By Paul M. Banks
Without a doubt, Chicago, the greatest sports town in the world, is now a big time hockey town; a Blackhawks town. When attending the White Sox game last night, a huge number of fans wore their Hawks sweater, just like I did. At the Cell, the public address system set off the goal scoring horn every time the Hawks scored during their game 3 5-2 win at Vancouver. Walking between the El, the northside watering holes and my home, I could hear a few people joyously screaming in their own homes when the Hawks scored their final goal, even though the outcome had already been determined by the fourth one late in the 3rd period.
Yes, this is Hawkeytown. And I’m really glad I wrote my parody column about a deep Hawks playoff run helping the city get through the disaster of the Great Fire of 1871. I was spoofing all those terrible stories you see on tv about the Saints Super Bowl and Katrina, Michigan St.’s Final Four run and Detroit, and God knows what else. If this Hawksmania continues, who knows what disaster ESPN might try to tie this to, in order to produce more crapola, Rod Blagojevich maybe?
And today we have the numerical/statistical data to back up the emotional evidence I’ve been witnessing.
Last Night’s Blackhawks Second Round, Game 3 Victory Attracts Record 355,000 Households
New All-Time Records also set for “Blackhawks Pre-Game Live” & “Blackhawks Post Game Live”
#1 Highest-Rated Television Station in Chicago Market from 5:30 PM – 12:30 AM for Adults 25-54
Over 1.72 Million Households have watched Comcast SportsNet’s Coverage of Seven Playoff Telecasts.
For an exclusive with CSN’s Blackhawks reporter Sarah Kustok, go here.
Every time she appears on screen during this playoff run, I can see the results in search engine referrals coming from people entering her name.
Chicago, IL (May 6, 2010) – Comcast SportsNet, the television home for the most comprehensive Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage in HD, delivered its highest Blackhawks rating ever last evening (May 5) — a 10.14 household rating for its live coverage of the Blackhawks Game 3 second round victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
For last night’s thrilling Round 2, Game 3 playoff win by the Blackhawks, Comcast SportsNet attracted approx. 355,001 households for the entire game and scored a 12.45 peak rating during the 10:00 PM quarter-hour (approx. 435,875 households). The 10.14 single game ratings record on Comcast SportsNet shatters the previous all-time record set last week on April 26 for the Blackhawks first round, Game 5 clinching win at Nashville (9.24). In addition, Comcast SportsNet also posted new all-time household ratings records last night for Chevy Blackhawks Pre-Game Live (2.18) and Smirnoff Vodka Blackhawks Post Game Live (4.48).
Comcast SportsNet was also the #1-highest rated television network in the Chicago market last night for households and every key male & adult demographic for the entire length of the game (8:30-11:15 PM). In addition, for the vital advertising demo of Adults 25-54, Comcast SportsNet was the #1-highest rated network in the Chicago market from 5:30 PM – 12:30 AM (seven-straight hours), which included the network’s airing of Chicago Tribune Live presented by Harris Bank, GMC SportsNite, the first hour of the White Sox vs. Kansas City game telecast, Chevy Blackhawks Pre-Game Live, the Blackhawks at Vancouver game telecast, Smirnoff Vodka Blackhawks Post Game Live and SportsNite.
For its live coverage of seven Stanley Cup Playoffs telecasts thus far (five first round, two second round), Comcast SportsNet has garnered over 1.72 MILLION Chicago TV households (1,715,140) tuning in for the network’s Blackhawks Playoffs game coverage. The current 1.72 million total for seven games already surpasses Comcast SportsNet’s total number of households who watched ten total Blackhawks playoff telecasts one year ago (1.69 million). Plus – Comcast SportsNet has attracted close to ONE MILLION additional households (989,383) tuning in to Chevy Blackhawks Pre-Game Live and Smirnoff Vodka Blackhawks Post Game Live throughout the playoffs.
In comparison to Comcast SportsNet’s airing of Games 2 & 3 of the second round series vs. Vancouver “last” playoff season, HH ratings for Games 2 & 3 this year are up 147% (9.44 vs. 3.82) and Adults 25-54 ratings have increased 139% (7.47 vs. 3.13). Source for all ratings information is provided by Nielsen Media Research.
Comcast SportsNet will provide a live, expanded edition of Smirnoff Vodka Blackhawks Post Game Live on Friday night, May 7 (approx. 11:00 PM) immediately following the Blackhawks at Vancouver Western Conference semifinals Game 4 telecast airing on VERSUS (8:30 PM face-off). Comcast SportsNet’s next Blackhawks playoff telecast airs Sunday night, May 9 (Blackhawks vs. Vancouver, Game 5 live from the United Center) beginning with Chevy Blackhawks Pre-Game Live at 6:30 PM (face-off at 7:00 PM). The game will be immediately followed by an expanded edition of Smirnoff Vodka Blackhawks Post Game Live.