A strong finish was not enough to overcome a weak start for the Chase For the Cup.
The 2014 NASCAR Chase For the Cup averaged a 2.7 rating and 4.4 million viewers on ESPN, down a tick in ratings and 2% in viewership from last year (2.8, 4.5M), but flat and up 5%, respectively, from 2012 (2.7, 4.2M). Last year’s average does not include the Chicago race, which was delayed twice and concluded on ESPN2. With that race included, this year’s average is flat and up 3%, respectively.
The 2.7 rating is tied as the lowest ever for the Chase For the Cup, matching 2010 and 2012. The five years in which the Chase aired primarily on cable rank as the five lowest rated since the playoff system began in 2004.
This year’s Chase was hamstrung by a stretch of five straight declines that began with Dover and ended at Martinsville. Among those five, Dover and Kansas tied the third-lowest Chase rating ever, and Kansas and Talladega each hit at least ten year lows.
A strong finish, which included multi-year highs for the final three races, was not enough to overcome that start.
(Chase avg. from ESPN)
