The numbers remained solid, but FOX could not be encouraged by another decline for the Budweiser Shootout.
The Budweiser Shootout drew a 4.4 final rating and 8.2 million viewers on FOX last Saturday night, down 10% in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year (4.9, 8.3 mil), and down 13% and 4%, respectively, from 2008 (5.1, 8.5 mil).
This marks the lowest rated, least-viewed Budweiser Shootout ever on FOX. This is also the third straight year ratings and viewership have declined for the event.
Earlier in the day, Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying drew a 1.6 final rating and 2.4 million viewers on FOX, down 33% in ratings and 35% in viewership from last year (2.4, 3.6 mil), and down 45% and 47%, respectively, from 2008 (2.9, 4.4 mil).
Like the Budweiser Shootout, Saturday’s telecast marked the lowest rated, least viewed Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying telecast ever on FOX — and the lowest on any network since at least ’99.
Ratings/viewership for the Budweiser Shootout and Daytona 500 Qualifying since ’99
| Year | Budweiser Shootout | Daytona Qualifying | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net | Rating | Viewers (000) | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) | |
|
2010
|
FOX |
4.4
|
8,187
|
FOX
|
1.6
|
2,361
|
| 2009 | FOX |
4.9
|
8,263
|
FOX
|
2.4
|
3,612
|
| 2008 | FOX |
5.1
|
8,542
|
FOX
|
2.9
|
4,435
|
| 2007 | FOX |
4.8
|
8,441
|
FOX
|
2.8
|
4,401
|
| 2006 | TNT |
3.7
|
6,150
|
NBC
|
3.9
|
5,623
|
| 2005 | FOX |
5.3
|
9,533
|
FOX
|
2.9
|
4,505
|
| 2004 | TNT |
3.6
|
6,560
|
NBC
|
3.3
|
5,071
|
| 2003 | FOX |
5.5
|
9,543
|
FOX
|
2.1
|
3,223
|
| 2002 | TNT |
3.4
|
—
|
NBC
|
2.9
|
4,067
|
| 2001 | FOX |
4.8
|
—
|
FOX
|
2.6
|
—
|
| 2000 | CBS |
3.8
|
—
|
CBS
|
2.2
|
—
|
| 1999 | CBS |
3.6
|
—
|
CBS
|
2.4
|
—
|
(Nielsen)
