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[04/21/26 - 10:51 AM]
A New High! NHL on ESPN Networks Score Most-Viewed Regular Season of the Current Rights Deal
Individually, the NHL on ESPN averaged 602K viewers (38 games) and the NHL on ABC averaged 1.1 million viewers (16 games), both new highs in ESPN's current rights era.
[via press release from ESPN]

A New High! NHL on ESPN networks score most-viewed regular season of the current rights deal

ABC and ESPN averaged 760K viewers, +30% YoY

ESPN scored its most watched NHL season of the current rights era, topping every season since the rights returned to ESPN in 2021 22, across ESPN and ABC.

ESPN averaged 760K viewers across 54 games on ABC and ESPN, +30% YoY and bested the 2023-24 regular season, which was the previous high in the current rights era (667K viewers).

Across key demos, the NHL on ESPN networks experienced significant year-over-year audience growth, including females +36%, P2-17 +46% and P25-34 +32%.

Individually, the NHL on ESPN averaged 602K viewers (38 games) and the NHL on ABC averaged 1.1 million viewers (16 games), both new highs in ESPN's current rights era. Games on ESPN were up a strong 48% YoY, while ABC was up 33%. ESPN bested the 2023-24 season (487K viewers) to earn the top spot, while ABC outpaced the 2022-23 season (1 million viewers).

On a single game viewership basis, ESPN finished with nine of the top ten most-watched games this season across all networks, led by the 2026 NHL Stadium Series (Feb. 1, 2026) between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning which delivered the most-viewed regular season game ever on cable with 2.1M viewers, +30% vs. last year's Stadium Series (Red Wings-Columbus Blue Jackets). It was also the most-viewed Stadium Series game on cable and ESPN's most-viewed NHL regular season game on record. ABC Hockey Saturday's Penguins-Detroit Red Wings game averaged 1.6M viewers, +51% vs. last year's first ABC Hockey Saturday game. The game delivered ABC's most-viewed matchup in the current rights deal.

In addition to Stadium Series, other marquee tentpole events included

· Opening Night tripleheader (Oct. 7, 2025) which delivered 768K viewers, highlighted by Penguins-Rangers delivering ESPN's second-best opening night game on cable behind the Blackhawks-Penguins in 2023.

· Third Frozen Frenzy (Oct. 28, 2025) with all 32 teams in action featured an ESPN tripleheader, was up +20% YoY (Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers; Washington Capitals-Dallas Stars; Los Angeles Kings-San Jose Sharks).

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs presented by GEICO continues with First Round coverage across ESPN and ESPN2, with two-month Playoffs stretch that will culminate with exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in June.

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