Ryder Cup ratings could not match previous U.S.-based editions; NASCAR scored its sixth-straight increase over last year; IndyCar and Sunday Night Baseball both hit five-year highs.
Ryder Cup down from previous U.S.-based editions
Ratings fell 21% and viewership 18% from the last time the U.S. hosted the Ryder Cup in 2016 (2.7, 4.30M) but increased 19% and 32% respectively from the last time the event was held in Europe three years ago (1.8, 2.67M).
Saturday coverage averaged a 1.9 and 2.98 million, down 11% in ratings and 10% in viewership from ’16 (2.1, 3.31M) but up 16% and 31% respectively from ’18 (1.6, 2.27M).
Golf Channel’s Friday coverage chipped in a 0.9 and 1.48 million, actually up from the corresponding 2016 window (1.30M).
NASCAR posts sixth-straight increase over last year
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs from Las Vegas (Nev.) averaged a 1.2 rating and 2.10 million viewers on NBCSN, flat in ratings and up 6% in viewership from last year (1.2, 1.97M), but down 15% and 12% from 2019 (1.4, 2.38M).
Denny Hamlin’s win, which peaked with 2.2 million viewers, was the sixth-straight Cup Series race to post an increase over last year — the longest stretch of gains since 2011.
IndyCar season is most-watched in five years
The complete IndyCar season averaged 1.22 million viewers across the NBC family of networks, including additional streaming data not tracked by Nielsen — the largest audience for the series since 2016 (1.31M). Viewership increased 19% from last year’s delayed, shortened season (1.03M) and 10% from 2019 (1.11M).
In a rarity, IndyCar will almost certainly finish with the largest motorsports audience of the year for the Indy 500 (5.58M). This year’s Daytona 500, which was severely delayed by rain, averaged 4.83 million.
The NBC broadcast network averaged 1.72 million viewers for its races (+16%) and NBCSN — whose shuttering at the end of the year brings its 12-year IndyCar run to a close — averaged 632,000 (+46%).
This past Sunday’s season finale from Long Beach averaged a 0.21 and 368,000 on NBCSN, well below last year’s season-finale from St. Petersburg on NBC (0.41, 671K).
Yankees-Red Sox top Sunday night game vs. NFL since 2016
Yankees-Red Sox averaged a 0.9 rating and 1.49 million viewers on the season finale of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, the most-watched Sunday night game opposite the NFL since 2016 (Cardinals-Cubs: 1.57M). Ratings soared 98% and viewership 102% from last year’s season finale (Twins-Cubs: 0.45, 740K) and 112% and 113% from the 2019 finale (Phillies-Indians: 0.42, 701K).
The same matchup pulled a 0.48 and 846,000 on ESPN Friday night, the network’s most-watched weeknight game since Opening Day (Blue Jays-Yankees: 944K; Dodgers-Rockies: 900K). It was book-ended by Cardinals-Cubs at a 0.20 and 351,000 and Braves-Padres at a0 .22 and 363,000.
In other action, both FOX and TBS hit season-lows over the weekend. FOX drew a 0.7 and 1.18 million for regional action Saturday night (Braves-Padres or White Sox-Indians) while TBS chipped in just 129,000 for Mets-Brewers Sunday afternoon.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 9.28, network PR]
