The statistics and insights following the NHL's first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off, where Canada triumphed over the U.S. 3-2 in overtime on Thursday evening, have been streaming in – truly a remarkable success for the sport.
10.4 Audience on ESPN
Sportsnet in Canada announced that 10.7 million individuals nationwide viewed the final – a fourth of the nation's population. On ESPN, the figures were even more impressive – 9.3 million viewers, reaching a peak of 10.4 million viewers. It marked the biggest viewership for a non-NFL event on ESPN+.
Hearing from several prominent national sports analysts, many of whom seldom discuss hockey, share their thoughts on the tournament's achievements and its influence on future all-star game planning for other pro leagues (looking at you NBA, after your All-Star Weekend faced the second-lowest TV ratings in 25 years due to a lackluster skills competition), it raises the question of how the NHL can convert the positive sentiment and excitement created over the last week and a half into something lasting.
Smith: No Issues With a Bit of Hostility
ESPN First Take analyst Stephen A. Smith states that “healthy hostility” was central to its achievement. He mentioned on Thursday night that he was on a Jet Blue flight traveling West and every single screen showed the game.
The reaction is identical regarding sports betting.
"It was the biggest hockey handle we’ve ever had on any single game … it surpassed game seven last year in the NHL playoffs,” said Johnny Avello, the Las Vegas Strip bookmaker, and DraftKings’ Director of Race & Sportsbook Operations.
This raises a fascinating question – how did enthusiasm for a sports event, featuring President Donald Trump contacting Team USA prior to the match, the heated exchanges between nations regarding trade tariffs, Trump's suggestion for Canada to become the 51st state, the booing of anthems, along with the high TV ratings, convert into impressive betting amounts?
Avello: Politics Added Fuel to the Fire
“It was a great game for hockey overall, and probably brought some new viewers into the fold,” Avello told Casino.org. “All-star games have been boring for years. It was nice that [the NHL] put a little twist on it. It just so happened that there was political interest that added fuel to the fire. All of that was a good thing for betting.
"I’ve said that viewership goes way down if there isn’t action on the game,” he said. “If you have people going forward and making that bet, I think that enhances the whole product, the whole TV experience. I’ve always said that.
In [Thursday night’s] match, there was a significant audience, the highest handle ever recorded, which meant many newcomers had to be present. They are aware that it’s an important match. They recognize that the game is nearly a toss-up. They recognize it’s a conclusion. They are aware of the political discourse happening. So why not wager a small amount of money on the game and enjoy watching it? That will be beneficial for both us and the league in the long run. That match could serve as a crucial moment for the future of hockey.
Large TV Audiences Result in Significant Betting Volume
Avello mentions that hockey has done exceptionally for the DraftKings sportsbook this year, and they consistently introduce new markets.
At BetMGM, the USA-Canada final became the most wagered hockey event ever in BetMGM's history, seeing 2.5 times more bets compared to any other hockey event this season, with five out of the top seven most wagered hockey events this year being from the 4 Nations games.
“Canada winning was a good outcome for the sportsbook,” said Halvor Egeland, Trading Manager, BetMGM.
The match was also a major highlight at the Ontario Lottery Corporation’s Proline.
“As far as comparing the 4 Nation’s Face-Off to the NBA All Star Weekend, for Proline, it wasn’t much of a competition. As it stands right now the 4-Nations Face-Off has brought in over 10 times what the NBA All-Star festivities did and that is including light bets on tomorrow’s USA/Canada Final,” a Proline trader told us a day before the final Thursday night.
NBA All-Star Format: Ratings Disaster
“Comparing top events from the two sports, sees the first USA/Canada game bringing in 20 times the amount that the ‘Team Chuck versus Team Kenny’ NBA all-star game brought in, so it is clear to see the interest in the hockey tournament,” he said.
Per the Proline trading desk, 79% of Proline participants supported Canada to win the championship match, 29% opted for the Under at 5.5, 28% expected the game to enter OT by choosing the Draw after Regulation, and in the tournament futures market, 21% selected Nathan MacKinnon as the tournament's top goal scorer.
Therefore, top-tier international hockey will pause until next February, coinciding with the Milan Winter Olympics, where the USA and Canada will reignite their hockey rivalry.
“Hey, we can deal with that,” Avello says. “That might even turn out to be the best of all time.”