NHL posts strong TV ratings for NBC in return

[D Y B FLYERS]

NHL returns with strong TV ratings
Updated: January 20, 2013, 1:05 PM ET
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- NHL fans have tuned in to hockey's return to television.
NBC's broadcast Saturday earned the highest preliminary rating for a non-Winter Classic regular-season game since 2002.

The network said Sunday its regional coverage of Blackhawks-Kings and Penguins-Flyers averaged a 2.0 overnight rating. That's up 67 percent from the average for regular-season games on NBC last year.

The abbreviated NHL season opened Saturday after a lockout wiped out the first three months.

Ratings represent the percentage of homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings measure the country's largest markets.


Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

Looks like the fans have returned. I believe NHL Network reported that no NHL arena was below 97.0% capacity for the opening weekend of the 2013 season with Philadelphia at the top with 102.0% capacity with 19,994 in attendance for their game against Pittsburgh. TV ratings showed a drastic increase. Not calling anybody out, but what happened to all those proclaiming that the NHL dug it's own grave and that people would no show up for the games?

[ARCTICCAT24]

Hockey is entertainment. People will ALWAYS come back. The NHL knew they would come back and they did. They have us on a string.

[Wadubbin]

From what I saw and heard was that Pittsburgh alone had a 19.7% viewing which equates to about 600,000 viewers for the game against Philly.Which isn't too bad considering the whole metropolitan area has roughly 2.3 million people.Philly was around a 8% viewing..Not bad either...

[shaud19]

Originally Posted by ARCTICCAT24

Hockey is entertainment. People will ALWAYS come back. The NHL knew they would come back and they did. They have us on a string.

Exactly! No matter how much talk there is about people are going to give up watching NHL it just doesn't happen. (I think that's the same for all major sports) When a league can do whatever it wants and not be impacted by the consumer, something is wrong there. I'm happy the lockout is over although NHL should be more hindered by this work stoppage than they appear to be.

[RayzorEdge]

Originally Posted by D Y B FLYERS

Looks like the fans have returned. I believe NHL Network reported that no NHL arena was below 97.0% capacity for the opening weekend of the 2013 season with Philadelphia at the top with 102.0% capacity with 19,994 in attendance for their game against Pittsburgh. TV ratings showed a drastic increase. Not calling anybody out, but what happened to all those proclaiming that the NHL dug it's own grave and that people would no show up for the games?

We never said that. Everyone knew the bandwagon fans would come back since that's the only hockey they know. A quick search on twitter confirmed that every day of the lockout. I myself have yet to give a shit about any of those games. There are too many better hockey games in the minors to waste time on a watered down league, as this weekend has shown. When I run into a night when no minor leagues are in action, that will change for a brief moment. But I am for all practical purposes done with the NHL. It's on the same level as college hockey for me.

Originally Posted by ARCTICCAT24

Hockey is entertainment. People will ALWAYS come back. The NHL knew they would come back and they did. They have us on a string.

Hockey is entertainment, but the NHL isn't the only hockey.

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by D Y B FLYERS

Not calling anybody out, but what happened to all those proclaiming that the NHL dug it's own grave and that people would no show up for the games?

I don't recall reading any of this either. I remember saying I wish fans would boycott the league as that would be the only real way to make any sort of statement but I never said that was going to happen. I'm not that naive. In fact I stated a number of times a vast majority of fans would flock back in droves.

Keep in mind after the lockout ended in 04-05 the ratings and arenas were full league wide. After the dust settled arenas started to empty in many U.S. cities and interest in the NHL started to dwindle. I expect the same to happen in this instance too.

I will say though, I watched part of the Rangers and Bruins game and while the 1st period was boring, I thought the 2nd and 3rd were fairly good. Entertaining enough for me to continue to watch. But I haven't bothered to watch any other games as I simply don't have enough interest. Especially when there is other hockey available to watch that is a lot more entertaining, IMO.

[habsfan1122]

rds had 1.4m for 5m french people. thats 28% of the people watching the game in the market. its like 88.2 millions people watching hockey on tv in america

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by habsfan1122

rds had 1.4m for 5m french people. thats 28% of the people watching the game in the market. its like 88.2 millions people watching hockey on tv in america

The ratings are always going to be high in Canada regardless if the product is entertaining or not.

[JKidd]

If these games keep having fights, I'll keep watching.

Solid fight action thus far, 3 days into the season.

[Mr. Pink]

if NHL had any brains at all, they would make NHL.tv free for the rest of the season as reparations.

[pesadillamal]

Originally Posted by D Y B FLYERS

Looks like the fans have returned. I believe NHL Network reported that no NHL arena was below 97.0% capacity for the opening weekend of the 2013 season with Philadelphia at the top with 102.0% capacity with 19,994 in attendance for their game against Pittsburgh. TV ratings showed a drastic increase. Not calling anybody out, but what happened to all those proclaiming that the NHL dug it's own grave and that people would no show up for the games?

Not even possible.

[D Y B FLYERS]

Originally Posted by pesadillamal

Not even possible.

Oh, okay I guess it isn't.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

[PilotsFan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

if NHL had any brains at all, they would make NHL.tv free for the rest of the season as reparations.

Since I cancelled my Center Ice package, today I got an email offering me $14per month for 4 months. I told them the only way I'd watch is if they gave it to me which would make me consider next year and they did.

Tell NHL Center Ice to take a hike, you'd be surprised what they'll do, especially if you've been a buyer for a few years which we have.

[D Y B FLYERS]

Originally Posted by RayzorEdge

We never said that. Everyone knew the bandwagon fans would come back since that's the only hockey they know. A quick search on twitter confirmed that every day of the lockout. I myself have yet to give a shit about any of those games. There are too many better hockey games in the minors to waste time on a watered down league, as this weekend has shown. When I run into a night when no minor leagues are in action, that will change for a brief moment. But I am for all practical purposes done with the NHL. It's on the same level as college hockey for me.



Hockey is entertainment, but the NHL isn't the only hockey.

Maybe you specifically didn't say that, but when someone says the NHL is "digging their own grave" then what does it mean? They are digging their own grave but the TV ratings will be up and attendance will be up? That makes no sense. I agree more (on this site) were saying they would, "turn their back on the league/not watch it on TV" but there seemed to be massive amounts, specifically on this site, trying to get you to believe that because of this lockout the NHL won't rebound. I think that has been proven wrong already.

I also disagree with you on the minor hockey thing. That's a matter of personal opinion, so I won't try and get you to agree with me, but from the ECHL games I've been to this year, they are terribly boring.

[pesadillamal]

Originally Posted by D Y B FLYERS

Oh, okay I guess it isn't.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

It was a joke for those who feel the word "capacity" means the maximum amount of people that a place could hold. You can't have more than 100% of the maximum.