or


[04/21/26 - 10:51 AM]
A New High! NHL on ESPN Networks Score Most-Viewed Regular Season of the Current Rights Deal
Individually, the NHL on ESPN averaged 602K viewers (38 games) and the NHL on ABC averaged 1.1 million viewers (16 games), both new highs in ESPN's current rights era.
[via press release from ESPN]

A New High! NHL on ESPN networks score most-viewed regular season of the current rights deal

ABC and ESPN averaged 760K viewers, +30% YoY

ESPN scored its most watched NHL season of the current rights era, topping every season since the rights returned to ESPN in 2021 22, across ESPN and ABC.

ESPN averaged 760K viewers across 54 games on ABC and ESPN, +30% YoY and bested the 2023-24 regular season, which was the previous high in the current rights era (667K viewers).

Across key demos, the NHL on ESPN networks experienced significant year-over-year audience growth, including females +36%, P2-17 +46% and P25-34 +32%.

Individually, the NHL on ESPN averaged 602K viewers (38 games) and the NHL on ABC averaged 1.1 million viewers (16 games), both new highs in ESPN's current rights era. Games on ESPN were up a strong 48% YoY, while ABC was up 33%. ESPN bested the 2023-24 season (487K viewers) to earn the top spot, while ABC outpaced the 2022-23 season (1 million viewers).

On a single game viewership basis, ESPN finished with nine of the top ten most-watched games this season across all networks, led by the 2026 NHL Stadium Series (Feb. 1, 2026) between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning which delivered the most-viewed regular season game ever on cable with 2.1M viewers, +30% vs. last year's Stadium Series (Red Wings-Columbus Blue Jackets). It was also the most-viewed Stadium Series game on cable and ESPN's most-viewed NHL regular season game on record. ABC Hockey Saturday's Penguins-Detroit Red Wings game averaged 1.6M viewers, +51% vs. last year's first ABC Hockey Saturday game. The game delivered ABC's most-viewed matchup in the current rights deal.

In addition to Stadium Series, other marquee tentpole events included

· Opening Night tripleheader (Oct. 7, 2025) which delivered 768K viewers, highlighted by Penguins-Rangers delivering ESPN's second-best opening night game on cable behind the Blackhawks-Penguins in 2023.

· Third Frozen Frenzy (Oct. 28, 2025) with all 32 teams in action featured an ESPN tripleheader, was up +20% YoY (Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers; Washington Capitals-Dallas Stars; Los Angeles Kings-San Jose Sharks).

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs presented by GEICO continues with First Round coverage across ESPN and ESPN2, with two-month Playoffs stretch that will culminate with exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in June.

- 30 -





  [april 2026]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[05/12/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of May 4 - The Critters of "Swapped" Soar to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
The pursuit of justice is action-packed in "Man on Fire," which set the English TV list ablaze at No. 1 with 12.6 million views.
[05/08/26 - 09:18 AM]
TNT Sports Delivers Its Most-Watched MLB Regular Season Start Since 2015
The Yankees/Mariners season opener on March 31 delivered 562,000 viewers and peaked at 735,000, making it the most watched opener on TBS since 2012.

[05/06/26 - 10:01 AM]
Strong Month of Sports Propels ESPN Studio Shows to Record Viewership for April
The entire lineup of ESPN studio shows was up 21% overall in viewership over April of 2025 and up 10% year-over-year (YOY) in the coveted Persons ages 18-49 demographic.

[05/05/26 - 03:52 PM]
ESPN Networks Aired Its Most Viewed First Round of the Current Rights Deal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
ESPN also delivered three of the top five matchups in the First Round including the Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins Game 1 (2.1 million viewers).
[05/05/26 - 03:36 PM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver the Most-Watched First Round Game 7 in NBA History for Saturday Night's 76ers-Celtics
Saturday night's matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 11.0 million viewers on NBC and Peacock.
[05/05/26 - 02:33 PM]
TNT Sports Delivers Its Most Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Ever
Game 7 of the Montreal/Tampa Bay series on Sunday, May 3 averaged 2.3 million viewers, the most-watched First Round game on cable ever featuring a Canadian team.
[05/05/26 - 02:24 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Flexes Double-Digit Season-to-Date Viewership Increase
2,130,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX on Saturday, May 2, for a two-game slate highlighted by the Cardinals' 3-2 Victory over the Dodgers in most of the country.
[05/05/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of April 27 - The Hunt Continues as "Apex" Takes No. 1 for a Second Week
Plus: Revenge might be a dish best served cold, but "Man on Fire" served it up hot, reaching No. 1 on the English TV list with 11 million views.
[05/03/26 - 02:40 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers the Most-Watched Kentucky Derby on Record, Averaging 19.6 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock in Historic "Run for the Roses"
Viewership peaked at 24.4 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. ET, as jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo around the final turn to win by a neck over Renegade, and made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.

[05/01/26 - 01:33 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Jumps Back from Spring Break with Fifth Straight Week of Growth Among Both Total Viewers and Households
Dominating the New York market, "Live with Kelly and Mark" towers over its closest competition this season by double and triple digits in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Women 25-54.
[05/01/26 - 08:05 AM]
NBC Sports' NBA Playoff Viewership on NBC & Peacock Up 58% vs. Comparable Coverage Last Year Through First 13 Games
This is the first time in 24 years that NBC Sports is presenting the NBA Playoffs.
[04/30/26 - 02:17 PM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers Sunday Morning and in Late-Night
ABC News' "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers (931,000) for the week of April 20.
[04/29/26 - 04:01 PM]
"American Idol" Scores 5.3 Million Total Viewers with Biggest Audience in Over 2 Months During Taylor Swift Night
Monday's episode was the No. 1 entertainment program on the night among Total Viewers (5.34 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.42 rating).
[04/29/26 - 02:41 PM]
Record Breaker! ESPN Airs Most-Viewed First Round Game 5 Ever on Cable, Extending Milestone Run of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday averaged 2 million viewers, up 190% vs. ESPN's First Round Game 5 average last year.
[04/28/26 - 03:41 PM]
TNT Sports Continues Viewership Surge for 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Minnesota's Game 4 victory over Dallas on Saturday averaged 1.9 million viewers on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.