For the first time this young season, final ratings and viewership declined for NASCAR on FOX.
FOX earned a 4.3 final rating and 7.240 million viewers for the March 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Jeff Byrd 500 from Bristol, down 17% in ratings and 15% in viewership from the fourth race of last season (Atlanta: 5.3, 8.510M), and down 22% and 18%, respectively, from the fourth race in 2009 (Atlanta: 5.5, 8.877M).
Compared to last year’s spring Bristol race (4.4, 7.357M), the race was down 2% in ratings and viewership.
This marks the lowest rated spring Bristol race since 2000, when it aired on ESPN (3.7). This is the third straight year that ratings and viewership both declined for the race.
As recently as five years ago, the race drew a comparably hefty 9.902 million viewers.
Overall, the Jeff Byrd 500 ranks as the first NASCAR race of the season to have a decline in ratings or viewership compared to last year.
Ratings For NASCAR’s Spring Bristol Race Since 1999
| Year | Date | Winner | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2011
|
Sun., 3/20/11 | Ku. Busch | FOX |
4.3
|
7,240
|
|
2010
|
Sun., 3/21/10 | Johnson | FOX |
4.4
|
7,357
|
|
2009
|
Sun., 3/22/09 | Ky. Busch | FOX |
4.5
|
7,365
|
|
2008
|
Sun., 3/16/08 | Burton | FOX |
5.5
|
8,851
|
|
2007
|
Sun., 3/25/07 | Ky. Busch | FOX |
5.1
|
7,897
|
|
2006
|
Sun., 3/26/06 | Ku. Busch | FOX |
6.2
|
9,902
|
|
2005
|
Sun., 4/3/05 | Harvick | FOX |
6.3
|
9,750
|
|
2004
|
Sun., 3/28/04 | Ku. Busch | FOX |
6.0
|
9,744
|
|
2003
|
Sun., 3/23/03 | Ku. Busch | FOX |
5.5
|
—
|
|
2002
|
Sun., 3/24/02 | Ku. Busch | FOX |
6.2
|
10,019
|
|
2001
|
Sun., 3/25/01 | Sadler | FOX |
6.2
|
—
|
|
2000
|
Sun., 3/26/00 | Wallace | ESPN |
3.7
|
—
|
|
1999
|
Sun., 4/11/99 | Wallace | ESPN |
3.8
|
—
|
