NBC's Coverage of NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL Wins the Night

Regarding Monday's primetime Nielsens, note that the fast-affiliate ratings that came in at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT are not time zone-adjusted and are subject to updates for live sporting events. As those preliminary numbers stand, NBC, featuring coverage of NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey, won the night in adults 18-49, as well as total viewers, adults 25-54, adults 18-34 and all key adult-male demos.

In metered-market results, which are time zone-adjusted, last night's NBC Sports 8:15-11 p.m. ET coverage of NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey, featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Chicago Blackhawks, ruled the night with a 5.6 rating, 9 share in metered-market households, making it the third-best Stanley Cup Final Game 6 on record (since 1995).

Among Game 6 telecasts, this year's 5.6 trails only the 2010 Blackhawks-Flyers matchup (5.8) and the 2013 Blackhawks-Bruins coverage (5.7)

Chicago delivered a record 41.0 household rating and 57 share last night, the best overnight ever for an NHL telecast on NBC in the Chicago market, while Tampa posted a 15.2, that market's second-best ever.

The top 10 markets for last night's series-clinching Stanley Cup Final Game 6 on NBC were: Chicago, 41.0; Tampa, 15.2; Buffalo, 10.5; Milwaukee, 7.9; Denver, 7.6; Minneapolis-St. Paul, 7.5; Boston, 6.7; Providence, 5.8; St. Louis, 5.8; and Las Vegas 5.1.

In Late-Night Metered Markets Monday Night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.7/7, delayed by NHL hockey; "CBS Summer Showcase," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.3/7, delayed by NHL hockey; "CBS Summer Showcase," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4 with an encore.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 in metered-market households, delayed by NHL hockey) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49, delayed by NHL hockey) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore delayed by NHL hockey in metered-market households and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

For the Week:

With NBC's "America's Got Talent," "American Ninja Warrior" and "I Can Do That" generating three of the week's top four adult 18-49 ratings among primetime non-sports shows on the Big 4 networks, NBC has finished #2 for the week of June 8-14 in adults 18-49 and virtually all other key demographics.

Counting sports programs, NBC delivered four of the week's top 10 on the Big 4 in 18-49, with Saturday's coverage of NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey joining "Talent," "Ninja" and "I Can Do That" among the week's top programs.

"America's Got Talent" ranked #4 for the week overall among Big 4 primetime programs in adults 18-49 behind three NBA FINALS telecasts on ABC and was the #1 non-sports program or tied for #1 in total viewers, adults, men and women 18-49; adults and men 18-34; adults, men and women 25-54; teens 12-17 and kids 2-11.

"American Ninja Warrior" was the #2 entertainment telecast on the Big 4 last week, behind only "Talent," in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, kids 2-11 and teens 12-17 and tied for #1 with "Talent" in men 18-49 and men 25-54.

Joining "Talent" and "Ninja" in the week's top 25 for Big 4 primetime programs in adults 18-49 were Saturday's Games 5 of NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey (#7), Tuesday's "I Can Do That" (tied for #8), Thursday's "Dateline NBC" (tied for #13) and Monday's "The Island" (tied for #19). Rankings exclude sports pre- and post-game shows.

For the 52-week 2014-15 season to date, NBC ranks #1 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and is #1 or tied for #1 among those nets in men 18-49 and adults and men 18-34.

In total viewers, NBC is #2 for the season, and running within 7% of its year-ago Olympics-boosted average (8.4 million vs. 9.0 million), making this season and last NBC's two top-scoring seasons in total viewers at this point since the 2006-07 season. This is the second year in a row NBC has ranked #2 in total viewers at this point in the season, marking first two times since 2003-04 that NBC has ranked as high as #2 in total viewers at this point.

WEEKLY RESULTS, L+SD
Net... Adult 18-49 Rating... Total Viewers
NBC...1.2...4.929 million
CBS...0.7...5.018 million
ABC...3.1...9.024 million
Fox...1.0...3.356 million

SEASON AVERAGES, "Most Current"
Net... Adult 18-49 Rating... Total Viewers
NBC...2.3...8.399 million
CBS...2.2...10.784 million
ABC...2.2...7.919 million
Fox...1.9...5.641 million

NOTE: Primetime results are based on "fast affiliate time period" data from Nielsen Media Research, unless otherwise indicated. All ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated. Season-to-date averages are "most current," "live plus seven days" for all but the two most recent weeks, which are still L+SD.

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