Lowest rated Winter Classic in 5-year history
After NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called Monday’s Winter Classic “perfect,” the NHL and NBC had to be a little disappointed with the return on national television ratings.
Lowest rated Winter Classic in 5-year history
After NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called Monday’s Winter Classic “perfect,” the NHL and NBC had to be a little disappointed with the return on national television ratings.
According to the overnight ratings, the 2012 Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park was the lowest rated game in the five-year history of the event.
The one caveat, of course, is that this was the only Winter Classic to not be held on New Year’s Day, as the NHL chose to focus on its legal holiday equivalent to not go head-to-head with the NFL on Jan. 1. That focus didn’t exactly pan out.
Here is how it stacks up, according to Sports Business Daily:
2012 - Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park - 3 o’clock start: 2.4 overnight rating (Jan. 2)
2011 - Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field - 7 o’clock start: 2.8 overnight rating
2010 - Boston’s Fenway Park - 1 o’clock start: 2.6 overnight rating
2009 - Chicago’s Wrigley Field - 1 o’clock start (Eastern time): 2.9 overnight rating
2008 - Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium - 1 o’clock start: 2.6 overnight rating
Comparatively, the Outback Bowl on ABC drew a 5.0 rating and the Rose Bowl on ESPN captured a 9.0 audience last night.
To put it in perspective, those Winter Classic ratings are roughly double what a normal, nationally-televised regular season game would produce.
Local ratings - and ratings in non-hockey markets - have not yet been released.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
I don't know what kind of jobs most of these posters have but I had off Monday & there was NO rush hr at all. Nobody wants to see the likes of Hartnell, Callahan, Rupp, or a washed-up Jagr. They want to see the stars. These teams have no cache.— grant44- The ratings were still respectable when compared to the other 4 Classics. Also, I agree with other posters who said it should have been on Jan. 1 instead, but I'm guessing that was probably more of an NBC decision more than an NHL decision. Also having it on Jan. 2 meant that I could go eat my traditional Jan. 1 Olive Garden dinner and not have to miss any of the game!— Pelle31
Here's a novel idea, how about dropping the all-star game and putting the winter classic in February when it could score some ratings if corporate is worried about NFL(Week 17 mind you) and the gambling of countless bowl games. What is going on in February that wouldn't attract the casual viewer of the game. NFL playoffs are done, College basketball isn't in march madness mode yet, nascar (which is not the rating giant of old) is just starting, and the nba is gearing up for there all-star game as well. Lastly, try to expand the marketing of the nhl. If not what was the point of expanding the league. I love the flyers, but maybe they should have held off a few more years. NY Rangers v Devils is a good rivalry. Maybe Rangers v Toronto (original six). The nhl doesn't do a great job of marketing the potential stars of each team. Anyway LETS GO FLYERS!— sw-sportsfan- Lots of people had to work.— astarr
