Ratings for the Daytona 500 improved substantially over last year’s record-low, but were still among the lowest for the event.
Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Daytona 500 drew a 7.7 final rating and 13.4 million viewers on FOX, up 38% in ratings and 44% in viewership from last year (5.6, 9.3M), but down 22% and 20%, respectively, from 2013 (9.9, 16.7M). Last year’s race experienced lengthy delays and concluded opposite the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics; the 2013 race was boosted by Danica Patrick‘s top ten finish.
The race is tied with 2010 as the second-lowest rated Daytona 500 since 1991 (7.6) and the fifth-lowest since live start to finish coverage began in 1979 — ahead of only last year, 1991, 1990 (7.3) and 1988 (7.4). The Daytona 500 has now earned less than an 8.0 rating three times in the past six seasons (2010-15), after hitting at least a 9.2 in each of the previous nine (2001-09).
Compared to other sports, the Daytona 500 earned a higher rating than four of last year’s seven World Series games, each of the non-playoff college football bowl games, and all-but-three games of last year’s NCAA Tournament. On the other hand, it trailed all five games of the NBA Finals and two of last year’s three Triple Crown horse races.
Though low historically, the Daytona 500 concluded a run of strong year-over-year increases for Daytona Speedweeks on FOX. The Sprint Unlimited increased by 60% in ratings and 59% in viewership (compared to coverage on FS1 last year), and Daytona Pole Qualifying jumped 17% in both measures to a six-year high.
On Fox Sports 1, the NASCAR Victory Lane postrace coverage drew 464,000 viewers — up 21% from 2013 (383K). There was no comparable postrace show last year. The network’s NASCAR Raceday studio show drew 973,000 earlier in the day, up 31% from last year (742K).
(Wknd. numbers from Fox Sports)
