April 10, 2012 -– NESN, New England's most watched sports network, set a new Bruins regular season ratings record during the 2011/12 campaign by garnering a 4.7 average household rating in the Boston DMA.
The 4.7 season rating is a 52 percent increase over the 2010-11 season, when NESN set the network's previous season record with a 3.1 HH rating. NESN's Bruins ratings have increased an astounding 115 percent over the last two seasons.
"The impact that the Boston Bruins are having here in New England is undeniable, as the team's popularity continues to rise and all of NESN's Bruins programs continue to set new ratings records," said Sean McGrail, NESN President and CEO. "The excitement around the Bruins will only get more intense as the Bruins get ready to take on the Capitals in the first round of the playoffs to defend their 2011 Stanley Cup Championship."
NESN's Bruins ratings showed an incredible level of consistency throughout the season, as 23 of the network's 25 top-rated Bruins regular season games of all time were played during the 2011-12 season, including the six highest rated hockey games in NESN history.
The consistent support shown by Bruins fans was also illustrated by the fact that only six of NESN's 71 Bruins games failed to garner at least a 3.1 household rating (last season's record-setting average rating).
Bruins Fans Watch More Than Just NESN's Game Coverage
All of NESN's Bruins-related studio programs also experienced substantial ratings gains this season. W.B. Mason Bruins Face-Off LIVE (1.1 HH, up 96 percent) and Ace Ticket Bruins Overtime LIVE (1.9 HH, up 55 percent) both earned their best-ever regular season average household rating. Big Bad Bruins LIVE presented by DCU (up 177 percent) and The Instigators LIVE presented by Cadillac Village of Norwood (up 10 percent) both improved after making the switch from tape delay to a live program format.
About NESN
NESN has consistently been one of the top rated regional sports networks in the country with award-winning Red Sox and Bruins coverage. The network is delivered to over 4 million homes throughout the six-state New England region and an additional 3.7 million homes nationally as NESN National. NESN.com, the network's online sports news service, is one of the most visited regional sports network websites in the country. NESN also produces a number of distinctive programs under its umbrella Original NESN Entertainment (ONE). NESN is owned by Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Boston Red Sox) and the Boston Bruins.
