After hitting an all-time ratings low last year, the Indy 500 surged back to normal in its return to May, hitting a five-year high.
Last Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 averaged a 3.15 rating and 5.55 million viewers on NBC (5.58 million including additional streaming data not tracked by Nielsen), marking the largest audience for the race since 2016 (6.01M). Viewership surged 51% over last year’s all-time low of 3.69 million for a race that aired three months later than originally scheduled.
Helio Castroneves’ surprising win, which peaked with 7.13 million from 3:15-3:30 PM ET, also posted a 2% increase over the 2019 race (5.49M).
The Indy 500 was the top sporting event of a weekend that included the Coca-Cola 600 and a full slate of NBA playoff games.
The 51% increase over last year compares to increases of 55% for the Kentucky Derby, 69% for the April Masters, and 61% for the first six days of the NBA Playoffs. Each event was delayed months out of alignment last year and suffered steep and historic lows.
While the race was up overall, host market Indianapolis saw its rating decline 14% from last year, from 24.9 to 21.3. Keep in mind fans were barred from attending the race last year. Compared to 2019, the last time the race was tape delayed in the market, ratings jumped 94% (from 11.0).
Dayton and Cincinnati ranked second at an 8.1. By comparison, last year’s #2 markets were Cincinnati and Columbus at a mere 4.1. Ft. Myers, Fla., and Louisville rounded out the top five at a 6.3.
[News from NBC Sports PR]
