As ESPN continues to immerse viewers in NASCAR coverage in advance of its first NEXTEL Cup telecast in seven years, going as far as to pre-empt live sporting events to air documentaries on the sport, it should be pointed out that NASCAR has continued to see declining ratings through the first half of this year. Ratings on FOX were down 3% from last year, while ratings on TNT were down 5%. While that is not a massive drop, it is reflective of a slump in ratings for NASCAR — one that started last year and does not seem as if it will stop anytime soon.
Bear in mind that four of the six races TNT televised aired on FOX last year, exacerbating any year-to-date declines. Ratings for races on cable (TNT) are national ratings; cable ratings, which measure the amount of households watching out of the amount of households with access to the network, are higher.
Ratings for NASCAR on FOX and TNT.
*asterisk indicates that race was shifted to different day because of rain.
Sun., February 18 (FOX):
10.1: Daytona 500 (down 11% from 2006)
Sun., February 25 (FOX):
6.7/13: Auto Club 500 (down 9% from 2006)
Sun., March 11 (FOX):
6.3/13: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 (up 2% from 2006)
Sun., March 18 (FOX):
5.2/12: Kobalt Tools 500 (no comparison available; previous year’s race was rained out)
Sun., March 25 (FOX):
5.1/12: Food City 500 (down 18% from 2006)
Sun., April 1 (FOX):
5.3/13: Goody’s Cool Orange 500 (down 15% from 2006)
Sun., April 15 (FOX):
5.6/12: Samsung 500 (up 4% from 2006 race, which aired on April 9)
Sat., April 21 (FOX):
4.4/9: Subway Fresh Fit 500 (down 8% from 2006)
Sun., April 29 (FOX):
5.4/14: Aaron’s 499 (no comparison available; previous year’s race was rained out)
Sun., May 6* (FOX):
4.3/11: Jim Stewart 400 (up 23% from 2006 race, which aired on FX)
Sun., May 13* (FOX):
4.2/12: Dodge Avenger 500 (down 13% from 2006 race, which aired on a Saturday night)
Sun., May 27 (FOX):
4.5/10: Coca Cola 600 (down 12% from 2006)
Mon., June 4* (FOX):
2.3/7: Autism Speaks 400 (no comparison available)
Sun., June 10 (TNT):
3.0: Pocono 500 (down 42% from comparable 2006 race, which aired on FOX)
Sun., June 17 (TNT):
3.2: Citizens Bank 400 (down 29% from comparable 2006 race, which aired on FOX)
Sun., June 24 (TNT):
3.8: Toyota/SaveMart 350 (down 25% from comparable 2006 race, which aired on FOX)
Sun., July 1 (TNT):
3.3: Lenox Industrial Tools 500 (down 35% from comparable 2006 race, which aired on FOX)
Sat., July 7 (TNT):
3.8: Pepsi 400 (down 27% from 2006)
Sun., July 15 (TNT):
3.9: USG Sheetrock 400 (even with 2006)
