The hype surrounding Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard was evident in TV viewership on Tuesday and Wednesday, as both ESPN and TNT posted record numbers. Here’s what you need to know:
- ESPN’s broadcast of the Blackhawks’ season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Penguins averaged 1.43 million viewers, making it the network’s most-watched NHL game of the regular season.
- The Blackhawks-Penguins game pitted two No. 1 picks against each other as 18-year-old Bedard faced off against 36-year-old Sidney Crosby.
- The Blackhawks’ loss to the Boston Bruins a day later averaged 917,000 total viewers on TNT. It is the second-highest recorded viewership of a regular season game on the network, behind the inaugural 2022 Winter Classic, which drew 1.362 million viewers and set the record for the most-watched cable game of the NHL regular season.
Numbers larger than expected
We all knew Bedard would be a big draw from the start, but this feels even bigger than expected. But I don’t think anything will come as a surprise so quickly with the 18-year-old phenomenon. As many, many, many people are finding out, he is the real deal on the ice. He has one goal and one assist in two games with the Blackhawks. Of course, that only tells part of the story.
He has already taken 18 shots, 11 of which are on net. He definitely could have had a few more goals and assists. Those points will soon add up as he adjusts to the NHL level. Beyond that, it’s about how he plays. The shot, the vision, the style of play, his entire game is so unique. Those viewership numbers were largely based on the intrigue factor, and I bet most people weren’t disappointed. – Scott Powers, senior Blackhawks writer
What this means for Chicago
For the Blackhawks, this means they are getting back on the national radar. They were the darlings of the league for several years, winning three Stanley Cups in six years and being selected for frequent appearances on national television and to participate in the league’s biggest events. These invitations have become fewer and fewer in recent years, but Bedard will undoubtedly change that.
The league needs to know what opportunities it has to monetize Bedard from new and old hockey fans. — Powers
A phenomenal gift to the league
The NHL won’t publicly celebrate this, but Bedard’s landing in Chicago was a phenomenal gift for the league as a spectator game. Chicago increased league viewership in the 2010s, and the 2013 Stanley Cup Final between Chicago and Boston averaged 5.76 million viewers, the best average for a Stanley Cup Final since 1995.
While the NHL is essentially a regional sport, Boston and Pittsburgh are very attractive teams (the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers would also fit here) when it comes to attracting spectators to national games.
The league and its media partners wanted to introduce Bedard early — and the best way to get a big boost in viewership was to find attractive opponents for a potentially generational player. Mission accomplished. — Richard Deitsch, senior sports media writer
Required reading
(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)