Excitement locally to watch Washington Capitals games this season appears to have waned according to the Sports Business Journal.
SBJ analyzed Nielsen data (linear TV data) of 21 out of 25 American NHL teams (minus the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, and Arizona Coyotes) through 911 games this season and compared it to the same period last year.
While the local ratings are up 3 percent as a whole, the Capitals are down 44 percent from last season — the most of any American NHL team in this study.
New at @SBJ: Ratings for local @NHL telecasts are up ~3% so far this season despite continued cord-cutting. @98CBedard and the @NHLBlackhawks have played a big role, as has NY market. @AnaheimDucks have biggest % increase but comparatively few households. https://t.co/gjq0GIGmRI pic.twitter.com/NGYXm74VUj
— Alex M. Silverman🏒⚽️ (@AlexMSilverman) February 5, 2024
The numbers come after NBC Sports Washington rebranded to Monumental Sports Network in September. Ted Leonsis’ Monumental Sports & Entertainment fully acquired the station in 2022.
Monumental Sports Network remains on the same channels and sports the same popular broadcasting talent in Joe Beninati, Craig Laughlin, Alan May, Alexa Landestoy, and Al Koken. Production quality of the games has seemingly improved since the change.
What’s different is the quality of play on the ice. After finishing dreadfully under Peter Laviolette last season and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14, the Capitals have struggled to score in its first season under rookie head coach Spencer Carbery. The Caps are currently 22-18-7 and sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division, seven points out from the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Capitals have scored the third-fewest goals (112) in the NHL this season, higher than only the San Jose Sharks (106) and Chicago Blackhawks (104). Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has scored only nine times in his first 44 appearances this season and is averaging 0.20 goals per game, well off his career mark of 0.60. He sits 63 tallies behind Wayne Gretzky for a share of the all-time goals record.
Meanwhile, two of the franchise’s legendary centers, Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov, have taken leaves from the team.
It’s unclear how much streaming locally on Monumental Sports Network’s website has impacted the SBJ numbers as well.
