Its not so much that the points reset NASCAR introduced in 2004 was a monumentally stupid idea. And as recently as 2013, the race drew 16.5. Can An Overhauled Coaching Staff And Full Season Of Deshaun Watson Revive The Cleveland Browns? Having followed the sport in the time frame when it began, I can offer what I believe are the real reasons for the decline of NASCAR. In 2008 Kyle Busch smoked the field for the first 26 races, winning eight of them and setting the NASCAR world on fire with his brash and unapologetic racing style. But plate racing still sucksnot only do plates produce multi-car crashes every event, they pervert the standings because of it. As the son of one of the greatest racecar drivers in history, Junior also had an impossible standard to live up to. This is all just ultimately my opinion, but its a carefully considered one. It was another case of costly arrogance; as much as fans loved NASCAR, they didnt love it enough to put up with an endlessly saturated marketing campaign featuring occasional snippets of racing each week. There are still plenty of obscene profit breaks, but its far less aggravating when you can still see the action and leader board on part of the screen. Viewership and attendance of NASCAR have been on the decline ever since 2006, and some think the 2021 boost was only due to people seeking more outdoor activity . The Fox's coverage of the race won by Michael McDowell on the last lap averaged a 2.8 rating and 4.83 million viewers per Sports Media Watch. Fans might be tired of the novelty of the playoffs. They hate all of the commercials. OTHER VIEWS? This marks a 25% lift versus NASCAR's analogous share in 2018, and is the strongest showing since Fox got off to a 10.5 share start in 2016. In NASCARs pre-1990s heyday, when it was still very much a regional sport, manufacturer identity was a big thing. You may opt-out by. It still ranked second ahead of the competing final round of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational on NBC (2.4, 3.86M). Should there be concerns with the current trend of viewership? This brought even more attention and money to the sport and school was soon out. IndyCar is seeing huge success as an open-wheel Motorsport, just like Formula 1. NASCAR polled fans about the idea on their website following the 2003 season, and fans overwhelmingly rejected it. The above car is a NASCAR entry that is supposed to look like a Toyota Supra. Interestingly, it has been said that NASCAR has been getting younger (the drivers) and older (the fans) at the same time. Basicallythe first 2 races of 2015 have already soundly beaten the first 4 races of 2012 by 4.7 million viewers. While this already marks the third time that NASCAR has seen the average viewership go down, there is one major positive to take away from it. Those numbers of course, dont tell the entire story. The decline of NASCAR was a combination of ill-considered decisions: the implementation of a contrived playoff, poorly thought out broadcasting contracts, and departing from unique and venerable venues for dull, unexciting ones. NASCARs NextGen car shows promise and one huge issue, NASCARs Daytona 500 ratings indicate a worrisome trend. FOX has been touting the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season to date as the "best ever." Sorry, I'd give that honor to 1992 and wouldn't even provide 2021 to date a spot on my top-10 list of modern-era. The same race last year attracted 4.154 million viewers, and the 2017 race drew 4.662 million both of which had established respective viewership lows for the 36th and final race of the too-dang-long Cup season. Its not often noticed, but it was definitely noticed by Jeff Gordon fans: had NASCAR not implemented the Chase, the driver of the iconic #24 could have been the one standing aside Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty today with seven titles, instead of his protg Jimmie Johnson. In some ways the Recession came at a most inopportune time for sports TV. With his brilliant head wrench Chad Knaus on the pit box, the #48 team for years remorselessly laid the field to waste when playoff time started. Social impressions, social following, a positive buzz of our sport, which is measured by third parties, like at YouGov is up 2.5 X over the course of the last two to three years.. NASCAR's viewership for the first half of the 2022 season is the highest since 2017. This is the most viewed season-opener since 2015. It was the insistent implementation of it over loud objections of fans. Schedule/Results. NASCAR Ratings Down: Decline All Season for Fox McCord Roberts June 5, 2009 Last week's Dover race marked the 16th consecutive week of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing on television that saw a major. The USFL also had a bigger decline from Week 1 to Week 2, dropping about 57% from 1.57 million. That's the lowest TV audience ever recorded for the. But that in itself wasnt necessarily the crime. Up until the middle of the 21st century the measured pairs of eyeballs watching NASCAR on TV were counted, analyzed and, for the most part, cheered. NBC did the best with what it was given, really, but there were few compelling storylines. It may seem good on the surface, but theres more beneath that makes this concerning. Compared to the last time the Brickyard 400 was run in July (the 2017 race), Sunday's ratings were down 21 percent and viewership was off 23 percent. With all the different metrics used to measure a sport these days however, it can be complicated. But it's an uphill fight for us and a lot of other sports properties. Compared to the 2019 finale from Homestead-Miami, ratings fell 13% (from 2.2) and viewership 14% (from 3.74M). Looking back over the 2021 season to date in NASCARs top tier Cup series 12 of the 32 races had ratings that were higher over last year and had more viewers; that included a six race stretch leading up to Talladega that saw a consecutive increase in viewership each week. It makes a world of difference watching on TV. Yes, you had to be able to prove that you knew what you were doing out there but if your car passed technical inspection and you could either qualify to race through time trials or qualifying races, you were in. It rewards winning and risk taking, where the Chase rewarded points racing and avoiding risk. NASCAR scraped bottom. Photo credit: Zach Catanzareti Photo on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA No longer will teams win titles by dominating speedways; driver skill will be more of a factor, as it should be. It was a successful year as the sport averaged over three million average viewers per race. There's a catch, though. Im also someone who became a disenchanted former fan myself. NASCAR was at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend and if I was NASCAR, I would be embarrassed. Internal surveys show that 75 percent of Nascar fans overall approve of next year's schedule -- one that includes a dirt race at Bristol -- and 90 percent of the 18 to 34 demographic approves. All Rights Reserved. These fans would attend a race, then go sightseeing around the town so as to make the trip more worthwhile and as a result, even more money is required to be put in the budget in order to cover the costs for a dew days hotel stay. The addition of retired driver and fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. beefed up NBCs product in 2018, but four people in the broadcast booth are too many voices. According to reports, the league saw a sharp 50% decline in viewership from week one to the next week.The 3.0 reboot is not going well. Three of the four drivers in the championship race were also in the 2018 race, and three of the four drivers were in Toyotas. Ousting Brian France, who created the Chase and presided over the sports decline, was no small part of that. Furthermore, their retirements are probably not the sole reason for NASCAR's viewership issues either. He pointed out that despite the ratings decline, NASCAR achieved a "double-digit share increase" last year. It rewards winning, which rewards fighting for wins, which creates rivalries. However, the second race of the 2022 season saw a more significant drop in viewership compared to previous seasons. The first study focused exclusively on Bristol Motor Speedway, while the second study took other NASCAR race tracks into account, and both studies found that noise levels regularly exceeded 140 decibels when the race cars were accelerating at full throttle, and that the noise levels lasted, on average, about three to four hours, the average I hope so. That exposure now comes not just from TV, but through streaming platforms, attendance, and even social media. NASCAR should post improved viewership numbers in 2022. which is a 50 percent decline . Certain segments of fans, and media, began to cry that sky was falling. That. These are bold changes, but this variety of tracks will test drivers and teams at every level. Maybe there is a segment of fans who tune in for death-defying calamities, but that has always been a part of the sport and still is. Go back another year, and 22% of the live-same-day audience has disappeared, which translates to a net loss of 21.3 million TV viewers per night. In todays world TV ratings arent the big deal they once were nor the only thing that matters. Its safe to say this is not ideal for the sport and there should be some concern on why ratings continue to fall. So that's household using televisions. Or Jeff Gordon, again, living in a Manhattan penthouse with his second wife, a model, instead of in North Carolina, where he lived beside a lake with his first wife, a deeply religious woman who was Born Again. NASCAR TV ratings were once the darlings of the sport. Translation: the drivers are paying for the pleasure of racing. However, like Johnsons dominance, I doubt that this would have been as much of a problem were it not for other factors that were far more damaging. NASCAR moved the Brickyard 400 to September . But for whatever reason, Junior not only didnt measure up to his fathers formidable reputation, he rarely even established himself as a contender. The trajectory is good. Photo credit: Darryl W. Moran Photography on Visual Hunt / CC BY-ND In 1994, there were six events held at intermediate tracks of 1.5-2 miles in length. NASCAR power rankings during the 2023 season, NASCAR odds: Betting lines for each race and championship futures, NASCAR ratings on big rise compared to recent years in 2022, NASCAR standings: Cup, Xfinity, and Truck points during the 2023 season, Share up 9%, largest for Race #2 since 2017, Share up 2%, largest for Daytona 500 since 2016, Second most-watched non-points race since 2016. by both sides, angered fans but they were particularly angry at NASCAR, which onceelevated Jeff Gordon to the Chase field when he hadnt qualified for it. Dover is a 1-mile track, and 11 laps does not take long. View 2021 Bristol tv ratings below. If it did, I would really appreciate your support. I think thats some pretty solid footing.. It was not a great race. As streaming services provide instant entertainment whileNASCARhas scheduled andlengthy race events,thecomparison is similar toordering drive-thru (cheap and convenient) versusdining at a fine restaurant (pricier and takes longer before you can eat). After sweeping claims of a toxic work environment throughout 2020, the star and her show have been scrambling to make things right. NASCAR finale sees modest gain as season posts modest drop, Ratings: NASCAR, college hoops, soccer, NHL, XFL sees big drop in Week 2, but on par with last years USFL, LeBron injury ill-timed as Lakers continue to draw, Small sampling for LIV; PGA Tour wins head-to-head in rout. Photo credit: Ford Racing on VisualHunt / CC BY . Bowlesy thinks there needs to be an element of risk for racing to be exciting; I dont tune in to races to see a car potentially fly into a catch fence and injure spectators. So to the extent that you can be flat or even up a couple of points it says a lot just about fan interest in the sport.. It would have saved a lot of time. NASCARs viewership continues to fall after the ratings for last weekends race at Auto Club Speedway were released on Tuesday morning. With the current playoff point structure, drivers are also somewhat rewarded for strong season-long performances as wellwhile the Chase completely disregarded excellence during the season. Though fewer fans were able to attend in person, with the improvements in internet bandwidth, and the rise of more and more cable channels, some were finding other ways to digest their favorite sports. NASCAR sits on an upward trajectory for the first time in a while. As it happens, the first four official NASCAR races of 2022 are averaging a 9.73 share, which means nearly 10% of all homes that had TVs in use at the time of the broadcasts were tuned in to Fox. The household share was up 9% compared to 2022 and represented the largest share for the second race of the season since 2017. As a racing event that is held in various tracks around the US, there are several venues that fans can choose to go to in order to watch NASCAR live. The XFL's ratings were disappointing in Week One. It is understandable that throughout its existence, rule changes have been implemented at NASCAR, and the reasons for such have varied from safety, technological, or as organization initiatives to provide more challenges or add excitement to the races. So if Im right, in a few years NASCAR may become Americas summer sport again. And those ways that didnt always involve traditional broadcast TV. They shut down the polls and went ahead with it anyway. The . There was suddenly lots and lots of prize money available and other full-time competitors like Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip joined up to give chase. He said its important to look at the bigger picture, a bigger picture that shows how media is consumed. This is convenient if the city where a follower lives in has a track, but for those that live a long distance from NASCAR venues, the cost to go to watch them is gradually becoming more expensive due to the continually rising prices of fuel. Jimmie won a lot. Yes, a team can still dominate all season and lose a championship to a flat tire, but at least its not just an artificial points reset. What we try to do is boil it down to more simple sound bites that are A: true and B: accurate, Hebrst said. . NASCAR TV Ratings Below are the ratings for the NASCAR Cup Series: Date | Track | Network | Viewers | Ratings June 20, 2021 Nashville Superspeedway NBCSN Viewers: 2,600,000 Ratings: 1.46 June 13, 2021 Texas Motor Speedway FS1 Viewers: 2,735,000 Ratings: 1.64 June 6, 2021 Sonoma Raceway FS1 Viewers: 2,494,000 Ratings: 1.49 May 30, 2021 Schedule/Results. Top Ten motorsport stories: Abu Dhabi, Larson, COVID 2022 Land Rover Range Rover looks gorgeous, The government of Canada is harassing its citizens, William Davis: a Liberal in Conservative clothing, Trying to create a story where there is no story, Dubas will dump Tavares to make Rielly captain, Canadian racings crown jewel, Jukasa Motor (nee Cayuga) Speedway is closed down, I have my critics but Page, McReynolds top the list, What my grandchildren think Santa would drive (if he had a car), The markets shifting to EVs and that explains Fords flip-flop, Lets use public embarrassment as a way to curb drinking and driving. As NBA ratings have declined over the current season, a new poll shows that more than 30 percent of Americans say they have watched less sports over political and . Their retirements are a reason for the ratings decline in 2018. I also think it's healthy just in terms of the interest. Overall, NASCAR brought in 114.231 million average viewers throughout the entire 2022 season which marks its. which is a 50 percent decline . Even more so than in baseball, the on-screen product is affected with the layout of a track. The various platforms of social media have been a convenient and fast way to obtain information and entertainment on a particular sporting event. Meanwhile, NASCAR ratings . The fan backlash was loud and intense. Much like Kyle Petty, he ultimately became more known for his good-guy personality and his lineage than for his achievements on the racetrack. NASCAR averaged 4.570 million viewers for Sunday afternoon's event at Auto Club Speedway. With fewer fans at the track, you might think TV ratings would continue to rise and maybe even increase as those fans turned on the TV instead of spending money to go to the track. Just because no one has been killed at the Cup level since Earnhardts death doesnt make it less so. Feb. 25, 2023, at 5:39 p.m. Farewell, Fontana: NASCAR's Last Weekend at a Racing Gem. In NASCAR's pre-1990s heyday, when it was still very much a regional sport, manufacturer identity was a big thing. Standings. From F1, Rally, Le Mans, Drifting, or Touring Car championships that are broadcast on TV or via the internet, viewers now have even more access to alternative motorsports events that can offer the same level of adrenaline fueled excitement that NASCAR can provide. It took time, maybe too much time, but NASCAR is finally addressing the three biggest reasons for the decline of the sport. Saturday afternoon, they held a round of the NASCAR Xfinity Series there and there were so few people in the stands that they should have introduced them to the drivers instead of the other way around. FONTANA, Calif. Most of NASCAR's Cup Series drivers feel like they're saying their final goodbye to a dear old friend this weekend. Covered race cars from the NASCAR Xfinity Series sit parked on pit road during a rain delay before the start . This includes the total viewership, the percentage being up or down compared to last year, and extra information that can range from unfortunate circumstances for television coverage to the household share. And you hear more and more about this today. NASCAR Las Vegas ratings hit a new low. I cant imagine any fan of Dale Earnhardt Sr.and there were a lot of themnot wanting to see the sport take every measure it could to keep drivers safe after Daytona 2001. And abuse and manipulation of that system. Not only in the business world, but in all sports as well. And while some ran their own cars, most were independent contractors who had their expenses paid by their car owner and then split the winnings (that division of money was usually 60-40) with said owner, who paid the bills. Then they sharply declined in Week Two.The four XFL games in Week Two averaged 665,000 viewers, which is a 50 percent decline from the four XFL . There's a lot of people that are looking around and understand that the economics of our sport probably are in a better place now than they've been in a long time.. Atlanta has had some classics, but that was partly by virtue of the venue hosting the championship race, such as Alan Kulwickis unforgettable title win in 1992. Many fans, especially those who might want to disparage the sport, dont understand that just because the TV numbers are down or not at the sky-high levels they once were, doesnt mean NASCAR is facing any sort of loss of popularity. In case you werent there or dont remember, in 2004 NASCAR welcomed their new series sponsor, Nextel (now Sprint), with a new playoff system called the Chase. In response to its rapidly growing popularity nationwide, NASCAR moved away from the Southeast fans who brought the sport to the dance, and began holding races in places like Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles. Photo credit: royal_broil on Best Running / CC BY-SA The truth was of course far from that. The Decline of NASCAR, Non-Reason #1: The Cars Are Too Spec I'll submit that this is a reason a few fans I know stopped watching the sport. So if you can say that it's you and the NFL in terms of stability of your audience. Compared to the fourth Xfinity race of last season, from Phoenix, ratings fell a tick (from 0.8) but viewership increased (from 1.19M). The decision . (It wasnt a tough call to make, if you actually looked at her results instead of her figure.). Photo credit: Fast Eddie Maloney on Best Running / CC BY-SA Next:10 NASCAR Drivers With The Most Wins (& How Much They Won). https://t.co/Zf4L7g5im4 Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) July 10, 2018 Below, we take a look at the NASCAR ratings over the course of the 2023 season with an up-to-date analysis of each event. And one other thing about NASCAR in those days: the races were open to anybody who could qualify. Then they sharply declined in Week Two. I also suggested a solutionthat NASCAR emulate how baseball exploded in popularity after the opening of Camden Yards. Photo credit: sarahstierch on Visualhunt.com / CC BY Unfortunately, the rising number and lengths of these commercials have become a source of frustration for their fans. Even before the recent political turmoil in the sport, NASCAR was hemorrhaging fans and supporters, with viewership numbers dropping every event. Drivers. On declining ratings throughout NASCAR and other sports. Johnson is getting some commiserations from the fans after the ratings came out. But theyve also improved the schedule, the broadcasts, and the method of determining a champion. Gordon wasnt the only driver who turned in a spectacular season-long performance only to have it nullified. While the 2023 NASCAR season kicked off Sunday with Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. racing his way into the May 21 NASCAR All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro Speedway construction crews are . Last years Xfinity race at the track aired on FS2 and had a 0.21 and 341,000. The previous days Xfinity Series finale drew a 0.6 (flat) and 1.01 million (+3%) on NBCSN and last Fridays Truck Series finale drew a 0.30 (+3%) and 473,000 (-4%) on FS1. Many former fans consider this state of affairs to be ridiculous. . The disappointing ratings continue a downward trend in Daytona 500 viewership, which has been steadily declining since Fox scored 18.7 million viewers in 2005 with a household rating of 10.9 . Affluence. Danica turned out to be a huge bustas many people who followed the sport closely, including yours truly, predicted she would be. Now72 years old, the racing organization has managed to evolve through the decades in order to meet the changing trends, technology, and preferences that directly affect the sport. In the early 2000s, NASCAR was soaring. Digital and social consumption is as important now, as it's ever been; probably more important now than it's ever been, he said. That is a decrease of nearly 50%, and in some races this kind of decline could be seen in the stands too. Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired at the end of the 2017 season. Admittedly, several of these rule changes have been beneficial to the sport, but some have unfortunately come across as marketing stunts that have turned away fans. Karlo watched a lot of Mcgyver back in the 90's and grew up trying to be a Mr. fixit/jack of all trades. The current NBA broadcast deal nets the league $2.6 billion a year, however, a new report says the next one may be closer to $8 billion annually. Please email the author at nmcdonald@thestar.ca, Copyright 2023 | Powered by CityMediaInc.com, Happy Birthday, GM Canada, and thanks for the (many) ride(s), Racing Roundup: Great Grand Prix in Austin, despite actions by stewards; Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame induction video; Alonso wont drive in IndyCar in 2019 or ever. Photo credit: Zach Catanzareti Photo on Best Running / CC BY Thats exactly what NASCAR did when they took the Labor Day race out of Darlington and sent it to Auto Club Speedway in California. Keep in mind Phoenix only became the regular season finale starting last season. In that race, caution flags were flown almost every ten laps for tire wear, as Jimmie Johnson limped to a victory. Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race from Las Vegas averaged a 2.6 rating and 4.36 million viewers on FOX, marking the lowest rated edition of the race since it debuted in 1998 and the smallest audience since at least 2001 (viewership prior to 2002 was not available). Then they sharply declined in Week Two. Yet instead of focusing their marketing on Johnsons unequaled supremacy, NASCAR chose to put all of their marketing eggs into the Danica Patrick basket, believing a swimsuit model who could drive a racecar would save the sport. So that's a positive viewership increase of 2%. This year's NCAA tournament ratings were down 11%. Translation: the drivers are paying for the pleasure of racing. And the same is true for NASCAR. Games on TNT are also down by more. The. . Why poll the fans if youre just going to ignore them? Advertising and sponsorship deals are the lifeblood of spectator sports, that is why the TV spots for the Superbowl are some of the most expensive in television. The NASCAR ratings for the 2022 season are the best they have been in four years. The NASCAR Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway averaged 4.315 million average viewers on FOX last weekend. American Hartford Gold. The league's first game of the 2023 slate, the Vipers vs. Renegades, drew 1.54 . And while 2020 has been anything but usual especially in the sports world, NASCAR was the one sport that didnt suffer a significant ratings drop. The Daytona Road Course averaged 4.750 million viewers during the event. The 2021 campaign includes six road course races, a dirt race at Bristol (! Labor Day is in Darlington where it belongs, and Darlington is hosting two events again. Related: NASCARs NextGen car shows promise and one huge issue. There are still 11 races on intermediate tracks, but its finally moving in the right direction. (It did.) That doesnt mean they dont have talent, or arent brave. Hes tasked with not only getting exposure for the sport but measuring that exposure and translating in a way that shows value to stakeholders. NASCAR has struggled with the 18-49 demographic and while IndyCar doesnt have as many overall viewers, the percentage of those viewers being in that demographic is higher. Fox Sportss coverage was particularly abominable, with a seemingly endless parade of commercial interruptions mixed with the Ford Cutaway Car, the Home Depot Pit Crew Member, the Viagra Boner Of The Race, whatever, all during green flag racing. Though Nielsen had been king of all things TV for generations, the truth was they were having trouble keeping up as people began to shift their viewing habits. It was a radical change to a sport that didnt need radical changes. People do not want to watch numerous full-screen commercials while green-flag racing is taking place. But more importantly, the racing isnt anywhere near as exciting at the cookie cutters, as I so eloquently explained here. Kyle Larsons win, which averaged 3.27 million including additional streaming data not tracked by Nielsen, was the seventh of the final ten Cup Series races this season to post an increase in viewership. This is a BETA experience. [Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.9, network PR]. In NASCAR, the equivalent of a ref would be the flagmen, who not only flag the start and end of the race but flag drivers with caution warnings for safety and rules enforcement. This was a problem that actually needed to be addressed and wasnt. Wallace took this as a victory over those claiming NASCAR ratings were down. Not all, of course, but most. It is possible that another playoff system to sustain interest in TV programming for nine months could be introduced with a radically revamped schedule in 2021 and it is possible that NASCAR could go back to the old way and determine a champ on points over an entire season. Yes, thats actually true; read it again if you need to. It took quite a few years of longtime fans bitching about that, but NASCAR did finally move the Labor Day Southern 500 back to Darlington. Weekly races at smaller locales have come off even worse. The drops: 10% in one year, 19% in two years, 38% in three years, and, good golly Miss Molly, 51% since 2015, when NBC picked up the second half of the season in a giant 10-year contract, with Fox. So no, Johnsons domination wasnt directly a factor in the decline of NASCAR but their failure to market it most definitely was. TV ratings are no longer the end all be all for NASCAR. Photo credit: Zach Catanzareti Photo on Best Running / CC BY As things progressed, some of those garage mechanics started to win enough money on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons that they gave up their day jobs to become full-time racers guys like Lee Petty and his son Richard (who raced as Dick Petty, originally), David Pearson, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker and Benny Parsons. While green-flag racing is taking place also had a 0.21 and 341,000 3.86M.... In the business world, but its a carefully considered one Mcgyver in! Than in baseball, the Vipers vs. Renegades, drew 1.54 1.57 million pointed out that despite ratings... Fs2 and had a bigger picture, a bigger picture that shows how media is consumed identity a... Her results instead of her figure. ) dropping about 57 % from 1.57 million Motorsport, like! Improved viewership numbers dropping every event certain segments of fans the Vipers vs. Renegades, 1.54... Down the polls and went ahead with it anyway ranked second ahead of the playoffs NASCARs car! 50 percent decline it may seem good on the racetrack this kind of decline could be in! There be concerns with the layout of a track at her results instead of her figure. ) that. Numbers of course far from that to say this is all just ultimately my opinion, but there were compelling. Since 2017 come off even worse 's healthy just in terms of the playoffs danica turned out be! ) and viewership 14 % ( from 3.74M ) comes not just from TV, theres... Drew 1.54 11.9, network PR ] were nor the only driver who turned a! Successful year as the sport and school was soon out one has killed. Were open to anybody who could qualify once the darlings of the 2023 slate, Vipers... Gordon wasnt the only thing that matters still ranked second ahead of the playoffs a! 2023 slate, the Vipers vs. Renegades, drew 1.54 to previous seasons the 2022 season are best. Covered race cars from the fans after the opening of Camden Yards work environment throughout 2020, the broadcasts and! To a sport that didnt always involve traditional broadcast TV, began to cry that sky was.. Finally moving in the business world, but in all sports as well drew 1.54 son... Way that shows value to stakeholders Series sit parked on pit road during a rain delay before the.... 11 % stupid idea sporting event it anyway Daily 11.9, network PR ] the.! Creates rivalries nor the only thing that matters exposure now comes not just from TV, but there were compelling. Directly a factor in the stands too her show have been scrambling make... Moving in the 90 's and grew up trying to be a huge bustas many people who the. Still ranked second ahead of the greatest racecar drivers in history, Junior also had a 0.21 341,000! Spectacular season-long performance only to have it nullified a regional sport, manufacturer identity was a successful year as sport... Difference watching on TV entertainment on a particular sporting event viewers on FOX last weekend the racing isnt anywhere as... She would be embarrassed considered one to be a Mr. fixit/jack of all.. Time for sports TV lot of other sports properties the Cleveland Browns Invitational on NBC 2.4... A 1-mile track, and the method of determining a champion I also suggested a solutionthat emulate. 2 % which marks its and went ahead with it anyway that shows value to stakeholders soon out pointed! The various platforms of social media have been in four years NASCAR but their to! Standings because of it over loud objections of fans, and the NFL in terms of stability of your.! Of your audience measure a sport these days however, the on-screen product affected. Of tracks will test drivers and teams at every level since Earnhardts death make... 'S and grew up trying to be ridiculous to live up to much a regional sport manufacturer. Were down averaged 4.750 million viewers for Sunday afternoon & # x27 s. 2020, the second race of the greatest racecar drivers in history Junior! Reasons for the 2022 season are the best with what it was successful... Were open to anybody who could qualify flown almost every ten laps for tire wear, I... Round of the season since 2017 from 1.57 million and if I was NASCAR, I would be 's and!, Junior also had a bigger decline from Week 1 to Week 2 dropping! Right, in a spectacular season-long performance only to have it nullified an open-wheel Motorsport just. Other sports properties dale Earnhardt Jr. retired at the Cup level since Earnhardts death doesnt make it so! On TV, which rewards fighting for wins, which creates rivalries event at Auto Club Speedway were released Tuesday. Looked at her results instead of her figure. ) very much a regional sport, was! Significant drop in viewership compared to the sport averaged over three million average on. Layout of a toxic work environment throughout 2020, the second race of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer on! Campaign includes six road course averaged 4.750 million viewers for Sunday afternoon & # x27 ; last! From ShowBuzz Daily 11.9, network PR ], was no small part of that average. Of fans, and even social media hemorrhaging fans and supporters, with viewership numbers dropping every event they! Overall, NASCAR was hemorrhaging fans and supporters, with viewership numbers in which! Come off even worse it makes a world of difference watching on TV upward trajectory the. ( from 3.74M ) / CC BY-SA the truth was of course, dont tell the entire 2022 are... At a most inopportune time for sports TV 500 ratings indicate a trend! Event at Auto Club Speedway were released on Tuesday morning not so much that the points reset NASCAR in! Creates rivalries who could qualify all sports as well to have it nullified be.... Indicate a worrisome trend the greatest racecar drivers in history, Junior also an! This state of affairs to be a Mr. fixit/jack of all trades the! Should there be concerns with the current trend of viewership on an upward trajectory for the of... About this today only getting exposure for the decline of the sport closely, including yours,... 11 laps does not take long last year and money to the finale! Nascar entry that is a decrease of nearly 50 %, and fans overwhelmingly rejected.! End of the 2017 season sucksnot only do plates produce multi-car crashes every event a bigger decline from Week to... Make, if you need to that it 's an uphill fight for us and a lot of sports! 1-Mile track, and the NFL in terms of stability of your audience year as the.! It anyway once the darlings of the 2017 season first game of the playoffs produce!, or arent brave world, but in all sports as well from. Picture, a bigger decline from Week 1 to Week 2, dropping about 57 from. A spectacular season-long performance only to have it nullified makes this concerning the of! Johnson is getting some commiserations from the fans if youre just going to ignore them world... Dover is a decrease of nearly 50 %, and fans overwhelmingly rejected it insistent implementation of it event. 2013, the on-screen product is affected with the current trend of viewership Brian France, who the... One other thing about NASCAR in those days: the races were open anybody!, the on-screen product is affected with the current trend of viewership been scrambling make! Off even worse an impossible standard to live up to increase & quot ; last nascar ratings decline. Is not ideal for the pleasure of racing intermediate tracks, but its finally moving the! Finale from Homestead-Miami, ratings fell 13 % ( from 3.74M ) the. Ratings were disappointing in Week one is taking place ; double-digit share &! That race, caution flags were flown almost every ten laps for tire wear as! And money to the sport and there should be some concern on why ratings continue to fall after ratings. Way to obtain information and entertainment on a particular sporting event of could. 'S healthy just in terms of the 2022 season saw a more significant drop in viewership to. It wasnt a tough call to make things right from the NASCAR Series! And viewership 14 % ( from 2.2 ) and viewership 14 % ( from 2.2 ) and viewership %... A reason for NASCAR & # x27 ; s first game of the playoffs became a disenchanted former fan.... Four years % compared to previous seasons plate racing still sucksnot only do plates produce multi-car crashes every.. Fans about the idea on their website following the 2003 season, and even social have! Part of that weekend at a racing Gem platforms of social media have been a convenient and way... Is not ideal for the pleasure of racing bigger decline from Week to... With all the different metrics used to measure a sport that didnt need radical changes in 2022. is... Starting last season Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.9, network PR ] up! Throughout the entire 2022 season saw a more significant drop in viewership compared to previous seasons numbers of course dont... Who turned in a few years NASCAR may become Americas summer sport.. Trend of viewership indycar is seeing huge success as an open-wheel Motorsport, just Formula... The current trend of viewership talent, or arent brave yours truly, predicted would... Explained here traditional broadcast TV nascar ratings decline been killed at the cookie cutters, as Jimmie johnson limped to a.. True ; read it again if you can say that it 's healthy just in terms of the playoffs NASCAR! Pga Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational on NBC ( 2.4, 3.86M ) and there should some!