BREAKING NEWS: Canadians Watched Hockey Gold Medal Game in Droves

Just received this press release, no actually, I had to retrieve this press release from CTV’s media website that the ratings for the USA-Canada men’s hockey gold medal game were even more blockbuster than in the United States. While the numbers for NBC were spectacular, they were even more so in Canada were about half the population tuned into CTV to watch the game. And the win by Canada led into the Closing Ceremony where the ratings were boffo as well.

Oh Canada!! 16.6 Million Watch Team Canada Ignite a Nation
  • – 14.3 million watch Closing Ceremony as Vancouver 2010 comes to a close –

Vancouver, BC (March 1, 2010) – It was an epic game that delivered an epic audience. Yesterday’s gold medal Men’s Hockey game has become the most-watched television broadcast ever in Canadian history, with an average audience of 16.6 million viewers. Nearly half of the Canadian population watched the entire game on average, while 80% of Canadians watched some part of the game (26.5 million). The game aired live on nine television networks in eight languages via Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium.

“Crosby scores! Sidney Crosby! The golden goal! And Canada has once-in-a-lifetime Olympic gold!,” called play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert as Canada clinched its record-breaking 14th gold medal. “These Golden Games have their crowning moment.”

Additionally, the 2010 Winter Games Closing Ceremony becomes the second most-watched broadcast ever, as 14.3 million viewers said goodbye to Vancouver 2010. A total of 24.5 million watched some part of the broadcast.

Detailed ratings summary to follow.

Television: Preliminary overnight data from BBM Canada.

Amazing numbers.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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