NBC on New Year’s Day saw a second-straight year of record-low viewership for the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic. The early afternoon telecast, which saw the Canadiens win 5-1 over the Bruins, drew a 1.6 final rating and 2.78 million viewers, down 16% and 20%, respectively, from a 1.9 rating and 3.47 million viewers last year for Blackhawks-Capitals from Nationals Park. Maple Leafs-Red Wings in ’14 drew a 2.5 rating and 4.4 million viewers for the game from Michigan Stadium. The record audience for the Winter Classic remains the ’11 Capitals-Penguins matchup from Heinz Field, which drew 4.53 million viewers after being moved to primetime due to weather conditions.
|
NHL WINTER CLASSIC AUDIENCE TREND ON NBC
|
|
YEAR
|
MATCHUP
|
VENUE
|
START(ET)
|
RATING
|
VIEWERS (000)
|
|
'16
|
Canadiens-Bruins
|
Gillette Stadium
|
1:00pm
|
1.6
|
2,775
|
|
'15
|
Blackhawks-Capitals
|
Nationals Park
|
1:00pm
|
1.9
|
3,472
|
|
'14
|
Maple Leafs-Red Wings
|
Michigan Stadium
|
1:00pm
|
2.5
|
4,404
|
|
'13
|
No game due to lockout
|
|
'12
|
Rangers-Flyers
|
Citizens Bank Park
|
1:00pm
|
2.1
|
3,733
|
|
'11
|
Capitals-Penguins
|
Heinz Field
|
8:00pm
|
2.3
|
4,525
|
|
'10
|
Flyers-Bruins
|
Fenway Park
|
1:00pm
|
2.1
|
3,684
|
|
'09
|
Red Wings-Blackhawks
|
Wrigley Field
|
1:00pm
|
2.5
|
4,401
|
|
'08
|
Penguins-Sabres
|
Ralph Wilson Stadium
|
1:00pm
|
2.2
|
3,751
|
