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MONTREAL — The fever that swept social media Saturday night during the U.S.-Canada 4 Nations Face Off game translated to massive viewership for ABC.
The game broadcast averaged 4.4 million viewers in the U.S., peaking at 5.2 million, according to ESPN.
That’s the most-viewed non Stanley Cup Final hockey broadcast since 2019. (2024’s Stanley Cup Final Game 7 averaged 7.7 million viewers.) It’s also a 369% bounce from NHL on ABC’s average viewership this season.
The numbers are massive for the NHL’s tournament that replaced this season’s All-Star Game, especially considering the league’s regular-season ratings have been unimpressive, the tournament was brand new this year, and the game went up against the NBA’s All-Star weekend.
The U.S.-Canada viewership number marks a victory for both Disney and the NHL, both of which are hoping to ride the wave of a new era of international competition that begins next year.
Still can't believe how great that 🇺🇸 vs 🇨🇦 game was. Probably the most anticipated game in a decade & somehow exceeded the hype. Felt like a MASSIVE event that almost *everyone* was watching, regardless of hockey fandom. Huge win for USA but a bigger win for the NHL
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) February 16, 2025
Earlier this week, 4 Nations Face-Off started with strong returns. Team USA’s first game against Finland on Thursday averaged nearly 1.5 million viewers in the U.S., a number that already outstripped any All-Star Game on ABC since it reacquired the rights in 2022.
The U.S. still has one 4 Nations Face-Off game remaining Monday against Sweden before it plays in the championship game Feb. 20. Its opponent is still not set in stone, but there’s a strong chance the U.S. will rematch with Canada, which needs only a regulation win against Finland to secure its spot.
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