Is “Heated Rivalry” Driving NHL Ticket Sales? The Data Behind the Buzz

When HBO released “Heated Rivalry” earlier this winter, the series didn’t just light up social media feeds, it may have sent fans straight to hockey games themselves. New SeatGeek ticket data suggests the show coincided with a noticeable spike in NHL ticket demand and revenue, especially when compared to the same stretch last season.

NHL Ticket Sales Have Been on the Rise in Recent Weeks

To understand potential changes in fan behavior, we analyzed three week-long periods during the NHL season:

• Week 1: November 28–December 4 (the week the first episode of “Heated Rivalry” aired, with 56 NHL games over that stretch)

• Week 2: December 17–December 23 (the week surrounding the penultimate episode of “Heated Rivalry”, with 57 NHL games)

• Week 3: January 3–January 9 (“Heated Rivalry” maintaining buzz among fans, with 53 NHL games)

Compared to Week 1, average tickets sold per game increased by 24% in Week 2 and remained 22% higher in Week 3. Revenue followed a similar trajectory: average ticket sales per game were 36% higher in Week 2 than Week 1 and 34% higher in Week 3 than Week 1.

Even average ticket prices showed a bump during from when “Heated Rivalry” first aired and near the end of the first season, rising from $127.84 in Week 1 to $142.40 in Week 2.

How This Recent NHL Ticket Surge Compares to Last Season

To account for normal seasonal fluctuations, we examined the same date ranges from last season (adjusting Week 1 slightly to November 27-December 4 due to there being zero games on November 28).

The contrast is notable. Last year:

• Average ticket revenue per game was only 0.7% higher in Week 2 than Week 1, and Week 1 actually outperformed Week 3 by 34%.

• Average tickets sold rose just 4% from Week 1 to Week 2, while Week 1 was 13% higher than Week 3.

In short, the strong lift seen so far this year did not exist during the same stretch last season, which could suggest that something beyond normal NHL demand patterns may be at play.

A Surge in First-Time and Solo Fans Buying NHL Tickets

One of the more interesting shifts has been who is buying tickets. While pairs of tickets still dominated NHL purchases in December (54.7%), SeatGeek saw the highest share of single-ticket buyers ever recorded.

• Single-ticket purchases accounted for 9.2% of all NHL sales this December, up from 8.1% last December

• That represents a 13.5% year-over-year increase in the share of solo buyers

This trend aligns with anecdotal evidence that “Heated Rivalry” may be pulling in new or more casual fans—people curious enough to check out a game on their own.

“‘Heated Rivalry’ has certainly piqued interest in hockey and the NHL,” said Chris Leyden, SeatGeek’s Director of Category Marketing + Endorser Marketing. “We are seeing it both in terms of more people on SeatGeek shopping for NHL tickets, as well as a pretty notable increase in single ticket buyers as more people check out a game, often for the first time ever.”

So Is “Heated Rivalry” Really Responsible for Increased NHL Ticket Demand?

While it’s impossible to attribute all of this growth to a single show, the timing is hard to ignore. Compared to last season, this year’s post-premiere weeks saw stronger ticket demand, higher per-game revenue and a noticeable shift in buyer behavior, particularly among solo attendees.

If nothing else, “Heated Rivalry” appears to be doing what the NHL always hopes for: expanding the audience, energizing interest and getting more people through the doors to experience a game live.