Massive gains in Indianapolis could not keep Indy 500 overnights from declining.
The 2016 Indianapolis 500 earned a 4.1 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down 5% from last year (4.3) and even with 2014. The 4.1 is tied as the third-lowest for the race since it began airing live in 1986.
Alexander Rossi‘s win peaked at a 4.8 from 3:15-3:30 PM ET.
The decline in overnights came despite a dramatic increase in Indianapolis, where the race aired live for the first time in 66 years. The market delivered a 33.6 rating, up 161% from last year (12.9) and up 171% from 2014 (12.4), when coverage was tape delayed until primetime.
To put the 33.6 in perspective, Colts games averaged a 32.9 in Indianapolis during the 2015 regular season, and Game 7 of the Pacers/Heat NBA Eastern Conference Finals had a 21.9 in the market three years ago.
(Sun. numbers from ESPN; Colts avg. from Indianapolis Business Journal)
