NASCAR’s All-Star race hit yet another ratings low.
Last Saturday’s NASCAR All-Star Race earned a 1.4 rating and 2.44 million viewers on FS1, down a tick in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year (1.5, 2.47M) and down 13% and 15% respectively from 2017 (1.6, 2.87M).
Ratings and viewership were the lowest for the All-Star race since at least 1999 and 2003, respectively. Ratings have declined for six straight years and viewership for four. The event had a 2.3 rating and 3.68 million viewers as recently as six years ago.
Head-to-head, the All-Star Race had a slightly larger audience than the competing Major League Baseball telecast on the FOX broadcast network (2.36M). MLB had a higher rating, both in households (1.5) and in adults 18-49 (0.44 to 0.37).
The downward trend for All-Star Race is in keeping with the broader declines facing NASCAR — and All-Star events in general. The NBA All-Star Game tied its lowest rating ever this past February and posted its second-smallest audience. Last year’s MLB All-Star Game was the lowest rated and least-watched ever. January’s NFL Pro Bowl avoided a record low, but still tied its third-lowest rating since 2007.
Of the major All-Star games, NASCAR’s version ranks fourth — behind the NBA, NFL and MLB games, but ahead of the NHL All-Star Game in January (1.1, 1.78M).
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 5.21]
