ESPN Keeps Its Ratings Bonanza Going With the Start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Following a strong season of college football and a record-breaking year of women’s college basketball, ESPN is looking to keep its ratings bonanza going with the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
According to a press release released by the network, Sunday’s first round of playoff games was up 65% across ESPN and ESPN2.
Sunday’s slate of playoff games avered 1.04 million total viewers on ESPN and ESPN2 and 429,000,000 viewers in the 18-49 demographic.
Those numbers were up 65% and 48%, respectively, against last year’s Game 1 averages.
Strong Numbers Over Last Year
The Capitals-Rangers game on Sunday night became the most viewed Game 1 of a First Round NHL Playoff series ever on cable, averaging 1.3 million viewers. Viewership peaked at 1.5 million, and the telecast delivered 256,000 in the 18 to 49 demographic.
Finally, the game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Winnipeg Jets became ESPN2’s most-viewed First Round NHL Play game ever and the third most-viewed Game 1 of a First Round NHL Playoff series on cable. The matchup averaged 1.1 total viewers. The broadcast peaked at 1.4 million viewers and delivered 456,000,000 in the 18 to 49 demographic.
Live Sports Continue to Deliver
While much has been written about the death of linear cable, ESPN has managed to continue to deliver strong ratings. Going forward, whether it be on linear or streaming, one thing is clear — the backbone of the Worldwide Leader in Sports, and cable as a whole, continues to be live spots.
It is this foundation that Disney CEO Bob Iger will build both the direct-to-consumer ESPN and the new sports-centric streaming service the company is creating with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox.