Under the glare of packed arenas, hockey has long been seen as a niche pursuit in a landscape dominated by the NFL, NBA and MLB. Yet the conversation on NHL viewership compared to other sports has shifted dramatically.
Despite topping streaming minutes in the first quarter, the NHL trails the NBA by 40% in unique online viewers—revealing a devoted but narrower digital fanbase than you might think. On traditional TV, streaming platforms and social media, each league flexes different muscles. We’ll unpack TV ratings, streaming hours and social engagement to map hockey’s true standing in the modern sports hierarchy.
How Much Do NHL TV Ratings Stack Up Against the Competition?
tv ratings by sport: Average Viewership Breakdown
Nielsen’s 2024 season averages highlight a clear hierarchy. The NFL dominates prime-time slots, averaging 17 million viewers per game. The NBA follows at roughly 1.8 million, while MLB draws about 1.2 million on national broadcasts. The NHL sits in a competitive middle ground with 1.6 million average viewers. Major League Soccer (MLS), a rising digital darling, logs around 300,000 per match on traditional networks.
Geography matters. Hockey lights up the Canadian market—where it commands over 80% share in key provinces—and pockets of the U.S. Northeast and Upper Midwest. By market share, the NHL captures about 5% of total prime-time sports audiences, trailing the NBA’s 15% but doubling MLS’s 2.5%, as reported by Sports Media Watch. These figures underscore hockey’s solid reach in core regions and its challenges breaking into broader national consciousness compared to the NFL’s near-ubiquitous presence.
Year-over-year, NHL TV ratings climbed by 3% in prime-time windows—surpassing MLB’s 1.5% rise but trailing the NBA’s 6% surge. Playoffs amplify hockey’s reach, with Stanley Cup Finals averaging nearly 4 million viewers per game, compared to World Series contests at 9 million. Off-peak and weekday matchups dampen those numbers yet still outperform MLS’s late-week broadcasts by two-to-one. Even in secondary U.S. markets like Dallas and Los Angeles, hockey secures a sustainable share, highlighting its steady audience base amid fierce competition and increasing viewership in the U.S.
How Does NHL Streaming Popularity Compare to MLS, NBA and Beyond?
Unique Streams and Viewer Demographics
In the first quarter of 2025, NHL platforms recorded a stunning 1.2 billion streaming minutes—edging out the NFL’s 1.1 billion but trailing the NBA’s 1.9 billion. Yet when it comes to unique online viewers, hockey draws about 6 million per season, roughly 40% fewer than the NBA’s 10 million. Our MLS viewership deep-dive article shows numbers near 2 million, reflecting soccer’s growing but still smaller digital audience.
Demographic breakdowns reveal where hockey’s strengths lie. About 45% of NHL streamers are aged 18–34, a cohort that skews slightly younger than MLB’s average but older than MLS’s fan base. Mobile devices account for 60% of NHL streaming minutes, underscoring a shift toward on-the-go viewing, which has boosted overall viewership in the U.S. Desktop consumption covers the remaining 40% and peaks during weekday afternoon games when mobile access dips.
Exclusive platforms—such as the NHL’s official app—drive much of this engagement, with Roku, Fire TV and smart TV apps comprising roughly 30% of minutes and social clips on TikTok and YouTube amplifying key highlights to new audiences.
League apps account for 45% of total minutes, followed by ESPN+ and Peacock at 35%. The remaining 20% splits between cable provider streams and social platforms, highlighting the importance of diversified access points.
Which League Dominates Social Media Engagement Rates?
NHL Bloopers Steal the Spotlight
Across Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, the NHL generates about 500,000 social mentions per week, compared to the NBA’s 700,000 and the NFL’s staggering 1.2 million. Engagement rates—measured as likes, comments and shares per follower—clock in at roughly 3.5% For hockey, edging out the NFL’s 2.8% but behind the NBA’s 4%, viewership in the U.S. has seen notable growth. MLS viewership content, while smaller in volume, boasts a higher engagement rate of 4.2% during key matches.
Viral footage of slapshot saves and rib-cracking hits fuels fan interaction. Yet nothing sparks more chatter than NHL bloopers—goalie gaffes, unexpected rink collisions and comic post-game interviews routinely rack up millions of views. Last season’s top blooper clip, featuring a puck ricocheting off the boards and then off a ref’s skate, exceeded 8 million views on TikTok alone, rivaling highlight reels from superstar dunks in the NBA.
Fan-driven hashtags like #HabsNHL and #HockeyTwitter amplify regional followings. The Montreal Canadiens command one of the highest team-specific social audiences, with over 1.1 million followers on key platforms. By contrast, CF Montréal’s official channels gather around 200,000. This disparity underscores where brands might allocate sponsorship dollars for maximal buzz and where cross-promotional MLS campaigns could find exceptionally fertile ground.
Habs NHL vs. CF Montréal: A Streaming Showdown
Cross-Sport Fan Overlap
During the 2024 season, local broadcasts of the Montreal Canadiens averaged 200,000 live streams per game across cable and app platforms, outpacing CF Montréal’s matches, which drew approximately 120,000. Canadiens streams peaked during rivalry games, hitting 250,000 for the Habs NHL clash against the Toronto Maple Leafs. By contrast, CF Montréal’s top fixtures, like the Le Classique derby, reached about 150,000 streams.
For brands, overlap is key, especially when considering viewership in the U.S. during major sporting events. Roughly 25% of Canadiens streamers also tuned into at least five CF Montréal games, suggesting a core cross-sport audience ripe for dual sponsorships. CPL and MLS viewership merged campaigns yielded a 12% lift in combined social engagement when ads ran during both hockey and soccer broadcasts. These metrics underscore how local franchises can leverage shared fan passions to maximize ROI and foster deeper community ties, particularly through platforms like ABC and TNT Sports.
Average sponsorship CPM for dual-stream packages was 20% higher than single-sport buys, making joint programming an attractive proposition for marketers.
Skating Ahead: The NHL’s Next Viewing Frontiers
Hockey commands a passionate audience and holds its own across TV, streaming and social platforms, but still trails giants like the NFL and NBA in national reach. With season averages of 1.6 million on TV and 1.2 billion streaming minutes, NHL viewership compared to other sports reflects both opportunity and constraint.
To close the gap, the NHL must expand beyond traditional strongholds. Emerging markets in Europe and Asia, where youth participation is rising, offer growth potential. Investing in interactive technologies—AR overlays in live streams, real-time voting features and enhanced mobile apps—can captivate younger viewers who prioritize engagement over consumption.
Marketers should note that NHL’s fan loyalty translates to high brand recall when integrated across channels. Strategic partnerships targeting women’s hockey initiatives, collegiate programs and cross-promotional MLS events will be critical. By doubling down on content delivery and expansion, the NHL will skate past its niche reputation and assert its place among the world’s top leagues.