The Chicago Blackhawks have been one of the top teams in the Western Conference throughout the regular season, but despite their success on the ice, it hasn’t translated into good television ratings for the squad.
According to data published by Sports Business Daily, the Blackhawks are still the fifth-highest rated team in the United States, posting an average rating of 3.12 on their broadcasts this season, but that is a 20 percent drop over their ratings from last season, according to the publication.
As things stand right now, the Buffalo Sabres have the highest television ratings in their local market, posting a 6.43 on average this season. The Pittsburgh Penguins (5.56), St. Louis Blues (4.26), and Minnesota Wild (3.91) round out the other spots in the top five ahead of the Blackhawks.
While the data didn’t go into the reasons for the decline in ratings, there are certainly factors that have played a role in the dip. The Chicago Cubs’ postseason run certainly impacted the Blackhawks’ ratings in the early portion of the season, and the Blackhawks’ sustained success has lessened interest somewhat in regular season games, with fans looking ahead to a potential postseason run instead.
Whatever the case may be, the Blackhawks are still a draw whenever they are on national television, as they will be for their next game when they battle the Wild on NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry showdown telecast.
