The Stanley Cup Finals are the pinnacle on the season for the National Hockey League, where the two best teams from the Eastern and Western Conference battle it out to have their names etched on Lord Stanley’s Cup. Die-hard fans of the NHL generally follow their teams all season long, but for the casual hockey fans the Stanley Cup Finals are the time they tune in and buy tickets.
The commercial success of the Stanley Cup Finals often hinge on which two teams qualify for the championship series. While regionally, the games will be successful, major markets like Detroit, New York, Boston or any of the Canadian cities will translate better to the national audience. The secondary ticket market would also benefit from the bigger markets being matched up in the series.
