The NHL lockout seems to have built anticipation for hockey. On Wednesday, NBC Sports Network began what it called “Wednesday Night Rivalry”, pitting the Boston Bruins against the New York Rangers. And while the B’s and Rangers haven’t been true rivals in decades thanks to the NHL’s division alignments, the teams did play a very exciting game that went to overtime.
NBC Sports Network saw an average audience of 956,000 viewers, the most watched NHL regular season game in the history of the network dating back to when it was previously known as Versus and then OLN before that. And it was the most watched regular season game on cable since 2002 when ESPN had the contract.
In the two home markets, Boston saw a 6.94 local rating, the second highest ever for a NHL game on NBCSN and New York received a 2.07 number which is the best-ever for the Big Apple for NBCSN.
Here’s the press release.
INAUGURAL “WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY” IS MOST-WATCHED NHL GAME IN NBC SPORTS NETWORK HISTORY
Bruins-Rangers OT Game Watched by 956,000 Viewers; Most-Watched Regular-Season Game on Cable in 11 Years
Through Four Games, NBC Sports Network’s NHL Viewership Up 53% vs. Last Year’s Season Average
New York & Boston Markets Post Record Ratings on NBC Sports NetworkNEW YORK – Jan. 24, 2013 — This week’s inaugural Wednesday Night Rivalry game between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers from Madison Square Garden was watched by 956,000 viewers (0.53 HH rating), making it the most-watched NHL regular-season game in the network’s history*, dating back to the 2005-06 season. The previous record was set on opening night last season when 874,000 viewers (0.51 HH) tuned in to see the then-defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins take on the Philadelphia Flyers.
The contest (7:30-10:12 p.m. ET), won by the Rangers, 4-3, in overtime, was also the most-watched NHL regular-season game on any cable channel in 11 years, since ESPN drew 1.28 million for Sharks-Red Wings in 2002 (1/23/02). Wednesday night’s game peaked in the second period with 1.09 million viewers from 8:45-9 p.m. ET.
Locally, New York scored a 2.07 HH rating, the market’s highest-ever rating for an NHL regular-season game on NBC Sports Network. Boston received a 6.94 HH rating, the second-highest regular-season Bruins game ever on NBC Sports Network, behind only last season’s opening night game against the Flyers (7.39 HH rating). NBC Sports Network was the No. 1 rated network overall in Boston from 7:30-10:15 p.m. ET, and the No. 2 cable network in New York during that time.
Through four games this season, NBC Sports Network is averaging 507,000 viewers, up 53% compared to the 2011-12 season average of 332,000, and up 27% compared to the first four games last season (398,000).
*NBC Sports Network was previously known as VERSUS (2006-2011) and OLN before that.
That’s it.
