The
first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 929,000 viewers
across NBC, NBC Sports Network and CNBC, making it the most-watched
first round on record.
The
six telecasts on the NBC broadcast network averaged 2.57 million
viewers, up 39% from last year (four games), making it the most-watched
on broadcast TV since 1998. Game 6 on April 22 between the Boston Bruins
and Washington Capitals averaged 3.5 million viewers, the most-watched
Conference Quarterfinal game since the advent of Nielsen People Meters
(1987).
NBC
Sports Network averaged 744,000 viewers, making them the most-watched
in network history (formerly Versus), and was up 16% from last year. Bruins-Capitals Game 7 on April 25 was the most-watched first-round game
in network history, drawing 1.32 million viewers.
The
entire opening round reached 30.9 million total viewers across the
three networks (excluding Wednesday night's two Game 7s), up 29% over
last year.
This
was the first year of NBC Sports Group's 10-year, $2 billion rights
deal with the league, which will broadcast every playoff game nationally
for the first time in its history.
It
should be noted that teams' RSN's carried many of the games, affecting
ratings in those local markets. For the second round -- which begins
Friday -- NBC Sports Group has exclusive coverage.
