The National Hockey League (NHL) has recorded its highest average television audiences in 14 years for the recently concluded regular season, a significant rebound after a period of declining viewership.
Reports from Sports Business Journal and Sports Media Watch indicate a substantial surge in interest.
Across games aired on ESPN, ABC, and TNT/truTV, the NHL attracted an average of 546,000 viewers.
This represents a year-on-year increase of at least 23 per cent and marks the best average viewership since the 2012-13 season, which saw 590,000 viewers on NBC and NBCSN.
Part of this decade-plus high can be attributed to Nielsen’s updated methodology, which has led to higher ratings across various sports. For instance, NBA ratings also climbed by 35 per cent this year, with other sports experiencing double-digit percentage increases.
ESPN and ABC broadcasts, encompassing 54 games, drew an average of 760,000 viewers, a 30 per cent jump from the prior season. ESPN games, in particular, saw a major improvement, with an average of 602,000 viewers, a 48 per cent increase.
Meanwhile, TNT/truTV carried 72 games, averaging 381,000 viewers, a 21 per cent rise year-on-year.
These contests received a notable boost after Team USA secured hockey gold at the Milan Olympics, pushing NHL viewership on TNT Sports to 453,000 on average following the league’s midseason break.
The most-watched NHL game of the regular season was the Stadium Series clash in Tampa on 1 February, where the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout. This game garnered 2.07 million viewers on ESPN, setting a new cable-TV record for an NHL regular-season fixture.
The positive figures follow a decline in NHL ratings during the 2024-25 season, despite the introduction of the popular 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which saw Canada defeat the United States 3-2 in overtime in the final.
