The following lists the final national Nielsen ratings
for the '99-2000 NHL season on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, compared
to the final '98-99 NHL ratings. ABC's ratings for this
season are compared to Fox's ratings for '98-99 (THE DAILY).
'99-2000 '98-99
NET (# GAMES) RAT/SHR (HH) (GMS) RAT/SHR (HH) %+/-
ABC (4) 1.3/2 Fox (11) 1.4/4 -7%
ESPN (27) 0.62/ (475,576) (27) 5.9/ (446,810) +5%
ESPN2 (101) 0.29/ (192.576) (75) 0.32/(200,638) -9%
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: ESPN reported an increase in its
NHL ratings among adults aged 18-34, up 30% (0.37 to 0.48)
over last season, males aged 18-34 from 1st quarter '99 to
1st quarter 2000, up 44% (0.52 to 0.75), and males aged 18-
34 viewing in primetime, up 37% (0.52 to 0.71). ESPN's
highest-rated game was Red Wings-Avalanche on February 13,
which earned a 0.99/(766,968 HHs). ESPN2's highest-rated
game was Red Wings-Stars on November 10, which earned an
0.59/(391,766 HHs) (ESPN). BLOOMBERG's Scott Newman reported
on the NHL's final ratings on ABC. BBDO Senior VP & Dir of
Sports Marketing Services Larry Novenstern: "ABC and the NHL
have done everything right, but these days with so many
choices, it's tough to get people to watch." ABC Senior Dir
of Sports Programming Dan Margulis: "We feel good. When you
[synch] up the weekends, we're about even with Fox last
year, and we're 20 percent better in the demo we're selling
to advertisers" (BLOOMBERG, 4/14). ABC Sports' John
Davidson, on NHL ratings: "What we need is a great playoff.
We haven't had a seven-game final since Rangers-Vancouver
[in '94], and then there was the lockout" (USA TODAY, 4/14).
