Disney and NHL Score a Major Win with US-Canada 4 Nations Face Off Contest TV Ratings

Saturday night’s United States-Canada 4 Nations Face Off pool play game certainly didn’t disappoint. Just take a look at social media. The social media world was buzzing about the pageantry, intensity, and level of competition in the NHL’s newest venture. There was a bit of everything – three fights in the first minute of the contest, star power, and a massive United States victory. Despite all the glowing comments on Facebook and Twitter, the question of whether or not eyeballs would tune was left unanswered in the game’s immediate aftermath. 

The NFL has turned the Pro Bowl into a flag football game

NBA All Stars don’t even break a sweat or play defense in their game

NHL players are throwing haymakers 3 seconds into the #4nations game and it looks like the Royal Rumble

This game rules

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 16, 2025

Well, score a big win for the NHL and ESPN. 

According to ESPN, the US-Canada averaged 4.4 million viewers and peaked at 5.2 million viewers. It marks the most watched non-Stanley Cup Final hockey game since 2019, a +369% viewer increase against regular NHL on ABC games this season, and a +473% viewer increase as compared to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey US-Canada scrap in 2016. 

That’s a massive number for Disney and the NHL. 

And the best part, they get to run it back on Thursday night when the two teams face off (pun intended) in the 4 Nations Face Off Championship Game at 8 PM from TD Garden in Boston. The game will be broadcast in the United States on ESPN and ESPN+.