The ultimate NHL Stanley Cup sport on NBC drew 3.6 million viewers

Steven Stamkos # 91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates in the locker room with the Stanley Cup after the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens in game five to win the best of seven series 4-1 in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on July 7, 2021 in Tampa, Florida.

Scott Audette | National Hockey League | Getty Images

The final numbers are in, and the National Hockey League has attracted 3.6 million viewers for Game 5 of its Stanley Cup final on NBC, the league’s final season on the network.

On Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 to repeat themselves as Stanley Cup champions. As with professional basketball, the main NHL event is off schedule due to the pandemic. But when compared to the 2020 Stanley Cup, which was held last September, attendance numbers have rebounded.

This series had an average of 2.52 million viewers. The 2020 series starring the Lightning and Dallas stars averaged around 2 million viewers in six games. In the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, the Boston Bruins – one of the “original six” hockey clubs of the NHL – and St. Louis Blues competed and averaged 5.3 million viewers in seven games.

The first four games of the 2021 series averaged total audience delivery – linear, cable and streaming combined – of 2.23 million viewers on the NBC broadcast network and sports channel NBCSN.

The NHL ended its 16-year relationship with NBC that year and moved to ESPN and WarnerMedia. The league increased its media rights fee to more than $ 625 million a year thanks to the new agreements. ESPN and TNT will split the upcoming Stanley Cup broadcasts.

Tampa Bay Lightning’s Pat Maroon # 14 lifts the Stanley Cup after beating the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in the fifth game of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, four-to-one against the Montreal Canadiens at the Amalie Arenaie in Tampa on July 7, 2021 , Florida.

Florence Labelle | National Hockey League | Getty Images

A new way of activation

But before NBC Sports finalized its coverage, Lightning left winger Patrick Maroon signed a personal business deal.

Maroon became the first NHL player to activate a marketing agreement after Lightning won the series. During an on-ice interview with NBC, he mentioned Shavelogic and triggered their deal. The company makes shaving products and signed a six-digit stock option and ambassadorial agreement with Maroon. The agreement was negotiated by NHL agent Rob Grant of Octagon’s hockey division.

Shavelogic also signed a deal with the NHL in May and is now allowed to use the league’s intellectual property and showcase its brand at future Stanley Cup events.

The 33-year-old Maroon finished the regular NHL season with 18 points (14 goals and four assists) in 55 games. His contract, valued at $ 1 million, runs for another year. According to Spotrac, Maroon made $ 15 million in his career.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of NBC and CNBC.