Stanley Cup Ratings Plummet

Game 1 numbers down from 2008

By EAMONN BRENNAN

Updated 11:16 AM CST, Mon, Jun 1, 2009

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Was this the year hockey went mainstream? To some, it was. Flagging franchises like the Chicago Blackhawks made their official resurgence into local communities, and the burgeoning rivalry between the league's two best players -- Washington's Alexander Ovechkin and Pittsburgh's wunderkind Sidney Crosby, who have both emphasized how much they dislike each other -- would seem to suggest a leaguewide surge of popularity. Hockey's certainly felt like a bigger deal this year, hasn't it?

So it would seem to follow that the sport's marquee event, the Stanley Cup Finals, would experience that same surge. Not so much. Game 1 of the Cup drew a 2.6 rating and a 5 share, down from 2008's four-game average of 3.2 and 6, respectively.

What gives? The low ratings can't be blamed on the match up; this year's Stanley Cup features a rematch of last year's, and both teams have plenty of appeal. The Detroit Red Wings are hockey's New York Yankees, a premier franchise with a quasi-national following and years and years of history and success. And the Penguins have Crosby, the LeBron-esque young face of the league, as well as a lineup packed with talent and highlight-ready flash.

Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Game 1 was Saturday night, which is not exactly prime time viewing. But those hoping the league would be able to tangibly show signs of progress, at least where Stanley Cup ratings are concerned, will be thus far left wanting. The league is either not as popular as it seems, or no one cares about the Stanley Cup Finals except Pittsburgh and Detroit. Neither is particularly good news for the NHL.

Eamonn Brennan is a Chicago-based writer, editor and blogger. You can also read him at Yahoo! Sports, Mouthpiece Sports Blog, and Inside The Hall, or at his personal site, eamonnbrennan.com. Follow him on Twitter.