later than scheduled. In addition, the Stars-Lightning matchup marks the first all-‘Sun Belt’ series in the event’s history.
Ratings fell 59% and viewership 57% from Bruins-Blues Game 4 last year, which took place in early June (3.1, 5.13M). All four games of the series have declined at least 57 percent.
Game 4 still delivered the second-largest audience of the NHL season, behind Islanders-Flyers Game 7 in the second round (2.96M). That game had a lead-in from the Kentucky Derby.
Even with the historically low numbers, Game 4 ranked first for the night on broadcast television in adults 18-34 (0.4) and tied WWE Smackdown on FOX for top honors in adults 18-49 (0.6) and 25-54 (0.8). (Across all networks, ESPN’s competing NBA playoff game and associated shoulder programming easily won the night in each of the key demos and in viewership.)
The Lightning’s win averaged a 10.2 rating in Tampa-St. Petersburg, the market’s highest NHL rating since Game 5 of the team’s 2018 Eastern Conference Final against the Capitals (12.0). That game had a lead-in from The Preakness Stakes. Compared to Game 5 of the Lightning’s previous Cup Final in 2015, the rating declined 29% from a 14.3.
Game 4 chipped in a 6.15 in Dallas-Ft. Worth, the market’s second-highest rating on the NBC family of networks behind Game 1 (6.4). The Stars’ previous Cup Final appearance in 2000 aired on ESPN/ABC.
Figures for Saturday’s Game 5 were not immediately available.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 9.28, NBC Sports]
