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2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs Score a Hat Trick Across All Sportsnet Platforms

– TV, digital and radio coverage all experience significant audience growth –
– Stanley Cup Playoffs was the #1 show in Canada for 42 of a possible 46 nights –

 TORONTO (June 12, 2017) The champion has been crowned, the Cup has been raised and it’s clear that 2017 was a banner year for coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as fans flocked to Sportsnet to get their fill of everything hockey. Sportsnet’s audiences for television, digital and radio coverage all increased significantly year-over-year from the start of the playoffs on April 12 through to the Pittsburgh Penguins claiming its second consecutive Stanley Cup on June 11.

“Nearly three quarters of all Canadians tuned in to watch at least part of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year,” said Scott Moore, President, Sportsnet & NHL Properties, Rogers Media. “That is an extraordinary number that clearly underscores the deep love and unparalleled passion Canadians have for hockey. The Stanley Cup Playoffs provided compelling stories, and our editorial teams provided expert coverage on TV, radio and online.”

With five Canadian teams making the playoffs this year, and the Ottawa Senators reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, fans were engaged from the moment the puck dropped on opening night. The Stanley Cup Playoffs was the #1 show on television in Canada for 42 of the 46 nights that hockey was broadcast this post-season.

Additional highlights from Sportsnet’s coverage of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs include:

Television

  • Overall, the playoffs reached 26 million viewers – nearly three-quarters of all Canadians.
  • 24 billion minutes of hockey were watched through the course of the playoffs – up 88% versus 2016.
  • This year’s Stanley Cup Final between Pittsburgh and Nashville had an average minute audience of 2.67 million, which is 18% higher than 2016.
  • Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins was the most watched game of the playoffs with an average of 4.29 million viewers.
  • The playoffs delivered an overall average minute audience of 1.61 million Canadians – up 94% over the same time last year.

 

Digital

  • Sportsnet digital properties grew to 49 million unique visitors in April – an increase of 37% vs. April 2016. This is the highest month ever in Sportsnet’s history.
  • Visits to Sportsnet.ca increased 16% versus the same time last year with page views also up 22%.
  • Nine of the Top 10 articles on Sportnet.ca from April 12-June 11 were playoff-related content pieces.
  • Unique visitors to the Sportsnet App increased 56% year-over-year.
  • Sportsnet NOW unique visitors increased year-over-year for each round of the playoffs and a total of 66% overall. Live streams were up 164% from this time last year.
  • Unique visitors to Rogers NHL GameCentre LIVE increased overall by 61%, with total streams started up 68% for the entirety of the playoffs.

Radio

  • Average minute audience for Hockey Central at Noon on Sportsnet 590 The FAN is up 33% in the core male 25-54 demo in the 12-1 p.m. ET timeslot.
  • Average minute audience for Hockey Central 960 on Sportsnet 960 The FAN is up 30% overall in the 12-1 p.m. MT timeslot.
  • The overall average audience for both morning shows are also up with Sportsnet’s Starting Lineup on 590 up 12% and Boomer and Warrener in the Morning on 960 up 7%.

 

The playoffs may be over, but Sportsnet will continue to bring the latest hockey news and events to fans across the country with coverage of the 2017 NHL Awards and NHL Expansion Draft on Wednesday, June 21 and the 2017 NHL Draft on June 23-24.

Source: TV – Numeris; Apr 12 – June 11/17 vs. same time last year; Ind.2+; Sportsnet channels & CBC; Total Canada.
Source: Radio – Numeris; Apr 12 – June 11/17 vs. same time last year; A12+ & M25-54; CJCL/CFAC; Calgary & Toronto CTRL.
Source: Digital – Comscore Inc. Media Metrix Multi-Platform, April 2016 vs. April 2017
Source: SN Now, Sportsnet App, Sportsnet.ca – Adobe Analytics, April 1-June 11 2016 vs. April 1-June 11 2017
Source: Rogers NHL GameCentre LIVE – MLBAM April 12-June 11 2016 vs. April 12-June 11 2017

About Sportsnet
Sportsnet is Canada’s #1 sports media brand, connecting Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes.  Delivering storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level, the multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet NOW, and the Sportsnet app.  Sportsnet consists of four regional channels (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific), and the nationally-distributed Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, and Sportsnet World.  Sportsnet is the official Canadian NHL national multimedia rights holder, and is also the official regional television broadcast rights holder for the Calgary Flames (including radio rights on Sportsnet 960 The FAN), Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs (including radio rights on Sportsnet 590 The FAN), Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens. Sportsnet also has exclusive TV & radio coverage of all 162 Blue Jays games, as well as other MLB games, Toronto Raptors, NBA, Grand Slam of Curling, Rogers Cup, CHL, IndyCar, and extensive soccer programming including Premier League, Bundesliga, FA Cup and 2018 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers.

Media Contacts:
Jordan Kerbel, [email protected], (m) 437.995.3880
Sarah Grossman,[email protected], (m) 416.509.9694
Meghann Cox, [email protected], (m) 416.258.3296