Television ratings for the Brickyard 400 were not much worse than in previous years, but still ranked as the second-lowest ever for the race.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Brickyard 400 drew a 3.4 U.S. rating and 5.2 million viewers on ESPN Sunday afternoon, down 6% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (3.6, 5.5M) but up 3% in both measures from a record-low performance opposite the Olympics in 2012 (3.3, 5.0M). The 3.4 rating is the second-lowest ever for the race (dates back to 1994), ahead of only 2012.
The four lowest rated Brickyard 400 telecasts have taken place in the past five years. In ESPN’s eight seasons carrying the race, ratings ranged from 3.3 to 4.3; by comparison, the race finished between 5.5 and 6.2 in the six previous seasons on NBC.
Despite the lower numbers, the Brickyard 400 ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed NASCAR telecast since the FOX season finale from Dover (3.5, 5.4M), topping all six races on TNT. Overall, it ranks as the top NASCAR race on cable since last year’s Brickyard 400.
So far this season, 16 of the 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races that can be compared to last year have had declines in ratings and 14 have had declines in viewership. Keep in mind that excludes three races that were postponed a day due to rain and the annual All-Star Race.
If there is any consolation for NASCAR, most of the declines have been by single-digits.
(Sun. numbers from ESPN)
