Another Saturday night race, another poor overnight for NASCAR on cable.
NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond earned a 1.7 overnight rating on NBCSN Saturday night, down 37% from last year (2.7) and down 41% from 2013 (2.9), both of which aired on ABC. The 1.7 is the second-lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race, ahead of only rain-delayed coverage from Kansas on Fox Sports 1 in May (1.5).
Four of the five lowest Sprint Cup overnights this season have been for Saturday night races on cable — with Bristol in August (1.9) and Kentucky in July (2.0) joining the Richmond and Kansas races. The only Sunday race to rank in the bottom five was Michigan in June, which was delayed due to rain (2.0).
Thirteen of the 14 Sprint Cup races on cable this season have had a decline in overnights, with the previously mentioned Kentucky race the lone exception.
It should be noted that Richmond was the first race of the season to face head-to-head football competition, airing opposite ABC’s Saturday Night Football (5.0). Each week for the remainder of the season, NASCAR will air opposite either college football or the NFL.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
