Improved team = Improved ratings

(Ok, this is a week or so later than I intended to send this)

According to SBJ  http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/04/29/Media/NHL-RSNs.aspx and based on data through April 21st, the Islanders showed the largest rating increase in the NHL this season (excludes Canadian markets, as well as Carolina and Nashville).  SBJ's figure shows that Isles ratings are up 133.3% (in English, for every three people that watched a game last season, seven people are now watching).

The Isles' local rating (0.49) is still among the lowest in the NHL, but that reflects the diversity of the NY market.  (The Devils are also in that group, as are both LA and Anaheim.  Florida completes the lowest rated but that's because nobody watches their games!)

Given the importance of the Isles games the final week (and lack thereof for the Devils), I would expect the final season ratings to flip between the two teams, but as of April 21st, here are the ratings from SBJ for the three local teams:

• Rangers: 1.70
• Devils:   0.50
• Isles:      0.49

Remember these ratings are for the entire NY-metro area.  While the Rangers have fans on both Long Island and New Jersey, there are relatively few Islander fans in New Jersey and a similarly small number of Devils fans on Long Island.  All three NY-area teams have shown large increases in ratings compared to last year: the Isles are up 133.3%, the Rangers are up 71.7% and the Devils are up 51.5%
 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick