Despite record-lows, ratings and viewership held up OK for NASCAR at Texas.
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas averaged a 1.7 rating and 2.73 million viewers on NBCSN, tying the lowest rating in race history (dates back to 1997) and marking its smallest audience since at least 2001. Keep in mind that this year marked just the second time that the race has aired on cable.
Ratings fell 23% and viewership 25% from last year on the FOX broadcast network (2.2, 3.65M). Compared to 2018 on FS1, ratings were flat and viewership fell 3% (from 2.82M). Those races aired as scheduled in the spring, airing opposite the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight last year and the Masters in 2018.
Versus the race on the same July weekend last season, New Hampshire, ratings were flat and viewership fell 2% (from 2.79M).
Despite the record low, Sunday’s race delivered the second-largest audience of the season on cable (eight telecasts). Bristol averaged 2.93 million on FS1 in March.
It also outdrew the first race on NBCSN last season (Chicagoland: 1.4, 2.41M) and the network’s fall Texas race last October (1.4, 2.20M).
For the weekend, NASCAR trailed only the PGA Tour as the top sporting event on any network.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 7.21]
