NBC's Coverage of NHL Conference Finals Up 10% in Viewers

Through the first nine games of the Conference Finals (May 24), NBC Sports Group's coverage has averaged 1.906 million viewers, up 10% vs. viewership of the first nine games of the 2014 Conference Finals (1.739 million).

Saturday night's Game 4 on NBC BETWEEN the Ducks and the Blackhawks (8 p.m.-12:15 a.m. ET), which was decided in double overtime, delivered a 1.78 rating and averaged 2.801 million viewers, ranking as the highest-rated and most-watched game of the 2015 playoffs to date. Viewership peaked in the 11:30 p.m. ET quarter hour, averaging nearly 4.7 million viewers (4.655).

In addition, the game marked the highest-rated Conference Final matchup in two years, since the deciding Game 5 of the 2013 Western Conference Final BETWEEN the Blackhawks and Kings (2.89). NBC led the night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and most other key demos.

Locally, NBC Sports Group's coverage of the Lightning-Rangers Eastern Conference Final has produced four of the Top 5 NHL ratings ever on NBC or NBCSN in the Tampa Bay market, highlighted by a record 8.65 rating in Game 2 on NBCSN. Through six games, the Tampa Bay market has averaged a 7.7 local rating, up 48% vs. the average rating in the Tampa Bay market for the 2011 Eastern Conference Final (5.2), which featured the Lightning and Bruins.

NBC Sports Group's coverage of the Ducks-Blackhawks Western Conference Final has averaged a 2.8 rating in the Los Angeles market through five games, including the highest-rated Ducks game ever on NBCSN (Game 2; 3.1) and the highest-rated Ducks game on NBC since Game 5 of the 2007 Stanley Cup Final (Game 4; 3.2).

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