Here are the weekend ratings for English-Canadian television

CFL Talk
1

Big night for Hockey Night
As expected, the new ratings system has been very kind to hockey.

CBC drew an average audience of 2.5 million for its season opener last Thursday and Saturday was no disappointment. Its regional coverage of the Leafs at Capitals, Habs at Sabres and Senators at Rangers averaged 1.74 million. These are audiences CBC hopes for during the playoffs.

Of course, all ratings have risen and everybody's setting records. But there are some interesting revelations.

Let's take the Buffalo Bills, a team promoters and those who worship at the altar of the NFL would have us believe is wildly popular in Ontario. But Sunday's Bills-Dolphins game was pretty far down the list and behind all four CFL games.

Even when ratings for the NFL package shown simultaneously on City and Sportsnet are combined (558,000), they beat only CFL game.

Here are the weekend ratings for English-Canadian television, according to BBM overnight figures.

  1. NHL, Early games, Saturday, CBC: 1,740,000

  2. NHL, Flames at Oilers, Saturday, CBC: 1,153,000

  3. CFL, Roughriders at Lions, Friday, TSN: 923,000

  4. NFL, Early games, Sunday, CTV: 736,000

  5. CFL, Tiger-Cats at Stampeders, Saturday, TSN: 697,000

  6. CFL, Eskimos at Blue Bombers, Friday, TSN: 684,000

  7. NHL, Hockey Night In Canada pre-game show, Saturday, CBC: 628,000

  8. NHL, Red Wings vs. Blues, Friday, TSN: 472,000

  9. CFL, Alouettes at Argonauts, Saturday, TSN: 446,000

  10. NFL, Chargers at Steelers, Sunday, TSN: 422,000*

  11. Auto racing, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Sunday, TSN: 401,000**

  12. NFL, Bills at Dolphins, Sunday, City: 389,000

  13. MLB, Blue Jays at Orioles, Friday, Sportsnet: 257,000

  14. NHL, Panthers vs. Blackhawks, Friday, TSN: 256,000

  15. MLB, Blue Jays at Orioles, Saturday, Sportsnet: 236,000

  • NBC viewers not calculated

** ABC viewers not calculated

http://thestar.blogs.com/sportsmedia/

low numbers for the bills the nfl loving toronto crowd will have some good excuses :roll: i'm sure

-lookwell

2

Yes I loved the Bills useless TV numbers plus the combined "early games" which is bogus and a lie for the rating system, while again they do not mention the Als RDS numbers which would virtually double the current figure.
Still though the CFL remains strong despite the hockey pucks coming out.

3
  1. CFL, Alouettes at Argonauts, Saturday, TSN: 446,000

if you add in the french viewer's i suppose 700,000 - 800,000 would be possible

what i would like to know is of the 446,000 that watched on tsn what percentage would be from toronto and what percentage would be from quebec and i guess there would be some from the rest of canada

4

Not to be a party pooper, but aren't there also french language stations broadcasting NFL games in Quebec?

I think looking at english language ratings exclusively is more or less fair. I know the Alouettes would have a disproportionately large francophone following compared against the other CFL teams and any NFL broadcast but they aren't counting french language NFL ratings either..

5

The French audience for the NFL is believed to be around 80 to 100,000 at best

6

who knows, maybe the french love the WHOLE cfl.

Just noted... does anyone care about the jays anymore? that was lower then auto racing.