Indy 500 beats Coca-Cola 600 TV rating for first time in 10 years
The final rating for the ABC telecast of the Indy 500 drew a 4.1 rating (down from the 4.3 overnight) representing just under 6.4 million viewers. It was the highest national rating and audience for the 500 since 2011. The top ratings markets were Indianapolis (12.7), Dayton, Ohio (9.9), Louisville, Ky. (8.7) and Milwaukee, Wis. (7.5).
Meanwhile, SportsMediaWatch reports that NASCAR's Sunday night race on FOX earned a 3.8 final rating and 6.4 million viewers, which is down 7% in rating and 8% in viewers from last year. Although the 600 telecast just edged the 500's in total audience – 6.41m to 6.39m – it marked the first time in a decade that the 500 scored a higher national rating.
The Monaco Grand Prix on NBC – F1's broadcast network debut for the year – drew a 1.1 overnight rating, up from a 1.0 in 2014.
NBCSN's replay of the Monaco GP in the afternoon (2:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ET) attracted another 369,000 viewers, while its GP2 coverage from Monaco averaged 134,000 viewers.
The Coca-Cola 600 on FOX earned a 3.6 overnight rating, down 8% from last year's 3.9. According to SportsMediaWatch, the 600's 16% deficit to the Indy 500 (4.3 to 3.6) is the largest gap between the two events since 2005 (6.6 to 5.1), when extra media attention over Danica Patrick's strong run boosted the 500's audience.
NHRA eliminations from Topeka averaged 263,000 viewers Sunday night on ESPN2. racer.com
