While ratings have increased for several NASCAR races this season, the declines are starting to pile up.
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Watkins Glen (N.Y.) averaged a 1.7 rating and 2.72 million viewers on NBCSN, down 26% in both measures from last year on the NBC broadcast network (2.3, 3.67M), and down 15% and 16% respectively from 2017 on NBCSN (2.0, 3.25M).
Chase Elliott‘s win ranks as the lowest rated edition of the race since at least 1999 and the least-watched since at least 2001. The previous lows were set in 2017.
At the start of the decade in 2010, the race was significantly stronger at a 3.2 and 4.93 million.
Watkins Glen was the 11th race this season to set or tie an all-time or decade-plus low, joining the Daytona 500, Atlanta, Martinsville, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Kansas,* Kentucky and both Pocono races. Four of the five races on NBCSN have hit lows, compared to eight of the 14 races on Fox Sports (excludes rainouts).
Ratings and viewership were still respectable by 2019 standards. The race tied the highest rating of the season on cable and averaged the third-largest audience, behind New Hampshire two weeks earlier (1.7, 2.72M) and Bristol on FS1 in April (1.7, 2.81M).
In addition, it was the highest rated and most-watched sporting event of the weekend — marking the second-straight week, and just the sixth time all season, that NASCAR has taken top honors. It ranked second for the weekend in adults 18-49, behind Red Sox-Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball (0.45 to 0.39).
* Kansas tied a record-low rating, but viewership for that race increased over last year.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 8.6]
