Hockey Ratings In Canada Surges As NBA & NHL Finals See Sharp U.S. Viewership Decline

Are you watching the Stanley Cup or NBA finals?

The 2025 NBA and NHL Finals are off to electrifying starts—but both leagues are facing ratings declines in the U.S.

The NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers is averaging just 8.84 million viewers through two games—down 24% from last year’s Celtics-Mavericks matchup. Game 1 was the lowest-rated Finals opener in the traditional late-May/early-June window, reflecting the challenges of small-market appeal.

The NHL’s Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers isn’t faring much better. Game 1 drew only 2.42 million viewers across TNT and truTV, down 22% from 2024’s ABC broadcast. Alarmingly, the Women’s College World Series nearly matched it with 2.11 million viewers.

But the full story doesn’t end there. While U.S. ratings have slumped, NHL viewership in Canada is surging. With the Oilers representing Canada's third trip to the Final in five years, national interest is skyrocketing north of the border. The rise of Canadian contenders is igniting home-country pride and shifting audience dynamics.

Back in the U.S., Broadway also stole attention: the Tony Awards hit multi-year highs, and CNN’s broadcast of Good Night, and Good Luck drew strong numbers, adding to the Finals' competition.

So while the NBA and NHL Finals remain must-watch for diehards, the shifting viewership landscape shows audiences are finding new favorites—sometimes across borders or on entirely different stages. Comment below if your watching.

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Source: Essentially Sports

Photo Credit: NHL/NBA/AI