NBC Sports has announced that Saturday’s NHL Winter Classic which was postponed from 1 p.m. until 8:12 p.m. in primetime, was the most watched of the four games that have been played. It garnered a 2.3 rating and 4.5 million viewers. The rating is 10% higher than last year’s 2.1 rating and 22% higher than last year’s audience of 3.7 million viewers.
NBC says it’s the most watched NHL regular season game in 36 years.
Some other notes now that I have the press release. Pittsburgh, Washington and the surrounding market of Baltimore finished 1, 2 and 3 in the ratings. Richmond also was in the top ten markets watching the Winter Classic.
MOST-WATCHED WINTER CLASSIC EVER2011 NHL Winter Classic Is Most-Watched NHL Regular-Season Game In 36 Years With 4.5 Million Viewers2011 Classic Viewership Up 22% Vs. Last YearPittsburgh Leads Markets With 32.0 RatingNEW YORK – Jan. 2, 2011 – The 2011 NHL Winter Classic, broadcast on New Year’s Day by NBC Sports in primetime due to a weather delay, was the most-watched Winter Classic ever, up 22 percent vs. last year’s game and the most-watched NHL regular-season game in 36 years, according to fast national data provided by Nielsen Media Research. In four years the NHL Winter Classic, which Newsday called “a holiday tradition” and the New York Times said “has stolen New Year’s Day,” has averaged 4.1 million viewers on NBC. Saturday’s game was seen by 4.5 million viewers, up 22 percent vs. last year (3.7 million), and earned a 2.3 national rating and 4 share (8-11 p.m. ET), up 10 percent vs. last year (2.1/4, 1-4 p.m. ET).Despite changing the start time from 1 p.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET due to weather, which saw the game to compete against other NHL games involving eight U.S. markets, 4.5 million viewers watched the Capitals defeat the Penguins, 3-1, at Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, surpassing the 4.4 million who watched the 2009 Winter Classic that saw the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, 6-4, at iconic Wrigley Field as the most-watched NHL regular-season game since Feb. 23, 1975 (5.4 million, Philadelphia-New York Rangers on NBC). The 2011 Classic was also up 22 percent vs. last year’s overtime game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins from iconic Fenway Park (3.7 million).MOST-WATCHED NHL REGULAR-SEASON GAMES SINCE 19754.5 million Jan. 1, 2011 NBC Capitals-Penguins4.4 million Jan. 1, 2009 NBC Red Wings-Blackhawks3.8 million Jan. 27, 1996 FOX Six-game regional coverage3.8 million Jan. 1, 2008 NBC Penguins-Sabres3.7 million Jan. 1, 2010 NBC Flyers-BruinsThe rating peaked at a 2.4/4 in both the 8-8:30 p.m. ET and 8:30-9 p.m. ET half hours.Pittsburgh led all markets with a 32.0 rating, which is up 81 percent from the 17.7 rating the market posted for the inaugural Winter Classic (2008), in which the Penguins competed against the Sabres in Buffalo in snow globe-like conditions with the winning goal provided by Sidney Crosby in a shootout.Following are the Top 10 metered markets for the 2010 Winter Classic:1. Pittsburgh, 32.0/462. Washington D.C., 7.6/133. Baltimore, 6.6/114. Buffalo, 5.3/8T5. St. Louis, 4.3/7T5. Denver, 4.3/77. Boston, 4.0/78. Richmond, 3.8/69. Philadelphia, 3.5/610. Columbus, 3.4/6HOCKEY ON NBC: NBC Sports has broadcast some of the most-watched hockey games in recent memory. All four Winter Classics are among the Top 5 most-watched regular-season NHL games in 36 years, including this year’s game which is the most-watched with 4.5 million viewers. NBC Sports’ broadcast of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup on June 9, 2010, was the most-watched NHL game in 36 years with 8.28 million viewers. The Olympic gold medal game between Canada and the United States from Vancouver on February 28, 2010, was the most-watched hockey game in the U.S. in 30 years with 27.6 million viewers.
And that is a wrap on the NHL Winter Classic for this year.
