"Put Toronto in it and you'll get a good audience": 2024 NHL Winter Classic hosts smallest audience in league history; fans blame teams involved

The 2024 NHL Winter Classic, featuring the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, has made headlines for recording its smallest audience in the league's history. Averaging a combined 1.10 million viewers across TNT and truTV, the outdoor game's viewership dipped significantly from previous years, marking a 38% decline compared to the Penguins-Bruins matchup in Boston last year.

This year's Winter Classic faced a unique challenge as it coincided with the College Football Playoff semifinals, particularly the Rose Bowl, which drew in the highest non-NFL sports event viewership in five years. The West Coast location and a later-than-usual start time (3 PM ET) contributed to the overlap, impacting the Winter Classic's traditional viewership.

The decline in audience numbers is evident in historical context, as the game ranked second for the year so far, trailing behind Blackhawks-Penguins on ESPN Opening Night. The absence of more prominent teams and the scheduling conflict with major college football events have led fans to criticize the selection and timing of the Winter Classic.

"Put Toronto in it and you'll get a good audience. Simple" - one fan wrote

Despite the dip in NHL Winter Classic viewership, TNT's overall NHL viewership remains on an upward trend for the season, showing a 17% increase, with a notable 24% rise in the coveted adults 18-34 demographic.

Joey Daccord's Perfect Performance Leads Seattle Kraken to Historic 3-0 Win in 2024 NHL Winter Classic

In a historic moment at T-Mobile Park on Monday, Joey Daccord led the Seattle Kraken to a 3-0 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights, marking the first shutout in the 15-game history of the Discover NHL Winter Classic. Daccord's exceptional performance included 35 saves, solidifying his standout status and earning him the Winter Classic MVP title.

Eeli Tolvanen played a crucial role, contributing a goal and an assist, while Will Borgen and Yanni Gourde added goals to secure the Kraken's triumph. Tolvanen's early netfront stick deflection set the tone, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead in the first period. Borgen's second-period goal extended the lead to 2-0. Gourde then sealed the victory in the third period with a steal and a persistent effort to knock the puck into the net.

The Kraken's win marked their fifth consecutive victory, setting a team record for the most consecutive games with a point. This victory propelled them over .500 for the first time this season.