The first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs were the most-watched ever on cable, but the lack of broadcast network games brought the average slightly below the previous traditional postseason three years ago.
Entering Wednesday’s Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Stanley Cup Playoffs is averaging 1.12 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, TNT and TBS — up 26% from the same point last year (904K) but down 1% from the previous traditional postseason in 2019 (1.13M). This year’s average is the highest ever for the first three rounds of the playoffs on cable, with the caveat that this is the first year since 1992 in which no games aired on broadcast prior to the final.
Going back further, this year’s average is in line with what the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged over the previous decade on the NBC family of networks. The first three rounds averaged between 1.10 and 1.19 million viewers in all-but-one year from 2014-19.
Keep in mind that out-of-home viewing is included in this year’s averages and was not included in 2019 or prior years. Per data reviewed by SMW, this year’s postseason is averaging around 972,000 sans out-of-home viewing, which would mark a 14% decline from 2019.
At the same time, also keep in mind that viewing levels are sharply down from just three years ago, much less six, seven or eight.
The conference finals averaged 2.14 million, a two-thirds increase over last year, up 19% from 2019 and the most-watched conference final round in seven years. The six-game Lightning-Rangers Eastern Conference Final averaged 2.4 million, up 82% from last year, up 32% from the four-game Bruins-Hurricanes series in 2019, and the most-watched conference final series since 2013.
Last Saturday’s clinching Game 6 ranks as the most-watched game of the postseason thus far with a 1.35 rating and 2.84 million viewers on ESPN, up 83% from last year and the most-watched conference final Game 6 on any network since 2002.
The Rangers ended up playing in the seven most-watched games of the playoffs and eight of the top nine. Overall, the Rangers’ 20 playoff games averaged 1.8 million viewers, more-than-double the average of the games in which they did not play.
As previously noted, TNT averaged 1.8 million for the four-game Avalanche-Oilers Western Conference Final (+58%). Broken out by network, ESPN and ESPN2 finished the postseason averaging 1.2 million and TNT averaged 1.0 million.
Viewership for first three rounds of Stanley Cup Playoffs
Past decade
[Nielsen estimates from league and network PR, ShowBuzz Daily 6.12]
