The National Hockey League has posted record-breaking television audiences during the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, highlighting hockey’s growing momentum across North America. According to league figures, first-round playoff games averaged 1.2 million viewers in the United States, representing a 68% increase compared to the roughly 500,000 viewers recorded during the same…
The Professional Women’s Hockey League is set to expand into Las Vegas for the 2026-27 season, continuing the league’s rapid growth less than three years after launching operations. According to reports from The Athletic, the official announcement is expected on Wednesday, making Las Vegas the league’s 10th franchise. The new team will join previously announced…
The NHL is enjoying a sharp rise in viewership, with first-round playoff ratings delivering one of the strongest performances in recent years across major broadcasters. TNT Sports averaged 1.2 million viewers per game across its platforms—TNT, TBS, truTV and HBO Max—marking a 68% increase compared to last season and its most-watched first round since acquiring…
TV audiences for the Stanley Cup Playoffs are surging, with the first nine days averaging 1.1 million viewers across ESPN and TNT Sports — an 82% increase year-over-year and the highest figure on record for this stage of the postseason. The sharp rise is being driven by strong performances across both networks. ESPN platforms are…
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has recorded historic growth in the 2025-26 season, surpassing one million total fans in attendance for the first time in its history. According to league data, 1,116,497 fans attended 120 regular-season games, marking a major milestone in the league’s third season. Average attendance rose to 9,304 per game, representing…
Manchester Storm are set for a high-profile return to one of British ice hockey’s most iconic stages, with the club confirmed to move back into AO Arena for the 2026–27 season. The move marks the team’s first appearance at the venue in more than two decades and brings them back to the building where they…
There are spikes in sports viewership—and then there are patterns. The latest numbers out of the National Hockey League suggest the latter. The 2025–26 regular season averaged 546,000 viewers across ESPN/ABC and TNT Sports, a 25% year-over-year increase and the league’s strongest regular season audience in over a decade. In a crowded sports landscape, that’s…
The National Hockey League continues its upward trajectory, setting a fourth consecutive regular-season attendance record with 23,158,522 fans in 2025–26. Arenas operated at 97.5% capacity, with an average of 17,651 spectators per game, reinforcing the league’s consistency in filling seats across markets. Momentum accelerated after the Winter Olympics break. Post-Olympics attendance climbed to 98.5% capacity,…
The New York Knicks and New York Rangers could face a combined annual tax burden of up to $75 million if Madison Square Garden Sports proceeds with its planned franchise spinoff, according to new analysis tied to a federal tax rule set to take effect in 2027. The rule change, introduced under the 2021 American…
The Nashville Predators are making a significant shift in their local media strategy, announcing a multiyear broadcast agreement with Scripps Sports that will bring games back to free, over-the-air television starting next season. Under the deal, most games will air on WNPX-TV, which is set to be rebranded as “The Spot — Nashville 28.†The…
