FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 1st, 2018

2018 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ARE BEST IN SIX YEARS ACROSS NETWORKS OF NBCUNIVERSAL

Total Audience Delivery is Averaging 891,000 Viewers across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, Golf Channel, USA Network, NBCSports.com, and NBC Sports App

NBCSN Averaging TAD of 780,000 through Third Sunday of Playoffs, BEST ON RECORD

NBC Averaging TAD of 1.975 Million Viewers Through Sunday, Best in Four Years

Second Round-only TAD of 1.554 Million Viewers across NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and NBC Sports App is Best in Four Years & Up 32% vs. 2017

COVERAGE CONTINUES TONIGHT WITH TWO GAME 3S

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 1, 2018 – With compelling matchups, overtime thrillers, and refreshing storylines, NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs across the networks of NBCUniversal is averaging a Total Audience Delivery of 891,000 viewers, the best in six years through the third Sunday of the playoffs. Coverage on NBCSN is averaging a TAD of 780,000 viewers, the best viewership on record for the time period. NBC is averaging 1.975 million viewers, the network’s best since 2014. Live streaming for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs has set records in all key metrics.

“The strong viewership thus far for the playoffs shows the power of the NHL to engage both hardcore and casual fans,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer and President, Production, NBC Sports and NBCSN. “Whether it is the surging popularity of the Predators, the remarkable expansion story of the Golden Knights, or the epic rivalry between Pittsburgh and Washington, fans are consuming in record numbers. And the viewership trends are even more notable given that, for the first time ever, the Original Six teams of Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, and New York all missed the playoffs.”

Total Audience Delivery (TAD) for 49 games across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, Golf Channel, USA Network, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app has averaged 891,000 viewers. It is the best average viewership since 2012 (1.086 million viewers) through the third Sunday of the playoffs, is up 7% from last year (830,000), and up 10% vs. 2016 (809,000).

NBCSN is averaging a TAD of 780,000 viewers through the third Sunday, the best viewership on record for the network and up 16% vs. last year (672,000). The network is also averaging a TAD of 1.105 million viewers for four Second Round telecasts so far, up 34% vs. last year (826,000). 

Nine playoff broadcasts on NBC have averaged a TAD of 1.975 million viewers, the best since 2014 (2.145 million), and up 14% vs. 2017 (1.732). For the Second Round, NBC’s three broadcasts have averaged a TAD of 2.098 million viewers, up 11% vs. 2017 (1.883 million).

Saturday night’s double-overtime San Jose-Las Vegas Game 2 on NBC was the most-watched game of the weekend, averaging a TAD of 2.249 million viewers. It is the best Second Round game featuring a West Coast team in seven years, since Detroit-San Jose in 2011 (2.251 million). TV-only viewership for the game peaked with 3.180 million viewers from 11:45 p.m.-midnight ET.

Sunday afternoon’s Pittsburgh-Washington Game 2 averaged a TAD of 2.215 million viewers, up 37% vs. St. Louis-Nashville last year (1.613 million). TV-only viewership for the game peaked at 3.626 million in its final minutes after 6 p.m. ET. Sunday night’s Winnipeg-Nashville game on NBCSN delivered a TAD of 1.266 million viewers, up 53% vs. last year’s Anaheim-Edmonton game (827,000).

Through the first 51 games of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, live streaming coverage has set records for uniques (1.7 million; up 65%), total live minutes (245 million; up 24%), and Average Minute Audience (28,400 viewers; up 47%).

Following are the Top 15 local markets through the third Sunday of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

HH
Rank Metered Market Rating
1 Pittsburgh 3.20
2 Buffalo 2.27
3 Nashville 2.05
4 Las Vegas 1.41
5 Boston 1.38
6 Providence 1.26
7 Tampa 1.19
8 Washington DC 1.07
9 Ft. Myers 1.06
10 Denver 1.00
11 Minneapolis-St. Paul 0.96
12 Columbus, OH 0.91
13 Philadelphia 0.89
14 Richmond-Petersburg 0.84
15 St. Louis 0.76

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DAY 21

SECOND ROUND OF STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS CONTINUES TONIGHT WITH CAPITALS-PENGUINS ON NBCSN & PREDATORS-JETS ON CNBC

Sidney Crosby and (2) Pittsburgh Penguins Look to Defend Home Ice Against Alex Ovechkin and (1) Washington Capitals at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN; Series Tied 1-1

(2) Winnipeg Jets Host (1) Nashville Predators at 8 p.m. ET on CNBC; Series Tied 1-1

Pre-Game Coverage Begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with NHL Live

NBC Sports continues its exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight with two games across NBCSN and CNBC, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, as Sidney Crosby and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion (2) Pittsburgh Penguins host Alex Ovechkin and the (1) Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their series, currently tied at one game apiece.

Coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on CNBC at 8 p.m. ET, as P.K. Subban and the (1) Nashville Predators visit Patrik Laine and the (2) Winnipeg Jets in a pivotal Game 3 with the series tied 1-1. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with NHL Live.

NBC Sports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of all remaining Stanley Cup Playoff games.

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“NHL Playoff Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage, plus information and highlights. The Pass will be published weekdays to preview that evening’s games. Friday editions will include weekend information.

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THE PASS – TUESDAY, MAY 1 (All times ET)

Time Coverage Network Commentators
6:30 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, Keith Jones
7:30 p.m. Game 3 – (1) Washington at (2) Pittsburgh NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Pierre McGuire
8 p.m. Game 3 – (1) Nashville at (2) Winnipeg CNBC Chris Cuthbert, AJ Mleczko, Brian Boucher
NHL Live (Intermission coverage) CNBC Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick,
Anson Carter

For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall Stanley Cup Playoff coverage, please click here.

(1) WASHINGTON CAPITALS AT (2) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – GAME 3 AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – SERIES TIED 1-1

The Capitals built a three-goal lead in Game 2 and evened the series with a 4-1 victory over the Penguins on Sunday on NBC. Washington managed a 2-0 lead in the first period for the third time this postseason and has now scored first in seven of its eight games – the most of any team. Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel recorded an assist in Game 2 to bring his postseason point total to 17. The 23-year-old is just the 14th different player in NHL history to total 17-or-more points in his team’s first eight postseason games, and joins Boston’s David Pastrnak as the second player to do so in these playoffs. The Penguins return to PPG Paints Arena tonight where they posted a 30-9-2 record in the regular season, but have gone just 1-2 at home in the postseason.

(1) NASHVILLE PREDATORS AT (2) WINNIPEG JETS – GAME 3 AT 8 P.M. ET ON CNBC – SERIES TIED 1-1

The Predators responded from a Game 1 loss with a 5-4 victory over the Jets in double overtime in Game 2 on Sunday. Kevin Fiala scored 5:37 into the second overtime to tie the series at one game apiece. The series shifts to Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the Jets have won 12 consecutive games. Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele is currently riding a four-game goal streak, and leads the NHL with eight goals this postseason.

COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE 

Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 35 million U.S. households. NBC Sports Regional Networks serve the hometown fans of the Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals, with first-round game coverage, pre- and post-game shows, and extensive on-line coverage via NBC Sports’ team of NHL Insiders.

For teams that advance past the first round, NBC Sports Regional Networks will deliver extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout each team’s playoff run.

NBC SPORTS RADIO COVERAGE

NBC Sports Radio is a joint venture between NBC Sports Group and Westwood One and will broadcast select games throughout the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.  It provides sports talk programming to radio stations nationwide and is distributed by Westwood One.  Content includes hourly sports news updates, daily features, and long-form shows. On social media, join the NBC Sports Radio community on Twitter at twitter.com/nbcsportsradioTo listen live or on demand, or to find a station, visit www.nbcsportsradio.com.

STREAMING COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–