NBC’s return to NASCAR held up about as well as one could have expected.
Rain delayed NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Daytona drew a 2.7 final rating and nearly 4.0 million viewers on NBC Sunday night, up 13% in ratings and virtually even in viewership compared to last year on TNT, when coverage was postponed a full day to Sunday afternoon (2.4, 4.0M). The 2013 race, which was run as scheduled on a Saturday night, drew a 3.5 and 5.7 million.
Sunday’s race was scheduled to begin shortly after 8 PM ET, but was delayed until after 11 PM due to rain. It did not conclude until well after 2:00 in the morning.
The last time the race ended so late in the night was 2005, when coverage on NBC drew a 5.5 and 8.3 million from 10 PM-2 AM. Keep in mind the 2005 race took place on a Saturday, making it easier for fans to stay up late.
Rain delay coverage earlier in the night drew a 2.1 and 3.3 million, and the Countdown to Green pre-race show scored a 2.4 and 3.8 million. Those telecasts overlapped with the FIFA Women’s World Cup final, which had a 12.9 and 25.4 million on FOX alone.
(Sun. numbers from NBC Sports, with additional info from TV Media Insights)
