Penguins-Flyers drew overnight ratings of 16.9 in Pittsburgh and 6.3 in PhiladelphiaGETTY IMAGES
The novelty of outdoor hockey "hasn’t worn off with television viewers," as NBC's broadcast of Saturday's Penguins-Flyers Stadium Series game at Lincoln Financial Field drew a 16.9 rating in Pittsburgh, the "largest ever for a regular-season game in the market, excluding the Winter Classic," according to Jonathan Bombulie of the PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW. The Flyers' 4-3 OT win over the Penguins "drew a 6.3 rating" in the Philadelphia market (TRIBLIVE.com, 2/24). Penguins-Flyers drew a 1.4 overnight rating nationally on NBC. Last season, the comparable Maple Leafs-Capitals Stadium Series game on NBC in the Saturday primetime slot drew a 0.9 overnight. Both years had competition in the window from NBA matchups on ABC (THE DAILY).
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: In Philadelphia, Marc Narducci wrote despite "heavier late-game rain, NBC’s plan remained the same, even if it meant a few soggy announcers, who broadcast the game at ice-level to the right of the penalty box." NBC's Mike Emrick, who was alongside Eddie Olczyk in the booth, said, "It was difficult to see in the corner in front of us. It was more of a challenge with the rain than I thought it would be." It would have been even "more difficult to identify players if NBC had to move its announcers to the football press box." That was the "contingency plan" (PHILLY.com, 2/24).
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? In Pittsburgh, John Steigerwald wrote, "Playing an NHL regular-season game in a football stadium was a good idea that has been beaten to death." Saturday was an "ugly night for the NHL," as hockey is "not supposed to be played in the rain." All of the outdoor games "draw well, but there’s just nothing special about them anymore, at least not for a North American TV audience." Steigerwald: "Let’s go back to one game a year Jan. 1" (TRIBLIVE.com, 2/24). Detroit-based WDIV-NBC's Jamie Edmonds wrote the NHL is going to the outdoor game "well too much." They should "take the game outside ONCE a year." Edmonds: "Keep it special. Adding these 'Stadium Series' games on top of the Winter Classic every year dilutes the product" (CLICKONDETROIT.com, 2/23).
