In the midst of hockey’s huge 2026, the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and Finals on CTV are the perfect opportunity for advertisers to reach their audience at their most engaged.
The Perfect Moment for the Hockey Audience
Hockey is having a moment. The USA Men’s and Women’s hockey teams both secured gold medals at the Winter Olympics. HBO Max’s ‘Heated Rivalry’ became the platform’s most-watched scripted acquired series in history.
Audiences are buzzing for hockey, and the numbers back it up. After a huge NHL regular season, the playoffs are now boasting massive numbers with the second round of the playoffs up 76% from 2025 according to ESPN (Front Office Sports).
Why CTV Is Where This Moment Lives
The transition of viewers from linear to Connected TV (CTV) continues, and the NHL has been consistent. This NHL regular season saw a 51% increase in streaming viewership for local broadcasts (Sports Business Journal).
Sports content drives high engagement. CTV adds precision targeting on top of that. For advertisers, it’s a straightforward decision.
The Audience Has Grown
In addition to the usual hockey fans and sports enthusiasts that traditionally tune in to the NHL, cultural events like “Heated Rivalry” and the Winter Olympics have expanded the audience in meaningful ways. TNT Sports reported NHL playoffs viewership among females ages two and older up 66% through the second round (Front Office Sports).
That means the Playoffs and Finals now reach audiences advertisers couldn’t access here before. The opportunity is real. The question is whether your CTV partner can actually deliver it.
How BRIDGE Delivers CTV You Can Actually Trust
When considering CTV advertising for major sporting events, the CTV space is crowded with vendors making promises they can’t keep. BRIDGE provides CTV you can trust. Your campaign starts with the verified, consent-based people within our Data Safe™ framework and ends with People Match™ attribution so you know exactly who saw your ad, who engaged, and who purchased.
Ready to reach hockey’s growing audience? Let’s talk.
