This year’s NHL All-Star Game held in Las Vegas took a ratings hit in its return to ABC, while the Skills Challenge scored its best numbers in years in its return to ESPN, according to Sports Media Watch.
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).
Skills Challenge
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).
Friday night, #NHL fans tuned in as the #NHLAllStar Skills Competition returned to ESPN
The most-viewed & most-watched among P18-49 @NHL All-Star Skills Competition since 2012#NHLxESPN pic.twitter.com/cql8isSKTp
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 8, 2022
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced last Friday that next year’s All-Star weekend will be held in Miami.
By Jon Sorensen