Photo: NHL
According to Sports Media Watch, the Capitals-Maple Leafs Stadium Series game, which was switched to NBCSN with more than four minutes to play in the game to accommodate local news and NBC’s Saturday Night Live, ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched primetime NHL game ever on broadcast television.
With regards to ratings and viewership, Saturday’s game had a 0.7 rating and 1.11 million viewers on NBC, down 36% in ratings and 42% in viewership from last year (Flyers-Penguins: 1.1, 1.9M) and down 30% and 35% respectively from 2016 (Red Wings-Avalanche: 1.0, 1.7M). Those games took place one week earlier in the season.
Graphic: Sports Media Watch
In addition, ratings and viewership were the second-lowest ever for an NHL outdoor game on broadcast television. The 2017 Centennial Classic — Red Wings-Maple Leafs opposite a full slate of NFL games — ranks dead last (0.6, 1.08M).
Related Articles:
Television Ratings Continue to Struggle for Stadium Series Games
Winter Classic Television: The Good, The Bad and the Ugliest
Are There Too Many Outdoor Games in the NHL?
That’s a pity, considering that the Caps played GREAT in that Game! Very Entertaining, but it’s definitely NOT cool to interrupt the game for local programming. It surprised me, but I quickly switched to the alternate channel to watch the end of the game.
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This is so hard for me to believe! I watched the whole game and it made me so proud to be an American again! The military involvement was awesome. The game was all I had hoped it would be. Brought back many childhood memories of playing hockey outside on the frozen lakes. Please continue these outdoors games, we all need our memories!
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