FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 11th, 2019

2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS DELIVER BEST OPENING NIGHT OVERNIGHT RATING IN THREE YEARS ACROSS NBC SPORTS PLATFORMS

Penguins-Islanders Ties for Best Opening Night Game in Five Years

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 11, 2019 – NBC Sports’ four-game coverage of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs last night delivered the best overnight rating for an Opening Night in three years, according to Nielsen. The four games presented across NBCSN, USA Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app combined for a 0.39 overnight rating, the best for an Opening Night since 2016 (0.47) and up 3% vs. 2018 (0.38 for three games).

Game 1 of the Penguins-Islanders series on NBCSN, won 4-3 by New York in overtime, produced a 0.52 overnight rating, tying Rangers-Penguins in 2016 for the best Opening Night overnight rating in five years (2014, Blue Jackets-Penguins, 0.56) and up 13% vs. the comparable game in 2018 (Flyers-Penguins, 0.46).

The Blue Jackets come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Lightning on USA Network delivered a 0.43 overnight rating, up 95% vs. Wild-Jets on CNBC in 2018 (0.22). Stars-Predators produced a 0.31 overnight rating on USA Network for Dallas’ 3-2 win, up 11% vs. Sharks-Ducks in 2018 (0.28). The Sharks’ three-goal win (5-2) over the Golden Knights on NBCSN produced a 0.28 overnight. Blues-Jets aired on NHL Network, which is not rated.

All First Round games televised on NBC Sports’ cable platforms are also televised side-by-side with regional sports networks in the local markets. NBC Sports begins exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Second Round.

Last night’s Opening Night ratings increases follow a regular season that delivered viewership increases across all NBC Sports platforms. Combined viewership of the 2018-19 NHL regular season across NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – which included a record 112 games as well as a record number of doubleheaders and games featuring Canadian and Western Conference teams –averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 424,000 viewers, up 2% vs. the 2017-18 regular-season (105 games, 417,000).

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–