NHL Ratings On Thin Ice

The National Hockey League may be pulling in fans on paper but a recent report claims the league is falling behind in the television ratings game.

Canada’s Canoe Network sports publication reported that although NHL attendance figures say almost 3.2 million fans were in the seats for the 187 hockey games played in January, those numbers aren’t accurate as to real bodies in the seats.

Attendance totals reportedly include season tickets, single-game ticket purchases, and promotional tickets donated to organizations or traded for ads even though the ducats might not be used to enter the arena, according to Canoe.

The New York Titans of the National Lacrosse League reportedly registered a higher Nielsen rating for its January 27th televised game against the Rochester Knighthawks than the NHL’s New York Islanders or New Jersey Devils the same night.

The Titans grabbed a .14 rating for its 8 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. telecast, while the Islanders-Buffalo Sabres game from 7 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. earned a .11 rating.

However, the New Jersey Devils-Florida Panthers game from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. pulled in a .01 rating

"And what does a .01 rating mean?" asked Canoe’s David Unkle. "According to a story published … in the New York Times, it means that 736 of over 7 million homes in the viewing area tuned in to watch the second-best team in the Eastern Conference during the 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. time slot."

Even the NHL All-Star Game January 24th didn’t fare well, reportedly earning a less-than-stellar 0.7 rating, which translates to less than 500,000 U.S. households tuning in compared to nearly 2 million households in 2004.