There’s a reason why NBC puts two Stanley Cup Final games on NBC Sports Network and Saturday night’s ratings spell out the strategy. As the game went into overtime and eventually became a Boston Bruins victory over the Chicago Blackhawks evening the series, the rating averaged a 2.0 and 3.964 million viewers. It blew away the previous high on NBC Sports Network, Game 3 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final between Philadelphia and Chicago which averaged 3.6 million viewers (when the network was known as Versus).
Game 2 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final is the second most-watched event on NBCSN. The most-watched event is the U.S. Women’s Soccer gold medal match against Japan in the 2012 Olympics.
This now becomes the most-watched Stanley Cup Final game on cable since 2002 when Carolina-Detroit received over 4 million viewers.
Locally, Boston led all markets with a 22.5 rating. Providence was next garnering a 15.8. Chicago saw a 15.6, but that was mainly due to an HD outage on local Comcast systems that caused many viewers to miss the first period.
Here’s the press release from NBC.
BRUINS-BLACKHAWKS GAME 2 IS MOST-WATCHED NHL GAME IN NBC SPORTS NETWORK HISTORY
Game Draws 3.964 Million Viewers, Making it Most-Watched Stanley Cup Final Game 2 on Cable in 16 Years
Bruins-Blackhawks Game 2 Up 237% Compared to First NBCSN Stanley Cup Final Game Last YearSTAMFORD, Conn. – June 17, 2013 – Saturday night’s Stanley Cup Final Game 2 averaged 3.964 million viewers on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), making it the most-watched NHL game in the network’s history (since 2006), the most-watched Game 2 on cable in 16 years, and the most-watched Stanley Cup Final game on cable in 11 years, according to Fast National data provided by The Nielsen Company.
The game (8:30-11:34 p.m. ET), in which the Boston Bruins defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime, delivered a 2.0 household rating and 3.964 million viewers, surpassing Game 3 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final between Philadelphia and Chicago (3.6 million) on NBCSN. It is the second-most watched event ever on NBCSN, trailing only the U.S. Women’s Soccer gold medal match vs. Japan during the London 2012 Olympics, which averaged 4.350 million viewers.
With 3.964 million viewers, Bruins-Blackhawks Game 2 is the most-watched Stanley Cup Final game on cable since 2002 (Carolina-Detroit, 6/4, ESPN, 4.015 million) and the most-watched final Game 2 on cable since 1997 (Detroit-Philadelphia, 6/3, ESPN, 4.955 million). It was up 237% compared to Game 3 last year (the first on NBC Sports Network), which averaged 1.176 million viewers for New Jersey-Los Angeles.
The game peaked with 4.823 million viewers from 10:30-11 p.m. ET.
Two of the top five most-watched NHL games in NBCSN history have occurred this season, with Game 7 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals between Chicago and Detroit averaging 3.354 million viewers.
Top Five Most-Watched NHL Games in NBC Sports Network History
Year Game Teams Viewers 2013 Stanley Cup Final, Game 2 Boston @ Chicago 3.964 million 2010 Stanley Cup Final, Game 3 Philadelphia @ Chicago 3.600 2009 Stanley Cup Final, Game 4 Detroit @ Pittsburgh 3.448 2013 Conference Semi-Finals, Game 7 Detroit @ Chicago 3.354 2010 Stanley Cup Final, Game 4 Philadelphia @ Chicago 3.126 Locally, Boston led all markets with a 22.5 rating, followed by Providence (15.8) and Chicago (15.6). Following are the top five local markets for Game 2:
- Boston, 22.5
- Providence, 15.8
- Chicago, 15.6
- Buffalo, 4.6
- Milwaukee, 3.7
Game 2 follows in the footsteps of Game 1, last Wednesday night’s triple overtime thriller that aired on NBC. Game 1 averaged nearly 6.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched Stanley Cup Final Game 1 in 16 years, the most-watched Game 1 ever on NBC (since 2006), and up 119% vs. last year.
There you have it.
