Stanley Cup Ratings Edging Out the Bachelorette is a Big Yet Sad Win for the State of Hockey

Don't look now, but the Stanley Cup Finals are DELIVERING in terms of ratings. Okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration, but the quest for the cup is still raking in more viewers than popular reality tv show, The Bachelorette.

Game 1 of the Finals between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins averaged 5.15 million viewers, up from a preliminary 4.84 from 2018's final that featured the Vegas Golden Knights and the reigning champion Washington Capitals.

And while these numbers should still be considered a win for the sport, the true hockey junkies will be disappointed that their beloved rugged game is being compared to matchmaker shows like The Bachelorette.

Game 1 tallied a 1.5 average rating in adults aged 18-49 with 5.15 million viewers, down just slightly from the 1.6 preliminary and 1.7 final ratings that NBC's Game 1 broadcast scored a year ago.

Sure, it was the night’s highest-rated and most-watched broadcast, but that's the way it should be. Let's not forget that we're talking about a series to determine a world champion!

That's just the state that hockey has been in recent years. In terms of entertainment, the game is amongst the best in all sports, but for some reason, people just aren't tuning in.