The first two rounds of the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs have become the most-watched in U.S. league history, with women serving as the primary driver of this growth. TNT Sports reports a 66% increase in female viewership, while ESPN notes a 106% surge, particularly among women aged 18 to 34. This demographic is tuning into hockey during its most thrilling season.
Factors Behind the Surge
According to Linda Schulz, ESPN vice president of production, the increase is not attributable to a single cause. She highlighted the challenge of attracting fans to a sport that many have not personally played. The success of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last year, the Milan Cortina Olympics where U.S. teams won gold, high-quality play, an influx of young talent, and the viral popularity of hockey romance shows like Heated Rivalry and Off Campus have all contributed to drawing more women to the sport.
Craig Barry, TNT Sports executive vice president and chief content officer, described it as a convergence of factors: “It’s not any one thing. It’s the collective of the planets aligning that has shown dramatic increases in the female audience.”
Viewership Numbers
The playoffs are averaging 1.4 million viewers, up 63% from last year and 24% from the previous high set in 2024. While some of this increase is due to changes in Nielsen's counting methods, hockey has been on an upward trend. The 4 Nations Face-Off sparked a late-season viewership boost, and the Olympics built on that momentum.
NHL chief operating officer Stephen McArdle noted, “The Olympics was a cultural moment. Olympic viewership appeals to the female demographic, and the Olympic bump was influenced by that female audience.”
Role of Media and Technology
The impact of fictional series like Heated Rivalry is difficult to quantify but acknowledged by the league. McArdle stated, “We know that the fictional series are a gateway to our sport. It opens doors to an interest in hockey, and we must ensure new audiences feel welcomed.”
Schulz emphasized the role of technology in engaging viewers, such as aerial sky cams highlighting speed and physicality, and on-ice cameras capturing emotional moments. “That emotional draw is the real way to pull in a casual fan,” she said.
The NHL has also leveraged TikTok, where many top videos attract more female viewers. A clip of Carolina's Jordan Martinook losing a skate blade became popular beyond typical highlights. Social media has drawn in younger fans, and broadcasts on ESPN, ABC, TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max have made games accessible across platforms.
Barry explained, “That’s why it’s so important to meet them where they are. Our strategy is to put it everywhere in a simulcast capacity, so regardless of where you consume content, NHL games are there for you.”
