NASCAR continued a slow start to the 2012 season, with the recent Kobalt Tools 500 becoming the third straight race to suffer a decline in ratings and viewership.
The March 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Kobalt Tools 500 from Las Vegas earned a 5.2 final rating and 8.528 million viewers on FOX, down 12% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (5.9, 10.076M), but up 18% and 19%, respectively, from 2010 (4.4, 7.154M), when the race aired opposite the Canada/USA Olympic Gold Medal hockey game.
The 5.2 rating is the third-lowest ever for NASCAR from Las Vegas, ahead of only 2010 (4.4) and 2000 (4.0). Viewership for the race was also the second-lowest of the past ten years (viewership prior to 2002 was not available).
As recently as 2008, the Las Vegas race earned a much stronger 7.1 rating and 12.066 million viewers.
The first three races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season each suffered declines in ratings and viewership compared to last year, with viewership down double-digits for all three races.
Despite the lower numbers, the Kobalt Tools 500 was easily the highest rated and most-viewed sporting event of the weekend on broadcast.
(March 11 numbers from Media Life Magazine)
