Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Watching The Stanley Cup Playoffs

04/24/2018 at 2:05pm EDT

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 24, 2018 – NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs across the networks of NBCUniversal is averaging a Total Audience Delivery of 751,000 viewers through Sunday, the best in four years through the first 12 days of the playoffs. Coverage on NBC is the best since 2015, while cable coverage on NBCSN is the best in six years. Live streaming of the first 12 days of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has set records in all key metrics.

Total Audience Delivery (TAD) for 39 games across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, Golf Channel, USA Network, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app has averaged 751,000 viewers. It is the best average viewership through 12 days since 2014 (786,000 viewers), is up 1% from last year (743,000), and up 6% vs. 2016 (710,000). The household rating for the playoffs on television through five days is a 0.44.

First Round coverage of six telecasts on NBC, which concluded this past weekend, averaged a TAD of 1.905 million viewers, the best since 2015 (1.921 million), and up 15% vs. 2017 (1.653). NBC averaged a 1.13 household rating, up 13% vs. last year (1.00).

Sunday afternoon’s Game 6 between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on NBC is the most-watched game of the playoffs to date, averaging a TAD of 2.383 million viewers, the best afternoon First Round game in four years, and up 37% vs. the comparable game last year (Ott-Bos). TV-only viewership peaked with 3.132 million viewers from 5:30-5:45 pm ET.

NBCSN is averaging a TAD of 668,000 viewers for 20 games through 12 days, the best since 2012 (691,000 viewers) and up 9% vs. last year (596,000).

Also of note, primetime coverage of Toronto-Boston on NBC on Saturday night tied for No. 1 among the big four networks in Adults 18-49 with a 0.6 rating in the demo. Overall, the game averaged a TAD of nearly two million viewers (1.919 million).

Through the first 13 days of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs (41 games), including last night’s two Game 6 matchups, live streaming coverage has set records for uniques (1.2 million; up 56%), total live minutes (165 million; up 23%), and Average Minute Audience (22,800 viewers; up 35%).

Following are the Top 10 local markets through the first 12 days of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

1 Pittsburgh 2.50
2 Buffalo 2.02
3 Nashville 1.63
4 Boston 1.16
5 Providence 1.02
6 Tampa 0.96
7 Columbus, OH 0.95
t8 Ft. Myers 0.90
t8 Wash, DC 0.90
10 Denver 0.89

Create an Account

In order to leave a comment, please create an account.

About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

Most Recent Posts

Most Recent Comments

Comment by EthrDemon in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Still In It For Bubble Teams In The East - 4 hours ago
Comment by Steeb in Abel to Yzerman from the entry Still In It For Bubble Teams In The East - 5 hours ago