NHL hockey almost always takes a backseat to higher-profile sports like baseball and basketball, even this time of year with some of its most-watched games, the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Those games are overshadowed by the NBA playoffs.
But the NHL has quietly been generating more interest from viewers the past few years, notably the past few weeks as the NHL and the low-rated Versus jack up promotional efforts for hockey and as more hockey fans are coming to realize that most NHL games are on Versus.
But most significant to the increased viewership is intense matchups between teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals, which are duking it out in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals tonight.
Versus has been posting sizable year-over-year ratings increases for NHL semifinal games.
Its audience for these games is up 31 percent from last year, to an average 806,000 viewers, based on 19 games over 12 days, compared to 616,000 viewers for 15 games over 11 days last year.
Its household rating for the same time period is up 33 percent, to a 0.8 rating.
Versus is also up in its core male audience.
Among men 18-34, semifinal games are up 19 percent. Versus is posting a 29 percent increase among men 18-49 and 38 percent among men 25-54.
And most dramatic, last Wednesday’s matchup between Pittsburgh and Washington generated the best NHL semifinal audience on cable since 2002.
That game had an audience of 1.5 million viewers and a 1.3 household rating.
In the timeslot, Versus ranked No. 2 among all cable networks, trailing only TNT in key male demographic groups, according to Versus.
Last week, Versus ranked an impressive No. 21 among all cable networks in primetime with an average audience of 813,000 people, according to a Turner Research analysis of Nielsen ratings.
Among 18-49s, Versus was in the top 10, a huge feat for a tiny network. It had an audience of 517,000 people in the demographic.
By comparison, in April, Versus had an audience of 319,000 people, down 17 percent from April 2008. Among 18-49s, it had 190,000 viewers, also down 17 percent.
Meanwhile, TNT ranked No. 1 in most adult demographic groups last week. TNT is airing NBA playoff games, and so is ESPN, a top-three network last week in key adult demographics.
***
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended May 10:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TNT, USA, ESPN, TBS, Discovery Channel.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): TNT, USA, ESPN, Fox News Channel, Nick at Nite.
Top movie (18-49s): Nickelodeon’s “iCarly Movie: iDate A Bad Boy” (Saturday, 8 p.m.) 1.28 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Rockets/Lakers” (Wednesday, 10:43 p.m.) 6.32 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Rockets/Lakers” (Wednesday, 10:43 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Rockets/Lakers” (Monday, 10:46 p.m.); ESPN’s “NBA Basketball: Lakers/Rockets” (Friday, 9:51 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Celtics/Magic” (Sunday, 8:06 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Magic/Celtics” (Wednesday, 8 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Magic/Celtics” (Monday, 8 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Hawks/Cavaliers” (Tuesday, 8 p.m.); TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Mavericks/Nuggets” (Tuesday, 10:51 p.m.).
Show on the rise: VH1’s “I Love Money” Monday 9 p.m. The reality competition averaged 1.33 million viewers 18-34, up 13 percent from 1.18 million the previous week.
Show on the decline: Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch,” Tuesday 9 p.m. The fishing show fell 15 percent week-to-week among viewers 25-54, from 2.45 million to 2.08 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
2600
|
NICK
|
1618
|
|
2
|
USA
|
2020
|
NAN
*
|
1385
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
1554
|
TNT
|
1276
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
1504
|
USA
|
1145
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
1400
|
ADSM*
|
931
|
|
6
|
TBSC
|
1080
|
FOXN
|
914
|
|
7
|
DISC
|
918
|
ESPN
|
810
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
890
|
TOON
|
735
|
|
9
|
FX
|
879
|
TBSC
|
688
|
|
10
|
HGTV
|
862
|
AEN
|
572
|
|
11
|
HIST
|
848
|
HIST
|
556
|
|
12
|
TOON
|
837
|
TRU
|
554
|
|
13
|
LIF
|
793
|
DISC
|
547
|
|
14
|
FOOD
|
704
|
LIF
|
531
|
|
15
|
CMDY
|
701
|
HGTV
|
511
|
|
16
|
SCIF
|
700
|
FOOD
|
505
|
|
17
|
SPK
|
690
|
FX
|
490
|
|
18
|
HALL
|
686
|
CNN
|
472
|
|
19
|
TRU
|
680
|
HALL
|
466
|
|
20
|
CNN
|
646
|
SPK
|
448
|
|
21
|
FAM
|
644
|
TVLD
|
429
|
|
22
|
TLC
|
641
|
CMDY
|
421
|
|
23
|
AMC
|
613
|
AMC
|
409
|
|
24
|
TVLD
|
608
|
FAM
|
394
|
|
25
|
VS
|
591
|
MTV
|
361
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
4781
|
|
2
|
Lakers/Rockets
|
ESPN
|
4432
|
|
3
|
iCarly Movie:iDate A Bad Boy
|
NICK
|
4374
|
|
4
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
4075
|
|
5
|
Celtics/Magic
|
TNT
|
3702
|
|
6
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
3351
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3333
|
|
8
|
Hawks/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
3325
|
|
9
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
3318
|
|
10
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3296
|
|
11
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
3262
|
|
12
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3159
|
|
13
|
iCarly Movie:iDate A Bad Boy
|
NICK
|
3113
|
|
14
|
Mavericks/Nuggets
|
TNT
|
3072
|
|
15
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3012
|
|
16
|
The Penguins Of
Madagascar
|
NICK
|
2998
|
|
17
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2995
|
|
18
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2946
|
|
19
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2936
|
|
20
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2885
|
|
21
|
Hawks/Cavaliers
|
ESPN
|
2873
|
|
22
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2819
|
|
23
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2802
|
|
24
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2797
|
|
25
|
In Plain Sight
|
USA
|
2786
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1016
|
TNT
|
445
|
|
2
|
USA
|
558
|
NAN
*
|
421
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
512
|
ADSM*
|
397
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
484
|
NICK
|
322
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
337
|
ESPN
|
318
|
|
6
|
MTV
|
319
|
TBSC
|
301
|
|
7
|
FX
|
315
|
USA
|
291
|
|
8
|
VH1
|
305
|
MTV
|
206
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
302
|
FX
|
198
|
|
10
|
CMDY
|
282
|
CMDY
|
182
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
2208
|
|
2
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
2022
|
|
3
|
Lakers/Rockets
|
ESPN
|
1822
|
|
4
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
1570
|
|
5
|
Celtics/Magic
|
TNT
|
1543
|
|
6
|
Mavericks/Nuggets
|
TNT
|
1365
|
|
7
|
Hawks/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
1349
|
|
8
|
I Love Money 2
|
VH1
|
1328
|
|
9
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
1318
|
|
10
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
1276
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1949
|
TNT
|
886
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1219
|
NAN
*
|
728
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
1020
|
USA
|
623
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
855
|
ESPN
|
560
|
|
5
|
DISC
|
682
|
ADSM*
|
548
|
|
6
|
FX
|
672
|
NICK
|
545
|
|
7
|
NAN
|
626
|
TBSC
|
540
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
528
|
FX
|
376
|
|
9
|
VS
|
517
|
DISC
|
374
|
|
10
|
HIST
|
488
|
AEN
|
338
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
3944
|
|
2
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
3502
|
|
3
|
Lakers/Rockets
|
ESPN
|
3419
|
|
4
|
Celtics/Magic
|
TNT
|
2814
|
|
5
|
Mavericks/Nuggets
|
TNT
|
2516
|
|
6
|
Hawks/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
2452
|
|
7
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
2442
|
|
8
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
2426
|
|
9
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2306
|
|
10
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2090
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending May 10 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TNT
|
1870
|
TNT
|
867
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1257
|
USA
|
646
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
1002
|
NAN
*
|
588
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
750
|
ESPN
|
497
|
|
5
|
DISC
|
670
|
TBSC
|
465
|
|
6
|
FX
|
640
|
NICK
|
452
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
550
|
ADSM*
|
371
|
|
8
|
HIST
|
529
|
DISC
|
360
|
|
9
|
NAN
|
512
|
AEN
|
355
|
|
10
|
SCIF
|
512
|
HIST
|
342
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending May 10 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
3467
|
|
2
|
Lakers/Rockets
|
ESPN
|
3292
|
|
3
|
Rockets/Lakers
|
TNT
|
3106
|
|
4
|
Celtics/Magic
|
TNT
|
2783
|
|
5
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
2322
|
|
6
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2306
|
|
7
|
Hawks/Cavaliers
|
TNT
|
2300
|
|
8
|
Magic/Celtics
|
TNT
|
2291
|
|
9
|
Mavericks/Nuggets
|
TNT
|
2256
|
|
10
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2224
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
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