Chalk it up to a rare \u2018Olympic bump\u2019 \u2014 or not \u2014 but hockey would seem to be enjoying some clear viewership momentum.<\/p>\n
The 2025-26 NHL regular season averaged 546,000 viewers across ESPN\/ABC and TNT Sports, up 25% from last year and the highest average in more than a decade. The 25% increase is on the high end of a general rise in sports viewership that includes gains of 35% for the NBA<\/a>, 19% for men\u2019s college basketball<\/a> and 10% for the NFL<\/a>.<\/p>\n (Note that Nielsen did not begin including out-of-home viewing in its estimates until 2020, only began doing so in 100 percent of markets a year ago, and is mere months into a new methodology that combines its traditional panel with \u201cBig Data\u201d from smart TVs and set-top boxes. While that would not explain a 25% year-over-year increase, those changes generally skew comparisons to past years.)<\/p>\n Broadcast network ABC led the way with an average of 1.1 million for its 16 games, up a third from last year. ESPN followed with 602,000 across its 38-game schedule, up 48%. Combined, ESPN\/ABC averaged 760,000 (+30%) and accounted for nine of the ten most-watched game windows this season.<\/p>\n TNT averaged 385,000 for its 72 games, up 21% from last year. The network was averaging 352,000 entering the Olympics break (+8%). Its post-Olympic slate averaged 453,000 (not counting the regular season finale), up 47% from the same stretch a year ago.<\/p>\n