NASCAR’s new television deal continues to deliver near record-highs for its cable partners — and the lowest numbers in years for the sport..
NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan drew 4.3 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 17% from last year (5.2M) and down 6% from 2013 (4.6M), both on ESPN. The rating was not immediately available. Excluding rainouts, the telecast had the smallest audience for the race since at least 2000.
All 12 NASCAR races on cable this season have either set a record low in ratings and/or viewership or fallen to the lowest point in more than a decade.
Despite the multi-year low, Sunday’s telecast ranks as the second-most watched program in the history of NBCSN — trailing only the Brickyard 400 last month (4.7M). The three most-watched shows in NBCSN history have been NASCAR races, with the caveat that portions of its Olympic telecasts have earned larger audiences.
That continues a trend from earlier in the year, when Fox Sports 1 scored several of its largest audiences for NASCAR coverage despite the races hitting historic lows.
(Sun. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
