TV News: Weekend TV Ratings (Update)

–Mark Cipolloni–

TV Rating Analysis

As we predicted yesterday, the NASCAR final ratings from Bristol would improve from the overnights.

Fox earned 3.45 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Food City Dirt Race at Bristol, down 13.90 from 4.0 million for last year’s event. The TV rating was a 1.88, down 14.16% from a year ago, also on FOX. The all-important 18-49 year old viewers were down 16.94% as the NASCAR fanbase continues to age out.

The NASCAR Truck Race at Bristol on FS1 was also down across the board, but not as severe a drop as the Cup race experienced.

The percent of viewers in the all important 18-49 year old bracket continues to be about 1/5 of the audience for NASCAR, an ominous sign as F1 continues to garner close to 50% of its audience in that category.

NASCAR viewership totals through 9 races compared to last season (2023):

1. Clash: (Down 14.8%)
2. Daytona 500: (Down 7.7%)
3. Auto Club: (Down 5.6%)
4. Las Vegas: (Down 12.2%)
5. Phoenix: (Down 15.1%)
6. Atlanta (Down 14.5%)
7. COTA (Down 16.1%)
8. Richmond (Down 41.8% – FOX)
9. Bristol Dirt (Down 13.9%)

TV Rating Data

–by Mark Cipolloni–

We will have the final ratings tomorrow, but if the overnight ratings are any indication, the NASCAR dirt race at Bristol on Easter night not only was poorly attended, the TV viewership plummeted.

In other words – a complete rejection by NASCAR fans of the race on dirt.

NASCAR’s Food City Dirt Race coverage starting at 7 pm on FOX averaged 2.9 million total viewers and a 0.5 overnight rating.  That is down 27.6% in viewers from last year’s final of 4.007 million, and down 77.2% in TV rating from a 2.19 in 2022.

The race was held on Easter Night both years, and both years on FOX.

We expect the final rating to be a little higher, which we will have on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Last year’s Analysis