IndyCar Long Beach TV Rating

The NBC Sports Network noose tightens around IndyCar's neck. The IndyCar Long Beach GP on NBCSN on Sunday saw 375K viewers tuned in, down 20% from 2012. The rating was 0.4, down from 0.46 last year.

The 2nd biggest race on the IndyCar schedule and only 375,000 fans watched it. If IndyCar does not go back to ABC and NBC and negotiate a revision to the current TV contract that dictates only ABC can show IndyCar races on network TV, then it has no business running the sport and should sell it. Some of the NBC Sport Network races need to be moved to NBC, at least two for this year, more for next.

As we told some folks in IndyCar this past weekend, a rising tide raises all ships. ABC needs to be made to understand the importance of this and allow the change in the contract. Rising TV ratings helps everyone, falling TV ratings hurts everyone.

And why did IndyCar ever sign a contract with ABC like that in the first place? The contract should have been worded that they have right of first refusal to show races on network TV, not that only they can. We have long written that IndyCar has a death wish. Signing that contract with ABC only proves the point. . See related AR1.com article.