The NHL All-Star Game took a ratings hit in its return to ABC, while the Skills Challenge scored its best numbers in years in its return to ESPN.
Saturday’s NHL All-Star Game averaged a 0.6 rating and 1.15 million viewers on ABC, marking the smallest audience for the game since 2009 (1.09M) — falling below several editions that aired on NBCSN or VERSUS (2016: 1.60M; 2015: 1.19M; 2012: 1.32M; 2011: 1.48M). Ratings fell 38% and viewership 33% from the previous All-Star Game on NBC two years ago, which aired in primetime (1.0, 1.70M).
Since hitting a 1.3 and 2.26 million in its return to broadcast television five years ago, ratings and viewership for the All-Star Game have declined in each successive year.
The previous NHL All-Star Game on ABC — 18 years ago in another era of television — averaged a 1.8 and 2.68 million.
While the All-Star Game was a ratings bust, the previous night’s NHL Skills Challenge pulled a 0.6 and 1.09 million on ESPN — up 19% and 30% respectively from the previous edition on NBCSN two years ago (0.48, 835K) and the largest audience for the event in a decade (2012: 1.10M).
The Skills Challenge was ESPN’s most-watched program of the day, topping the heavily-delayed Sixers-Mavericks NBA game that followed (0.50, 793K).
NHL All-Star Game ratings, viewership, past 20 years
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 2.8]
