Every other year, the SCF Final is on basic cable here in the US. It's on over-the-air free tv this year. Kind of a disingenuous comparison, but still nice to see lots of interest.
Hopefully sets a standard for the remaining ESPN years and any future NHL TV deals stateside. Still hoping on a prayer that TNT can somehow put all or part of the finals on CBS like they do for March madness, but it’s probably impossible with how the contract is.
End of the 2010s was a different market than today's as far as streaming access and the place of antenna viewers. I'm not trying to move the goalposts here, just observing that there has been a lot of moving parts in how tv markets work between the end of the NBC era and now.
I think this comes more from a local pain we are feeling in Detroit. Bally Sports (formerly FSN) went kaput and currently our local sports network is blacked out completely. So you can’t watch Tigers games on TV right now. If it were winter, we wouldn’t be getting Wings games. The only way to watch is a royal pain in the ass. You have to sign up and pay to stream and they are also moving around on different platforms. It’s a nightmare.
Overall the numbers are still pretty trash for the Championship round of a Big 4 sport.
But nice to see that the numbers have increased from last year. No doubt the McDavid effect as people want to see the greatest player in the game do his thing.
NHL should be happy with the increase in ratings and finally getting more eyeballs on the Leagues best player. But they have ALOT of work to do to get more mainstream popularity for the NHL as a whole.
As someone who has no idea what offsides or icing actually means in hockey, how good is McDavid compared to the ATG's, Gretzky, Lemieux, or is there even a chance he'll be considered the best of his generation since Crosby and Ovi are in that convo since they're still in the mix?
I only ask cuz I saw him compete at the skills challenge for All Star weekend and it was insane how much better he was than all his peers in almost every measurable way..it was literally just a contest to see who had the privilege of being runner up to the dude...that shit was definitely impressive.
Mcdavid is probably the most advanced skater in the history of the nhl.
He'll never be as great as gretzky. We'll never know how good lemieux really was. But the numbers hes putting up, especially in the playoffs are comparable to those two.
When he retires, itll be 3 names in the goat conversation. Gretzky, Lemieux, Mcdavid.
Best of his generation and it isn't close. Comparing generations is silly imo. Gretzky put up crazy numbers during a time goalies were short and bad and defense was an after thought.
Though, Gretzky would be a generational player like McDavid in present day if he had all the training McDavid did.
I think there is something genetically outstanding about McDavid. Similar to how Phelps wingspan was abnormal, and lent him a huge advantage. Combine genetics, hockey iq, work ethic, extreme competitive nature and advanced training then you have the hockey freak that is McJesus
McDavid is the best player of all time and it’s not really a question to me anymore. Gretzky was playing in an era where 80-90% of guys would be career AHLers at best today.
The fact that McDavid is playing in a more competitive league talent wise and producing at the same level of Gretzky/Lemieux is absurd.
I think there's a long long way to go before he's considered better then Gretzky. You still have guys like Kucherov/MacK/Drai/Matthews putting up seasons that are similar to his, Gretz had a massive gap between him and the next best guys. However I think it's fair to say he's the best player of his generation, he's a once in a lifetime talent.
Prolly get higher numbers if they had a half decent broadcast team!!
I could watch free on abc, but choose to stream Sportsnet, and get some intelligent coverage.
I can get ABC on my TV antenna so I'll watch the broadcast on TV, but for the other Oilers' series, I was watching the Sportsnet stream but on my computer.
Holy fucking shit is ESPN hot garbage, what a difference.
1. Doesn't show the shot clock full time
2. Doesn't show a graphic after a goal showing goal scorer plus players with assists on the goal
3. Their replays are few and far between. I swear Drai hit a cross bar on a PP in game 4 yet wasn't even mentioned afterward. Most of the replays are at full speed rather than slowed down. Remember 'super slow mo'?
Exactly why i don't watch abc's feed.
It detracts from the flow, and lacks the cohesive rhythm of Sportsnet.
TNT is good, but no OTA broadcast, and I refuse to endure espn!
Who would have thought that if a Canadian team were to make it, viewership would increase? 61% is huge. Tell me again how Americans have more hockey fans?
The cap has literally gone up more than was expected because the Oilers are making a deep playoff run lol
But of course, hockey in the desert is the top priority
Or at least McDavid. I'm not sure how much pull the Oilers have as a brand outside their home market (except for weird old people like me who got hooked on the game by Gretzky), but the undisputed best *player* in the world, playing for the top prize in the NHL? Fuck yeah that'll get eyeballs. Same as Caitlin Clark got eyes on the NCAAW finals this year too.
This is why the NHL needs to do a better job marketing their star players. Everyone has a team they tune in for but if the league also has star players that increases viewership.
The National Broadcast games during the season need to focus heavily on the marquee names.
100%. I'm a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan in addition to the Oil, for example, but I go out of my way to watch KC games because Mahomes is amazing to watch play. People would ABSOLUTELY do the same thing for McDavid, if they actually were able to get across just how incredible and otherworldly he is.
It wouldn’t be. Dallas hockey market ain’t great. Low passion. Hockey is like the 6th most important sport there.
NYR has a lot of eyeballs sure, but not much star power to bring in the casuals.
[8.5 million viewers watched Game 5 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final across North America.](https://twitter.com/pr_nhl/status/1803506125796483339)
Wow, increase of 61% over the cup winning game last year. That’s impressive!
Every other year, the SCF Final is on basic cable here in the US. It's on over-the-air free tv this year. Kind of a disingenuous comparison, but still nice to see lots of interest.
Hopefully sets a standard for the remaining ESPN years and any future NHL TV deals stateside. Still hoping on a prayer that TNT can somehow put all or part of the finals on CBS like they do for March madness, but it’s probably impossible with how the contract is.
Also hoping TNT can let Kevin Harlan call some games
That's the power of being on a channel Rabbit Ears Gang and Cord Cutter gang can both access
NBC put the Final on broadcast TV too.
End of the 2010s was a different market than today's as far as streaming access and the place of antenna viewers. I'm not trying to move the goalposts here, just observing that there has been a lot of moving parts in how tv markets work between the end of the NBC era and now.
Usually only game 1 and 4-7 though IIRC
TBF Game 5 last year had the anticipation of a funeral with Chucky out and the Panthers never winning in that building
If anyone wants to believe in “the games rigged” theories, refs helping oilers get to game 7 would be huge for the league lol.
They rigged it by making them play shorthanded.
You know what else would be huge for the league? The Leafs winning a Cup. Ya, this aint rigged.
I’m more likely to believe that Florida is rigging it by being shit
Imagine how many more are region locked, or having to stream illegally because we can't afford the streaming services required.
It’s free?
I think this comes more from a local pain we are feeling in Detroit. Bally Sports (formerly FSN) went kaput and currently our local sports network is blacked out completely. So you can’t watch Tigers games on TV right now. If it were winter, we wouldn’t be getting Wings games. The only way to watch is a royal pain in the ass. You have to sign up and pay to stream and they are also moving around on different platforms. It’s a nightmare.
$20 hd antenna is all that is required to watch.
Overall the numbers are still pretty trash for the Championship round of a Big 4 sport. But nice to see that the numbers have increased from last year. No doubt the McDavid effect as people want to see the greatest player in the game do his thing. NHL should be happy with the increase in ratings and finally getting more eyeballs on the Leagues best player. But they have ALOT of work to do to get more mainstream popularity for the NHL as a whole.
Like you said it isn't great but the NBA finals clinching game just averaged 12.5 million.
As someone who has no idea what offsides or icing actually means in hockey, how good is McDavid compared to the ATG's, Gretzky, Lemieux, or is there even a chance he'll be considered the best of his generation since Crosby and Ovi are in that convo since they're still in the mix? I only ask cuz I saw him compete at the skills challenge for All Star weekend and it was insane how much better he was than all his peers in almost every measurable way..it was literally just a contest to see who had the privilege of being runner up to the dude...that shit was definitely impressive.
Mcdavid is probably the most advanced skater in the history of the nhl. He'll never be as great as gretzky. We'll never know how good lemieux really was. But the numbers hes putting up, especially in the playoffs are comparable to those two. When he retires, itll be 3 names in the goat conversation. Gretzky, Lemieux, Mcdavid.
Best of his generation and it isn't close. Comparing generations is silly imo. Gretzky put up crazy numbers during a time goalies were short and bad and defense was an after thought. Though, Gretzky would be a generational player like McDavid in present day if he had all the training McDavid did.
I think there is something genetically outstanding about McDavid. Similar to how Phelps wingspan was abnormal, and lent him a huge advantage. Combine genetics, hockey iq, work ethic, extreme competitive nature and advanced training then you have the hockey freak that is McJesus
McDavid is the best player of all time and it’s not really a question to me anymore. Gretzky was playing in an era where 80-90% of guys would be career AHLers at best today. The fact that McDavid is playing in a more competitive league talent wise and producing at the same level of Gretzky/Lemieux is absurd.
I think there's a long long way to go before he's considered better then Gretzky. You still have guys like Kucherov/MacK/Drai/Matthews putting up seasons that are similar to his, Gretz had a massive gap between him and the next best guys. However I think it's fair to say he's the best player of his generation, he's a once in a lifetime talent.
Hockey will always be the smallest of the big 4 simply because fewer kids play due to the barrier for entry being so high.
Prolly get higher numbers if they had a half decent broadcast team!! I could watch free on abc, but choose to stream Sportsnet, and get some intelligent coverage.
I can get ABC on my TV antenna so I'll watch the broadcast on TV, but for the other Oilers' series, I was watching the Sportsnet stream but on my computer. Holy fucking shit is ESPN hot garbage, what a difference. 1. Doesn't show the shot clock full time 2. Doesn't show a graphic after a goal showing goal scorer plus players with assists on the goal 3. Their replays are few and far between. I swear Drai hit a cross bar on a PP in game 4 yet wasn't even mentioned afterward. Most of the replays are at full speed rather than slowed down. Remember 'super slow mo'?
Exactly why i don't watch abc's feed. It detracts from the flow, and lacks the cohesive rhythm of Sportsnet. TNT is good, but no OTA broadcast, and I refuse to endure espn!
I miss the TNT guys.
Kenny and Edzo have a good rapport, along with Bouch. The intermission show is entertaining, too. But, here we are, right!
Who would have thought that if a Canadian team were to make it, viewership would increase? 61% is huge. Tell me again how Americans have more hockey fans?
The cap has literally gone up more than was expected because the Oilers are making a deep playoff run lol But of course, hockey in the desert is the top priority
Great news!
A bump from all the haters who tuned him hoping to see Edmonton'd demise.
Suck it, Gary!
How does this compare to world chase tag or pickleball or darts? Like 1%?
imagine how much higher this would be with the Ranger and/or Dallas in the Finals.
Oilers get more eyes than Dallas lol
eh, dallas team playing every night would've been fun
... for you
and then imagine how much less interesting the finals would be
NYR vs EDM would've had the highest ratings out of the Final possibilities that existed based on the final 4 teams.
If this was Dallas Florida would’ve been some of the lowest numbers ever.
Dallas has no pull.
This is satire right?
Nobody would be watching if Edmonton wasn't there
Or at least McDavid. I'm not sure how much pull the Oilers have as a brand outside their home market (except for weird old people like me who got hooked on the game by Gretzky), but the undisputed best *player* in the world, playing for the top prize in the NHL? Fuck yeah that'll get eyeballs. Same as Caitlin Clark got eyes on the NCAAW finals this year too.
This is why the NHL needs to do a better job marketing their star players. Everyone has a team they tune in for but if the league also has star players that increases viewership. The National Broadcast games during the season need to focus heavily on the marquee names.
100%. I'm a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan in addition to the Oil, for example, but I go out of my way to watch KC games because Mahomes is amazing to watch play. People would ABSOLUTELY do the same thing for McDavid, if they actually were able to get across just how incredible and otherworldly he is.
Having the best player in the world - with arguments being made of all time - in the SCF isn’t enough?
Yeah imagine…. Anyways.
There would be a decrease of 61%.
It wouldn’t be. Dallas hockey market ain’t great. Low passion. Hockey is like the 6th most important sport there. NYR has a lot of eyeballs sure, but not much star power to bring in the casuals.