Viewership for the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs across NBC, NBCSN, USA and CNBC was down a bit compared to the opening round last year. The four nets combined to average 696,000 viewers for 45 games, down 2% compared to 712,000 viewers for 46 games last year. But while overall first-round viewership was down, games on cable TV (39 telecasts) were up 3%. All games on cable TV during the first round were blacked out in the local markets for each game. The NBC broadcast channel had six games this season, compared to 7 last year. On the cable side, there were more games on CNBC during the first round this year, with the business network airing 10 games compared to five in ’15. NBCSN once again had two series go to seven games. The net had 24 games during the first round this year vs. 27 last year. Blues-Blackhawks Game 7 was the most-viewed game of the first round on cable TV, as well as NBCSN’s best first-round audience on record. No other first round game on cable TV topped 1 million viewers this season (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
GRAND OLE NUMBERS: Nashville-based WTVF-CBS Programming & Research Dir Mark Binda said that the Predators' local TV ratings "dipped for the start of the second-round playoff series" against the Sharks. In Nashville, Mike Organ notes the Predators "earned their highest rating of the season" in the market at 4.2 for last Wednesday's deciding Game 7 of the first-round series against the Ducks. Predators-Sharks Game 1 on Friday on NBCSN earned a 3.1 local rating, while Game 2 on Sunday on CNBC drew a 3.0 rating (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/3).
LOTTERY WINNERS: The GLOBE & MAIL's David Shoalts notes since fans of all seven Canadian NHL franchises "had a rooting interest" in the '16 draft lottery, the audience for the CBC's live broadcast hit 1.57 million viewers, which "topped the NHL playoff game that followed the lottery" -- Penguins-Capitals with 1.5 million viewers. The draft lottery also was the "highest-rated hockey event this postseason" on either the CBC or Sportsnet. While the CBC was the "only English-language network carrying the draft lottery in Canada, it was a Rogers victory because its broadcast deal with the public network and the NHL gives it all advertising revenues from the hockey broadcasts" (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/3).
GOALIES ON THE MIC: In Boston, Fluto Shinzawa wrote it is "no surprise" that Devils G Cory Schneider "lit up the screen as an NBC studio analyst during the first round." He is "thoughtful and insightful" and "communicates his observations as keenly as any athlete." TV would be "an easy progression" for Schneider upon retirement (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/1). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Dave Caldwell notes former NHLer Rick DiPietro is "now on the daily sports-talk show 'Hahn and Humpty' on ESPN Radio" in N.Y. In addition to the radio show, DiPietro was "hired by MSG to serve as a commentator before, during and after Islanders telecasts." He is "working a postgame show on MSG" for the Islanders' current playoff run. MSG Networks President & CEO Andrea Greenberg said, "We’ve all been impressed with Rick’s ability to connect and engage with fans with his fresh, bold and insightful analysis" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/2).
RADIO WAVES: NBC Sports Group and the NHL have further extended their partnership, naming NBC Sports Radio the exclusive national terrestrial radio partner for the ’16 Stanley Cup Final. The network, distributed by Westwood One, will provide coverage to affiliated and other terrestrial stations, in addition to the broadcast being available on its website, through its app, on SiriusXM and on digital radio platform TuneIn. Kenny Albert and Joe Micheletti will serve as the broadcast team. In years prior, local team radio broadcasts were available via SiriusXM, but there was no national broadcast (Ian Thomas, Staff Writer).
