Coming off of a rough year for NASCAR ratings, Sunday’s Daytona “Clash” and qualifying both hit 20-year lows. In other news, a channel change sank the NHRA opener, the NHL scored its largest afternoon audience in four years, and the Big Ten led the college hoops ratings charge.
NASCAR Ratings: Daytona Clash, Qualifying, Hit Lows
Sunday’s NASCAR “Clash at Daytona” earned a 1.35 rating and 2.3 million viewers on Fox Sports 1, marking the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the race in at least 20 years (excluding rainouts). The previous lows were a 2.0 and 3.5 million in 2014, the last time coverage faced the Winter Olympics — and the only other time FS1 carried the race.
Last year’s race was postponed from its scheduled Saturday night start to Sunday morning, earning a 1.2 and 1.8 million. The 2016 race aired as scheduled, but on the FOX broadcast network, earning a 2.8 and 4.8 million.
Earlier in the day, Daytona 500 qualifying had a 1.3 (-11%) and 2.0 million (-15%) on FOX, also the lowest in at least 20 years.
Move From Broadcast to Cable Sinks NHRA Opener
Airing directly after NASCAR, Sunday’s NHRA season opener from Pomona (Ca.) had a 0.48 rating and 782,000 viewers on FS1 — down 39% in ratings and 36% in viewership from last year, when it aired on the FOX broadcast network (0.8, 1.2M). Compared to the 2016 telecast on FS1, ratings and viewership increased 20% and 22% respectively from a 0.40 and 640,000.
The NHRA trailed the previous day’s ARCA race from Daytona, which also aired on FS1 (0.54, 878K).
Olympic-Adjacent NHL Hits High on NBC
Leading into NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage, Penguins-Blues scored a 1.2 rating and 1.89 million viewers in Sunday’s NHL Game of the Week — NBC’s highest rated and most-watched afternoon regular season game since Rangers-Devils in the 2014 Stadium Series (1.3, 2.1M).
Compared to last year, ratings increased 71% (from 0.7) and 63% (from 1.2M) over Red Wings-Wild in a later timeslot.
Big Ten Tops Weekend College Hoops
CBS scored a 1.1 rating and 1.732 million viewers for Sunday’s Michigan-Wisconsin college basketball game, down 21% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (Michigan-Indiana: 1.4, 2.1M), but still the top NCAA game of the weekend. The previous day’s top five clash between Purdue and Michigan State was not far behind with a 1.1 (+57%) and 1.729 million (+56%) on ESPN.
Outside of the Big Ten, Virginia Tech-Virginia had a 1.0 (+25%) and 1.6 million (+23%) and Kentucky-Texas A&M a 0.8 (flat) and 1.3 million (+0.2%) in ESPN’s Saturday night doubleheader. Rounding out the top five, CBS drew a 0.8 and 1.2 million for Kansas-Baylor Saturday afternoon.
[Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 2.13]
