The NHL’s Winter Classic set a new benchmark for the outdoor game’s television ratings on cable with the 2023 edition.
The matchup featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins from Fenway Park averaged 1.78 million viewers on Monday, up 31% from the 2022 version which pitted the St. Louis Blues against the Minnesota Wild.
The game also served as the NHL’s most-watched regular season game since the 2021 Winter Classic which saw the Washington Capitals and the aforementioned Penguins. However, that game aired on network television on NBC.
Even with the raise in ratings this season, the NHL’s premier event has seen a steady decline in viewership over the past decade. In 2014, the Winter Classic saw an audience of 4.4 million on NBC. The game has failed to garner more than 3 million viewers since the 2015 edition.
