1) Just like all the other major racing series in the world, NASCAR has become a money deal. Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader, Geoff Bodine, Rusty Wallace and Trevor Boys were among several dozen drivers whose names soon became familiar, if not famous. Anyone who was watching then could tell you that wasnt unusual at all. Men in particular were more put. WWE Insider Says Yes, Fans might be tired of the novelty of the playoffs., selling a sport that is losing popularity and has three months of overlap with football. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season averaged 2.93 million viewers across FOX, FS1, NBC and NBCSN, down 4% from last year (3.06M), down 6% from 2019 (3.11M) and the least-watched season on record. Making matters worse, within four years, the driver with the second largest fan base finished with the most points in a season twice, only to lose the title to a points reset. Dover is a 1-mile track, and 11 laps does not take long. NASCAR still attempts to do the best it can when it comes to getting the word out. You can contact him here or on the Sports Media Watch Twitter page. And based on what we see today, NASCAR seems to be on an upward trajectory and shows no signs of slowing down. [Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.9, network PR]. NASCARs popularity is down and the ratings reflect it. U.S. NBA Social Justice Poll. By: GP Racing. But in a relatively short time, NASCAR corrected the car and the multiple issues with its design, and while the cars dont differ by manufacturer like they once did, at least were not seeing disastrously awful races just because of the cars construction. FONTANA, Calif. Most of NASCAR's Cup Series drivers feel like they're saying their final goodbye to a dear old friend this weekend. Just ten years later, there were 13 such eventsnearly half the schedule. Affluence. In 2014 the average viewership for Cup Series races was 5.3 million. This is a BETA experience. In fact, Nascar could just dump it all on Netflix - which, according to one study, is responsible for half the decline of TV viewership alone. The markets simply couldnt support them anymore. which is a 50 percent decline . It was, but even that wasnt the point. Compared to last years fourth race of the season, Phoenix, ratings fell a tick (from 2.7) and viewership 5% (from 4.58M). Dr. Jon Lewis (aka Paulsen) has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. The top of the mountain in NASCAR circles back then was known as the Grand National Division but in 1971, the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., then-manufacturer of Winston cigarettes, contracted with NASCAR to become title sponsor and the Winston Cup Series (to be known thereafter as simply Cup, regardless of subsequent sponsorships) was born,. I have reasons to believe that NASCAR can return to previous levels of popularitymaybe not on the verge of overtaking the NFL again, but at least back to a point where they have enough of a dedicated fanbase to be a solid performer in ratings and ticket sales. 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. However, by the time NASCAR was peaking in the early 2000s, there already wasnt much manufacturer identity left. 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. I wonder why Truck Series and Xfinity viewership(even from 2019) is up but Cup Series viewership is down. 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. This was a problem that actually needed to be addressed and wasnt. The television ratings for sports in 2020 reflect the poll results and the frustration many feel toward the constant sloganeering and political pandering. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season averaged 2.93 million viewers across FOX, FS1, NBC and NBCSN, down 4% from last year (3.06M), down 6% from 2019 (3.11M) and the least-watched season on record. It may be difficult for younger people to imagine it, but the sport was once poised to overtake the NFL in popularity. Strauss also reported that TNT's viewership is down 40 percent since the 2011-12 season, and ESPN has seen a decline of about 20 percent during the same time. NASCAR was at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend and if I was NASCAR, I would be embarrassed. On declining ratings throughout NASCAR and other sports. The. 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). In that race, caution flags were flown almost every ten laps for tire wear, as Jimmie Johnson limped to a victory. NASCAR has managed to hang on to lucrative TV contracts despite its ratings decline. Overall, NASCAR brought in 114.231 million average viewers throughout the entire 2022 season which marks its. Photo credit: tequilamike on Visual hunt / CC BY The league's first game of the 2023 slate, the Vipers vs. Renegades, drew 1.54 . All that said, the unveiling of the Car of Tomorrow in 2007 certainly didnt help. So if you can say that it's you and the NFL in terms of stability of your audience. While viewership was down overall, it should be noted that the share the percentage of homes tuned to the race in the average minute out of the total number of homes using televisions increased 8% from last year and 11% from 2019. In NASCARs pre-1990s heyday, when it was still very much a regional sport, manufacturer identity was a big thing. 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. The sport mishandled the on-track racing by introducing the 550 horsepower package which caused the fanbase to lose trust. . But plate racing still sucksnot only do plates produce multi-car crashes every event, they pervert the standings because of it. NASCAR teams get creative with sponsors following dip in ratings, attendance Rick Hendrick is seeking a new sponsor for Jimmie Johnson amid the departure of Lowe's. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images The 2023 NASCAR season is underway and it is bound to be very exciting in the second year of the NextGen car. 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. It rewards winning and risk taking, where the Chase rewarded points racing and avoiding risk. NASCAR should post improved viewership numbers in 2022. It may seem good on the surface, but theres more beneath that makes this concerning. Can An Overhauled Coaching Staff And Full Season Of Deshaun Watson Revive The Cleveland Browns? I hope so. Photo credit: Ford Racing on VisualHunt / CC BY The decline of NASCAR from dominance started circa 2005, and there wasnt any big change to car specs in that time period. If NASCAR wants to fix the ongoing issues with viewership, fixing their way of broadcasting commercials would go a very long way in those efforts. 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. 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. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. 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. After 26 of 36 races, the top ten drivers would have their points reset, putting them all on a level playing field again for the last ten races. 2.27.2023. Compared to Week 2 of last year's USFL, which consisted of two games on broadcast and two on cable, the XFL's Week 2 audience was down just slightly (661K to 655K). OutKick reported: The NBA ratings are worse For NASCAR it meant fewer butts in seats at tracks, and fewer sponsors willing to part with what little revenue they were earning. NASCAR Las Vegas ratings hit a new low. Or NASCAR could pretty much keep things the way they are and hope to hold on to whoever watches through 2024, when the massive TV contract expires. 500 MOMENTUM:Daytona 500 TV ratings: NASCAR opener ends two-year viewership decline. . That doesnt mean they dont have talent, or arent brave. Three of the four drivers in the championship race were also in the 2018 race, and three of the four drivers were in Toyotas. The sport has grown from. https://t.co/Zf4L7g5im4 Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) July 10, 2018 However, NASCAR has been taking major strides as the on-track product is improving, the schedule is being changed, bold decisions are being made, and communication between each party is better. It has been a challenge for the sport to consistently grab the attention of its audience; however, there are reasons for optimism as the 2022 season represented a step in the right direction. It could be just Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon up in the booth, which would sound like a library compared to NBC.). Schedule/Results. Interestingly, it has been said that NASCAR has been getting younger (the drivers) and older (the fans) at the same time. 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. 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. Last Sundays Cup Series finale from Phoenix averaged a 1.95 rating and 3.21 million viewers on NBC, up 4% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.06M) and the highest rated and most-watched fall Phoenix race since 2018 (2.0, 3.31M). The broadcasts really were over-saturated with ads enough to drive fans away. 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. When not at work, Karlo spends his time at home, with family, either being the cook or fixit guy in his house. In todays world TV ratings arent the big deal they once were nor the only thing that matters. Just because no one has been killed at the Cup level since Earnhardts death doesnt make it less so. Last year, nearly 70 million unique viewers tuned in to . Or at least to give the appearance of it. 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 . 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