Despite there being about 80 million more Americans than in 1980, the number of people who watched Canada beat the United States in overtime for the Olympic gold medal on Sunday was 20% below the number who watched the U.S.-Soviet Union semifinal game in Lake Placid, and even 15% below the U.S.-Finland gold-medal game that same year; And people even knew the outcome of the Soviet Union game before it happened. That’s pretty surprising to me. Whereas those 1980 games featured a bunch of no-names, this game had NHL superstars. But I guess it reflects the deterioration of interest in hockey. Still, it was the most-watched hockey game in 30 years.
In Canada, it was the most-watched TV program ever with 80% of Canadians seeing at least part of the game. From MediaWeek:
The matchup, meanwhile, was the most-watched television event in Canadian historically, with an average audience of 16.6 million viewers on the nine television networks within Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium. Almost one-half of the Canadian population watched the entire game on average, while 80 percent of Canadians saw some part of it.
- By Cyd Zeigler jr.
8 responses so far ↓
1
Pat
// Mar 2, 2010 at 3:04 pm
I wonder - if the USA had won - and NBC only showed the game on tape delay - would more Americans have watched?
I read somewhere that NBC’s ratings for their prime time - always on tape alpine ski events were always higher on nights when Americans had won medals.
That still is a great rating higher than I thought you would get down there in this era of hundreds of channels going up against some good College and NBA basketball games.
All kinds of great stories in the Canadian media about the lengths that people went to up here to try to keep up with the score of the game. The Canadian Opera Company that had a performance that afternmoon even posted the score and time remaining on the curtains as they were raised and lowered between scenes and intermission. (And yes there were tons of empty seats for the sold out performance). The reporter at the performance noted that at the close of the performance the sign on the curtains read 2-1 Canada - 8 minutes left. So he figured by the time he got off the subway near his home about 30 minutes later and got up to street level the city would be going wild. But no mention of the game being over was announced on the subway and when he got up to street level - not a soul in sight so he knew that could only mean one thing - overtime! But just as he walked up to the entrance of his building he heard a car horn and then whoops and cheers and then he stood and listened as hundreds poured out from their homes and the celebration began.
And one of the best stories I read when the gold medals were presented and the anthem started to play as being shown on all the TV’s and many monitors throughout Pearson Airport - even though in the one area there was no volume - one of the security guards started to sing O Canada. For the first few words nobody joined but by the end everyone within ear shot - hundreds of people had joined in and it was an amazing scene that was happening across this country. Yes I’ll admit at my place - just like at homes across the country - we stood and sang along. Simply an awesome moment for Canadians everywhere. .
2
Jim Buzinski
// Mar 2, 2010 at 3:12 pm
“But I guess it reflects the deterioration of interest in hockey.”
I don’t think so. Trust me, had the Soviets beat the Americans, 5-0, 34 million people would not have tuned in.
That game was shown tape delay in prime time, while the US-Canada game was in the afternoon, when more people are out and about. Everyone in the US had already heard about the win, so we all tuned in to watch the miracle.
Sunday’s game had more viewers than any World Series game since 2004 and any NCAA basketball game since 1998 and more viewers than this year’s Grammys. It was huge number by any definition of ratings.
3
Joe Guckin
// Mar 2, 2010 at 6:23 pm
It also is because (except for Cyd vs. Jimmy D. here on this site
)there is no Cold War between the evil Canadian Empire and the saintly wholesome American heroes. As I’ve said before, this was a game between two NHL All-Star teams. One had more talent but there wasn’t a giant discrepancy like in that “Miracle on Ice” game.
4
lacharlie13
// Mar 2, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Hockey seems like a good game to play, appealing to my thug instincts, but it is really expensive and hard to get ice time except in the colder latitudes, Did anybody ever suggest that basketball was a winter sport????
5
thedude
// Apr 15, 2010 at 6:17 pm
It is the greatest sport on earth. My opinion rules here!
The media has to stop making it look like a thug sport just because of the fights. It’s just a minor part of it. But the media loves to show the violent clips of the game - of course this will turn ppl off.
That gold medal game showed what the sport is all about. Skill, speed, finesse, toughness, teamwork, pressure, all rolled into one. No sport beats it.
6
Bethann Eichman
// Oct 25, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Good post mate but ways to get your rss feed?
7
Shaquita Courtois
// Nov 15, 2011 at 3:35 am
There are some great suggestions on backlinking at it thread. You can also do a look as well. If you are signed up, you can additionally submit a new topic, and you must get a reply inside minutes.
8
fashion ugg boots
// Mar 31, 2012 at 10:20 am
Your website is beautiful, which is popular among customers. I’ll come to visit again. Thank you very much!
Leave a Comment