The 2013 IndyCar Series opener was either a major success or failure, depending on how one chooses to spin the numbers.
Sunday’s IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg drew 388,000 viewers on NBC Sports Network, up 78% from the season’s first race on the network last season, the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama (218K). The race also marked the most-viewed IndyCar season debut on the network in three years.
However, viewership declined by 70% compared to the same season-opening race last year — which drew 1.3 million viewers on broadcast network ABC.
Excluding the rained out 2010 race, Sunday’s telecast ranks as the least-viewed edition of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg since 2009, the last time it aired on NBCSN (then Versus).
The IndyCar race did manage to outshine other open wheel racing action, topping NBCSN’s March 17 Formula 1 series debut (124K) by 213%. Keep in mind the F1 race aired in the middle of the night, and earned 138,000 viewers for an afternoon re-air.
(Sunday’s numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box; F1 numbers from Son of the Bronx)
