Stanley Cup Finals Ratings Up On Versus For Penguins-Red Wings

Penguins-Red Wings Game One Earns Versus Viewership Increase Over '07

GOING HEAD-TO-HEAD IN DETROIT: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir reports Game Four of the Celtics-Pistons Eastern Conference Finals Monday night on ESPN earned a 16.0 rating in the Detroit market, while Game Two of Penguins-Red Wings earned an 11.7 local rating that same night. Meanwhile, Celtics-Pistons Eastern Conference Finals Game Three Saturday night on ABC earned a 12.6 rating in Detroit, while Penguins-Red Wings Game One earned an 8.4 local rating that same night (N.Y. TIMES, 5/28). Penguins-Red Wings Game One earned a 19.0 in the Pittsburgh market (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/27).

NHL IN CANADA: The CBC drew 2.11 million viewers for Penguins-Red Wings Game One, down 19% from last year’s 2.608 million for Ducks-Senators Game One. However, that was up 163.6% from the 1.29 million viewers for Devils-Ducks Game One in '03, the last time a Canadian team was not in the Stanley Cup Finals. French language RDS drew 720,000 viewers for Penguins-Red Wings Game One, up 25% from Ducks-Senators Game One (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/27).

MOVING ASIDE: The GLOBE & MAIL’s William Houston reported "HNIC" announcer Bob Cole is “calling his last Stanley Cup final for the CBC.” Sources indicated that Cole’s assignments next season “will not include the NHL championship series, although he will continue to call regular-season games.” A source said, “Bob wants to continue and he will. But next year, Jim Hughson will do the play-by-play for the Stanley Cup final.” Hughson this year signed a six-year contract extension with the CBC, and next season he will “take over as the lead voice” of “HNIC” (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/27).

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