Blackhawks have the biggest per-game viewership in the country

The rebirth of hockey over the last decade in Chicago has been remarkable. The Blackhawks have gone from having one of the lowest attendance numbers and TV ratings to arguably the biggest market in the NHL.

That was cemented with the latest release of television ratings. So far this season, Blackhawks games on Comcast SportsNet have had the highest per-game viewership of any local broadcast in the nation. From Blackhawks.com:

The number was likely boosted because of a couple of big streaks from the Blackhawks this season. As a team, they won 12 straight games and individually, Patrick Kane tallied a point in 26 games in a row.

The highest individual rating for the Blackhawks came during the Blackhawks January 9 win over the Predators on the road.

It’s not just Blackhawks games that fans are watching. Despite only having one player involved in the game, Chicago was the third biggest market for NBC during Sunday’s NHL All-Star Game.

Last year, the Blackhawks took a small dip in viewership but were still among the best in the country. They have also had the three highest rated Stanley Cups over the last 10 years.