ABC and Disney are continuing their strong NBA and NHL finals ratings surge, with Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final drawing 4.7 million viewers on Monday, a week ago.
That total marks an 88% increase from the comparable game last year on TNT Sports and a 33% jump from Game 2 two years ago on ABC. It is the most-watched Stanley Cup Final Game 2 since 2015.Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights averaged 4.8 million viewers, lifting the series average through two games up 93% from a year ago and marking the best start in 11 years.
A similar strong performance is expected Tuesday when ABC releases numbers for Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs last night. Game 1 of that series drew 16.9 million viewers last Wednesday, up 90% from the prior year and the most-watched NBA Finals opener since 2018.
Both championship series have featured compelling action that has helped drive interest. In the Stanley Cup Final, the first three games have all been decided by one goal, with two going to overtime and Game 3 reaching double overtime before Vegas took a 2–1 series lead.
For Disney, the ratings success provides a bright spot as ESPN, its sister network involved in the coverage, prepares for another round of layoffs.