Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic announced that it will televise 73 Capitals games this season, including an all-time high of 50 in high-definition. The regional sports network’s coverage starts with the regular season opener on Oct. 10 and the home opener the next night on Oct. 11 against the Blackhawks.
Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin will return in the booth for Comcast.
“It is fantastic to see Comcast SportsNet offer so many games in HD,” Capitals majority owner Ted Leonsis said in a press release. “Comcast SportsNet is a great partner, and we look forward to working with them to provide our fans with the most entertaining and best broadcast in the NHL. Our TV ratings increased significantly last year, and we look forward to continued growth this season.”
Even though that’s a canned quote, Leonsis isn’t lying about the ratings. Driven by the team’s second-half surge and run to the playoffs, the Caps saw a 75 percent increase in ratings last year. From the time Bruce Boudreau became the head coach on Dec. 26, ratings rose 166 percent over the same time period the previous season.
