Chicago Delivers Its Best-Ever Local Rating For NBCSN In Watching Game 3 Of Stanley Cup
(CBS) In an interview Monday on the Mully and Hanley Show, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman defended the agreement that had Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Blackhawks and Lightning airing on NBC Sports Network as opposed to the national network that's available to more viewers.
"In terms of the give and take and making sure NBC Sports Network is strong it was important to NBC to be able to put a couple games of the Stanley Cup Final on Sports Net," Bettman said.
Turns out, it was easy to see Bettman's point.
In Monday evening's Game 3, the Chicago and Tampa Bay markets delivered their best-ever local ratings for their respective teams on NBCSN, NBC Sports' PR account tweeted on Tuesday morning. Chicago drew a 24.0 rating -- meaning that 24 percent of households equipped with televisions in Chicago were tuned in -- while Tampa Bay drew a 13.2 rating. The 24.0 rating was equivalent to about 834,552 homes, according to CSN Chicago senior director of communications Jeff Nuich.
The 3-2 win by Tampa Bay delivered a 2.88 overnight rating nationally, a 14 percent increase over last season and the second-most-watched Stanley Cup Final game ever on NBCSN.
Saturday's contest on NBC drew a 4.8 rating, which was the highest-rated Game 2 ever on NBC. Chicago pulled a 22.6 rating, and Tampa had a 15.1.