Ratings Roundup: NBC’s Stanley Cup Final Is Most-Watched on Record, Best Playoffs on Any Network Since 2007

Lockout Shmockout – anyone questioning the drawing power of hockey in North America after the NHL’s prolonged lockout needs only to look at NBC’s final Stanley Cup Final numbers. The series averaged a 3.3 household rating and 5.764 million viewers across NBC (Games 1, 4 -6) and NBC Sports Network (Games 2-3), making it the most-watched on record (since 1994), and up 83% (1.8) and 91% (3.012 million), respectively, vs. last year.

The Blackhawks’s last-minute victory over the Bruins in Game 6 was the most-watched game of the final with 8.16 million viewers, up 66% vs. last year’s Game 6 and making it the second-most watched Game 6 since 1994 (8.279 million for Chicago’s 2010 series-clinching Game 6 against Philadelphia). Game 6 peaked with 10.424 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET. Boston led all markets with a 33.0 household rating, while Chicago posted a 30.2.

Overall, the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 1.467 million viewers on NBC, NBC Sports Network and CNBC (84 games), making it the most-watched post-season since 1997 (1.52 million on ESPN/ESPN2/FOX) and up 18% vs. last year (1.241 million for 81 games).

The 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs set new records for NBCSN, averaging 1.209 million viewers for 55 games, up 17% vs. last year (1.030 million, 52 games). NBCSN and CNBC combined to average 1.000 million viewers over 72 Stanley Cup Playoff games, making the 2013 Stanley Cup…

…The 12 group stage matches of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 on ESPN and ESPN2 were seen by an average audience of 485,000 viewers (382,000 household impressions), up 26 percent in viewers and 21 percent in television homes compared to group stage matches during South Africa 2009 (384,000 viewers  and 315,000 household impressions). Saturday’s Italy vs. Brazil match, seen by an average of 933,000 viewers (729,000 household impressions) delivered the most-watched Confederations Cup Group Play match on an ESPN network, surpassing the previous high – USA vs. Italy on June 15, 2009 (801,000 viewers and 703,000 household impressions on ESPN)…

…Univision’s coverage of the Confed Cup matches (Italy/Brazil, Japan/Mexico, Nigeria/Spain and Uruguay/Tahiti) also saw big numbers, generating triple-digit growth on Univision and UniMas compared to 2009. As of Monday, the Confederations Cup on Univision Networks is averaging 1.4 million Total Viewers (up 145%), 802,000 Adults 18-49 (up 134%) and 429,000 Adults 18-34 (up 105%). (Cynopsis Sports)…

…Game 2 of the UCLA/Mississippi St. College World Series final drew 1.3 million viewers on ESPN Tuesday night, down 37% from Arizona/South Carolina Game 2 last year (2.1M), and down 41% from South Carolina/Florida Game 2 in 2011 (2.2M). On Monday, Game 1 of the series earned 1.6 million viewers — up 7% from last year’s opener on ESPN2 (1.5M), but down 28% from 2011 (2.2M). (SportsMediaWatch)…

…Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota/Save Mart 350 from Sonoma (CA) earned a 3.0 U.S. rating and 4.7 million viewers on TNT, down 9% in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year (3.3, 5.2M), and 6% and 10%, respectively, from 2011 (3.2, 5.2M). This marks the second-worst performance for the race over the past decade, ahead of only 2010 (2.7, 4.5M). Halfway through the “Summer Series” on TNT, ratings and viewership have declined for each of the network’s three races. (SportsMediaWatch)…

Showtime’s Paulie Malignaggi/Adrien Broner welterweight championship boxing match on Sunday registered 1.3 million viewers, the network’s second-biggest audience ever (data available since 2009) for a fight. Overall, the three-fight card averaged 900,000 viewers. Three of the top four most-watched bouts on Showtime have occurred in the past seven months. (Cynopsis Sports)…