The final and deciding game of the NHL Stanley Cup Final resulted with a record rating for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. It becomes the most watched NHL game on CBC, just ranking below the 2002 Olympic gold medal men’s hockey game in Salt Lake City. An average viewership of 8.76 million watched Boston defeat Vancouver last night. It marks the 4th time a record rating has been set in this series. Very impressive. Here’s the press release from CBC.
GAME 7 SETS ALL-TIME RATINGS RECORD FOR CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA
A record average audience of 8.76 million Canadians watched; Game reached 18.45 million Canadians
It was only fitting that a playoff run that delivered record ratings in each round ended with a Game 7 that broke all viewing records for CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA. A stunning average audience of 8.76 million Canadians tuned in, making it the most-watched NHL broadcast in CBC history*, and second-most watched sports broadcast ever, just behind the 2002 Olympic Men’s Hockey Final between Canada and the USA at 8.96 million.
The game, which saw Boston defeat Vancouver 4-0 to win their first Stanley Cup title since 1972, peaked at 11.2 million viewers at 9:40 p.m. ET with five minutes left in the 2nd period. The game reached a total of 18.45 million Canadians (more than half of the Canadian population), by far the most ever for the Final on CBC.
The game also delivered spectacular ratings in the key 25-54 demo, with an average audience of just over 4 million viewers.
Top 5 sports audiences in CBC history*:
- 2002 Olympic Men’s Hockey Final, Canada vs. USA: 8.96 million
- 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Game 7, Boston vs. Vancouver, 8.76 million
- 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Game 6, Vancouver vs. Boston, 6.6 million
- 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Game 5, Boston vs. Vancouver, 6.1 million
- 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Game 1, Boston vs. Vancouver, 5.6 million
Average audience, overnight data, all games of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final:
Game 1 — 5.6 million (Vancouver 1-0 win)
Game 2 — 5.6 million (Vancouver 3-2 win OT)
Game 3 — 5.4 million (Boston 8-1 win)
Game 4 — 5.3 million (Boston 4-0 win)
Game 5 — 6.1 million (Vancouver 1-0 win)
Game 6 — 6.6 million (Boston 5-2 win)
Game 7 — 8.7 million (Boston 4-0 win)(Source: BBM Canada, Total Canada, Preliminary Overnights, Ind.2+, 2011)
* Based on metered television audience data only
That is all.
