Television ratings for 2014 Grey Cup dip slightly from last year

TORONTO – The television ratings for Sunday’s 102nd Grey Cup between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders were down slightly from last season.

An average of 4.1 million viewers tuned in to TSN to watch the Stampeders edge the Ticats 20-16, according to preliminary data from the audience measurement firm Numeris.

That was down from the 4.5 million who watched last year’s game between Hamilton and Saskatchewan.

Overall, more than 10 million Canadians tuned in for some portion of Sunday’s game, 1.5 million fewer than last season.

Audience levels peaked at 5.1 million — 400,000 fewer than 2013 — late in the game as Hamilton mounted a fourth-quarter comeback that stalled when Brandon Banks’ touchdown return was nullified due to a penalty.

The Grey Cup record average of 6.1 million viewers was set in 2009 when the Montreal Alouettes defeated Saskatchewan 28-27. That game was played shortly after the introduction of a new ratings measurement system that has seen sports TV ratings skyrocket.