CFL television numbers increase in Week 2 despite competition from NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals

Photo: Paul Swanson/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Canadian Football League held its own and then some against stiff competition for television ratings in Week 2 of the 2022 season.

Thursday night Game 6 of the NBA Finals tipped off at 9 p.m. eastern time with 609,700 average viewers tuning in to witness Golden State winning the title. Saturday night Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals aired on CBC and Sportsnet beginning at 8 p.m. eastern time, Colorado recorded a 7-0 win against Tampa Bay.

Saskatchewan’s showdown with Chris Jones in Edmonton was the main reason for the three-down league’s increase in Week 2 compared to the opening slate of regular season football. The Roughriders and Elks tilt was closely contested with quarterback Cody Fajardo delivering what proved to be the game-winning touchdown pass with less than five minutes left.

CFL all-star receiver Kenny Lawler made a spectacular grab in the back of the end zone to score the green and gold’s one touchdown in the match-up. That play gave his team a boost of energy while showing the Riders the home side had some fight in them after suffering a 59-15 loss in Week 1, although Edmonton still lost 26-16.

122,000 more people watched Saskatchewan move to 2-0 than had TV sets on the green and white’s home opener to kick-off the season at Mosaic Stadium when the Roughriders ran roughshod over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30-13. Those two games were both over 500,000 average viewers and the only other contest that has crossed the half-million threshold was the Blue Bombers and Redblacks in Ottawa.

2022 Week 2 TV ratings:

Thursday
Montreal at Toronto — 349,100

Friday
Winnipeg at Ottawa — 517,000

Saturday
Calgary at Hamilton — 379,000

Saskatchewan at Edmonton — 679,000

Total Week 2 average: 481,025

(These numbers do not include viewership from RDS, TSN’s French-language affiliate.)