Winter Classic Ratings Rock In Prime Time
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - The Winter Classic was a success on many levels, except for maybe the outcome of the game. NBC released the television ratings on Monday from the game that was moved from 1 p.m. on Saturday into primetime at 8 p.m.
Moving the game into primetime means more people are watching television, but that also means there is more competition on TV.
The Capitals' 3-1 win over the Penguins at Heinz field earned a 2.3 rating and a 4 share on NBC. The rating is a 10 percent increase over last year's game at Fenway Park that featured the Flyers and Bruins.That game got a 2.1 rating.
NBC said, it was the most-watched regular-season NHL game since 1975. The 4.5 million viewers for the Crosby vs. Ovechkin matchup were up from 3.7 million last season.
Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Shares represent the percentage of all homes with TVs in use at the time.
