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More NBC Numbers
by Paul on 03/01/10 at 03:11 PM ET
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Vancouver - March 1, 2010 - Sunday afternoon’s USA vs. Canada gold medal hockey game, that NBC’s Bob Costas called, “One of the greatest sports events I have ever seen,” was the most-watched hockey game in 30 years. Canada’s epic 3-2 overtime victory (3:20-6:13 p.m. ET) drew an average viewership of 27.6 million, the most watched hockey broadcast of any kind since the USA vs. Finland 1980 gold medal game in Lake Placid on Feb. 24, 1980 (32.8 million). For historical comparison, the “Miracle on Ice” USA-Russia semifinal game that aired on tape delay on Feb 22, 1980 from the Lake Placid Games drew 34.2 million average viewers.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a front-row seat to observe a nation of fans that appreciates winter sports, is proud of their winter sport heritage and celebrates success - no matter which country wins - so it was only fitting yesterday when Sidney Crosby scored the goal to give Canadians the gold that meant so much to this country,” said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. “‘O Canada’ will never be the same.”
TOPS 2002 SALT LAKE GOLD MEDAL GAME BY 10.5 MILLION VIEWERS: The 27.6 million viewers for Sunday’s gold medal game was 10.5 million more (up 61 percent) from the Canada-USA gold medal game from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics (17.1 million viewers).
The 15.2/30 rating for yesterday’s game was four-and-a-half rating points higher than the 10.7/24 for the 2002 gold medal game and was the highest-rated hockey game of any kind since the USA vs. Finland 1980 gold medal game (23.2/61). The “Miracle on Ice” semifinal game between the USA and Russia had a household rating of a 23.9/37.
The audience peaked at 34.8 million viewers (18.6/34 hh rating) from 5:30-6 p.m. ET, when the USA’s Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils) sent the game to overtime with the tying goal with just 24.4 seconds left in regulation. Canada’s Sydney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) gave Canada the gold medal, their 14th of the Winter Games (most of any country) when he got the puck past the USA’s Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) just over seven minutes into overtime.
Below is a list of the highest-rated and most watched hockey broadcasts of all time broken down by: Household Rating/Share, Average audience (people 2+) and Total Audience:
GAME Avg. Viewers Total Viewers RTG/SH
USA/Russia, 1980 (Miracle on Ice) 34.2 million 51.9 million 23.9/37
USA/Finland, 1980 (gold medal) 32.8 million 55.6 million 23.2/61
USA/Canada, 2010 (gold medal) 27.6 million n/a 15.2/30
USA/Canada, 2002 (gold medal) 17.1 million 38 million 10.7/24
Unified/USA, 1992 (semifinal) 11.7 million 25 million 9.3/32
AUDIENCE FOR GOLD MEDAL GAME SURPASSES TOP EVENTS:
The 27.6 million average viewers for the USA-Canada Gold Medal hockey game surpassed the following during the 2009-2010 seasons:
2010 Grammy Awards 25.9 million
2010 Rose Bowl 24.0 million
2009 World Series 4 22.8 million (Gm. 4 was most watched)
2009 NCAA Basketball Championship 17.6 million
2009 NBA Finals - Game 4 16.0 million (Gm. 4 was most watched)
2010 Daytona 500 16.0 million
2009 Masters Golf - Sunday 14.3 million
NBC’s BOB COSTAS ON GOLD MEDAL GAME: “That’s one of the greatest sports events I have ever seen.”
“A script so classic that if it were a movie, they would send it back because it was unrealistic.”
“With all due respect, this can never be repeated. On home soil, for Canada, in the sport that matters most, against the Americans - this can never be repeated. This can never be approached, let alone equaled.”
NBC’s AL MICHAELS THOUGHTS ON THE GAME: “You could not have written a better script for this country. The goal that will resonate throughout history in Canada.”
FROM THE OPENING TEASE OF NBC’S COVERAGE, 17 DAYS AGO: “The host nation is on a mission. No one bears the weight of expectations like the 22-year-old captain of the Stanley Cup champions. O Canada’s face of the Games, charged with leading his nation’s pursuit of their Holy Grail - the Olympic hockey title.”
UNIVERSAL SPORTS TO REPLAY GOLD MEDAL MATCH: For anybody who missed this game or want to watch it again, Universal Sports, the preeminent multiplatform destination for Olympic-related sports programming which is available in 57 million homes, will replay the USA-Canada Olympic gold medal hockey game this Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET with repeats each night at 11 p.m. ET.
OLYMPIC STARS RETURN IN NHL “GAME OF THE WEEK” THIS SUNDAY: This Sunday, March 7, the NHL returns to NBC as the Detroit Red Wings led by silver medalist Brian Rafalski of Team USA travels to Chicago to take on a Chicago Blackhawks team filled with members of both Team USA and the gold medal-winning Team Canada. Among those suiting up for the Blackhawks are Team USA’s Patrick Kane and Team Canada’s Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Bren Seabrook. The NHL “Game of the Week” from the United Center will air this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Top 25 Metered Markets for USA-Canada Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Game:
1. Buffalo, 32.6/51
2. Pittsburgh, 31.9/50
3. Detroit, 26.9/47
4. Minneapolis, 26.4/53
5. Milwaukee, 24.5/43
6. Boston, 24.1/46
7. Chicago, 23.5/41
8. Columbus, 22.3/37
9. Denver, 22.2/42
10. Philadelphia, 20.9/35
11. West Palm Beach, 20.3/33
12. Kansas City, 19.5/35
13. St. Louis, 19.4/39
14. Seattle, 19.3/45
15. Cincinnati, 19.2/31
16. New York, 19.0/36
17. Hartford, 18.5/30
18. Providence, 18.4/34
T19. Salt Lake City, 18.3/38
T19. Cleveland, 18.3/32
T21. Washington, D.C., 18.1/33
T21. Baltimore, 18.1/32
23. Ft. Myers, 18.0/34
T24. Austin, 17.1/34
T24. Indianapolis, 17.1/29
Filed in: NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Comments
KC had more viewers than in St. Louis or Washington, DC. Can someone lend us NHL team?
Posted by KC Man from KC on 03/01/10 at 04:33 PM ET
Don’t worry, the Pens are just delayed a few more years. Look for them in 2015.
Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 03/01/10 at 05:17 PM ET
good job ripping content off of tvbythenumbers without even crediting them. exceptional internet journalism, friend. your blogging career will be long and fruitful.
Posted by plagiarist cop on 03/01/10 at 10:20 PM ET
plagiarist cop, you better go back to the academy. It is a press release sent to me by NBC.
Plus if you would have left an email address, I would have addressed this with you on a one on one basis.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 03/01/10 at 10:24 PM ET
NHL to Seattle 19.3/45 Share!!!!
Posted by Timbits on 03/01/10 at 11:05 PM ET
Columbus always ranked high for hockey events like this, the Stanley Cup and even the All-Star Game. 3 of the top 20 markets are in Ohio. Yeah, we’re not a hockey market my ass!
Posted by C. Lee Smith from Ohio on 03/01/10 at 11:33 PM ET
The reason Ft. Meyers and West Palm are high is the “snowbirds”. There’s literally hundreds of thousands of Canadians as well as Northern state folks in Florida for the winter - my parents included. Getting a call from Florida every time there was a goal was a little much, though. Love you mom…
Posted by Canadian from Canada on 03/03/10 at 07:18 PM ET
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Wow Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and Buffalo with the outrageous over 50 shares….Maybe the NHL should think about Milwaukee for an expansion team….What is up with Fort Myers and West Palm Beach….Those two markets always show up on the top 25 for hockey…must be a lot of northern transplants
It’s too bad the NHL can’t draw in minority(i.e.african-american and hispanic ) viewers… I would bet if you take out the minority viewership from the NBA, that the NHL would have higher ratings than the NBA.
Posted by Jim from PA on 03/01/10 at 03:28 PM ET