FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 24th, 2012
HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA’S REGIONAL COVERAGE SETS RATINGS & VIEWERSHIP MILESTONES
NEW YORK – Feb. 24, 2012 – NBC Sports’ regional coverage during Sunday’s Hockey Day in America — highlighted by the Detroit Red Wings NHL-record 23rd home win in a row, a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks — tied for the best NHL regular-season rating in eight years, excluding Winter Classics, and was the most-watched coverage for a non-Winter Classic in six years.
The regional coverage (12:30-3:14 p.m. ET) — consisting of San Jose at Detroit, Pittsburgh at Buffalo, and St. Louis at Chicago — generated a 1.3 rating/3 share, up 30 percent compared to last year’s regional coverage (1.0/3), and tied with Jan. 14, 2006 (three-game regional on NBC) as the best rating for NHL regular-season game coverage in eight years, excluding Winter Classics (Jan. 10, 2004; 1.4 rating; three-game regional on ABC).
The regional coverage averaged 1.94 million viewers, the most since 1.96 million for regional coverage on NBC on Jan. 14, 2006. It was also up 26 percent compared to last year’s Hockey Day regional coverage (1.54 million).
ABOUT HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA
Created in 2011 by the NBC Sports Group, Hockey Day in America celebrates the sport of hockey in the United States with six-plus hours of coverage. This year, NBC Sports wove the stories of America’s affinity for hockey into and around its coverage of four NHL games (three regional and one national), which included interviewing and highlighting U.S. players. Hockey Day in America is part of Hockey Weekend Across America. Launched by USA Hockey in 2008, Hockey Weekend Across America is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the game and those involved at all levels, and to expose hockey to new audiences.
