Weekend USA TV Ratings (2nd Update)
NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Martinsville drew a 2.0 'final' rating and 3.3 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 20% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year (2.5, 4.1M) and down 26% and 22%, respectively, from 2013 (2.7, 4.3M), both on ESPN. Ratings and viewership were the lowest for the fall Martinsville race since at least 2000, falling below the previous lows of 2.4 (twice) and 3.6 million (2012). As recently as 2005, it had a 4.7 and 7.1 million on the NBC broadcast network. The race completed an inauspicious debut for NASCAR's new cable partners NBCSN and Fox Sports 1, as all 19 Sprint Cup races on cable this season hit either a record-low or the lowest marks in over a decade.
11/04/15 NASCAR's final race on cable this season had another decline in the metered markets. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Martinsville, the seventh race in the Chase For the Cup, had a 1.9 'overnight' rating on NBCSN Sunday afternoon – down 17% from last year and 2013, which both aired on ESPN (2.3). The 1.9 is the second-highest of this year's Chase For the Cup on cable, trailing only a 2.5 for Talladega the previous week. The four other races on cable, not including rescheduled action from Charlotte, had either a 1.7 or 1.8. Overnight ratings have now declined for 18 of the 19 Sprint Cup races on cable this season, with Kentucky in July the lone exception. That race, which was even in the metered markets, ended up declining in the final tally. Despite the relatively low numbers, NASCAR on NBCSN easily topped Formula 1 racing from Mexico on the NBC broadcast network (0.6).
11/02/15
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
1.86 rating NBCSN 1:00 pm Sunday Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 (Martinsville, VA) (Horrible!!!!!)
FORMULA ONE
0.62 rating NBC 2:00 pm Sunday Mexico Grand Prix (Horrible!!!!)
10 years ago AR1.com recommended that IndyCar end their season by Labor Day because after that motorsports TV ratings in the USA downright stink. The Boston Consulting Group took that recommendation and used it in their report to IndyCar. That recommendation is proving spot-on as NASCAR and F1 are finding out. Sure you can race after Labor Day, but your TV ratings and local newspaper coverage will be near-zero. So what did IndyCar do? They gave in to some media critics and extended their 2016 schedule into September. This will ensure that hardly anyone will watch their season finale. Way to go!!!!
For the 597th time, IndyCar must start their season the last week in January and end their season on or before Labor Day. That is a 7+ month schedule – perfect.