From Sports Media Watch, a one-stop page for all sports ratings news.
Jon Lewis
Last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Talladega (Ala.) averaged a 2.1 rating and 3.97 million viewers on FOX, down a tick in ratings and 2% in viewership from last year (2.2, 4.04M). Excluding 2020, when the race was delayed several weeks and then postponed due to rain, Carson Hocevar’s win was the least-watched spring Talladega race since it began airing on FOX in 2001.
The corresponding O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race drew 1.34 million on CW, up 6% from last year. The first 11 races on CW this season have averaged a seven-figure audience.
Source: Nielsen, Nexstar
Jon Lewis
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Darlington (S.C.) averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.43 million viewers on FS1, up a tick in ratings but down 1% in viewership from Homestead-Miami on the same weekend last year (1.2, 2.46M).
Compared to last year’s first Darlington race, which took place one week later in the calendar, ratings were flat and viewership inched up from 2.42 million. (That is in the margin that would usually be explained by Nielsen methodological changes, but note that NASCAR rarely gets any lift from the new “Big Data + Panel” methodology.)
Tyler Reddick’s win, his fourth in the first six races this season, peaked with 3.0 million viewers in the 6 PM ET quarter-hour.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race drew a 0.65 and 1.18 million on CW the previous day, up from both last year at Homestead (0.56, 1.16M) and last year at Darlington (0.57, 1.01M).
Source: Nielsen
Jon Lewis
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Las Vegas averaged a 1.4 rating and 2.77 million viewers on FS1 last Sunday, down a tick and 8% respectively from last year (1.5, 3.0M). Denny Hamlin’s win, which peaked with 3.3 million, was the third of the first five races this season to dip from last year.
The corresponding O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race averaged a 0.7 and 1.19 million on CW, up a tick and 10% respectively from last year (0.6, 1.1M) and the largest audience for the secondary series at Las Vegas since 2021.
Source: Nielsen
Jon Lewis
Last Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Phoenix averaged a 1.5 rating and 2.84 million viewers on FS1, up a tick in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year (1.4, 2.82). That was the first increase for the Cup Series since the Daytona 500.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race had a 0.7 and 1.20 million on CW, flat and down 6%, respectively.
Source: Nielsen, Nexstar
Jon Lewis
Last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Circuit of the Americas (Austin, TX) averaged a 2.1 rating and 3.93 million viewers on FOX, down 4% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (2.15, 4.1M). Tyler Reddick’s third-straight win, which peaked with 4.7 million viewers, was still the most-watched sporting event of the weekend.
Reddick has opened the season with three-straight wins, but the last two of those have declined year-over-year.
Shifting to the secondary O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, CW averaged a 0.6 and 1.07 million for its race last Saturday — down 3% and 4% respectively from last year (0.61, 1.1M).
Finally, Truck Series racing from St. Petersburg averaged a 0.6 and 1.0 million on FOX — the highest for a Truck Series race on the broadcast network since 2018.
Source: Nielsen
Jon Lewis
Last weekend’s Saturday night NASCAR Cup Series race from Daytona averaged a 1.8 rating and 3.30 million viewers on NBC, down 10% in ratings and 6% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.5M). The race was delayed a half-hour due to a red flag, during which viewership dipped by 10 percent from the previous half-hour.
Ryan Blaney’s win, which peaked with 3.6 million viewers, was still the most-watched Cup Series race since Talladega in April. Not coincidentally, it was also the first race on broadcast television since Talladega.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race drew a 0.6 and 1.09 million on CW, up 35% and 33% respectively from last year on USA (0.46, 820K) and the largest audience for the race since 2018 on NBCSN.
The previous Saturday night at Richmond, the Cup Series drew a 0.75 and 1.4 million on USA Network — down sharply from last year, when the race was run on a Sunday night (2.22M).
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Watkins Glen averaged a 1.0 rating and 1.85 million viewers on USA Network, up slightly from last year’s race, which aired in September opposite the NFL (1.81M). Compared to Richmond on the same August weekend last year, viewership fell 17%.
Shane Van Gisbergen’s win, which peaked with 2.0 million at the conclusion, ranks as the least-watched Cup Series race since rain-drenched Saturday night event from Atlanta in June (1.61M).
The corresponding Xfinity Series race averaged a 0.6 and 1.1 million on CW Saturday afternoon, up 40% from last year’s September edition on USA (778K) and the most-watched Xfinity race at the track since 2018. Connor Zilisch’s win, which was marred by his postrace fall in victory lane, peaked with 1.47 million in the 6:30 PM ET quarter-hour.
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Iowa averaged a 1.2 rating and 2.17 million viewers on USA, peaking at 2.5 million — down 13% and 19% respectively from last year’s inaugural race at the track, which aired in primetime on Father’s Day (1.4, 2.7M), but still the most-watched sporting event of last weekend.
The previous day, Xfinity Series action averaged a 0.54 and 1.01 million on CW — up 10% and 16% respectively from last year on USA (0.49, 871K) and the most-watched Xfinity race at the venue since 2018, with the caveat that it was not run from 2020-2023.
Source: NASCAR, NBC Sports PR
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway averaged a 1.2 rating and 2.45 million viewers across TNT (2.3M) and truTV (169K), marking the smallest Cup Series audience at the venue (excluding rainouts), but the largest NASCAR audience since the Coca-Cola 600 on Prime Video in May.
Bubba Wallace’s win, which peaked with 3.1 million in the 5:30 PM ET quarter-hour, declined sharply from last year’s Brickyard 400 — which despite breaking news preemptions and competition still averaged a 2.1 and 3.63 million on NBC.
Saturday’s corresponding Xfinity Series race averaged a 0.6 and 1.11 million on CW, down slightly from last year on USA Network (1.16M).
Source: NASCAR, CW, TNT Sports
Jon Lewis
The July 20 NASCAR Cup Series race from Dover (Del.) averaged a 1.1 rating and 2.01 million viewers across TNT (1.87M) and truTV (137K), down from last year’s 1.3 and 2.40 million when the race aired on FS1 in April.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race drew a 0.58 and 1.05 million on CW, the largest audience for an Xfinity Series race at the track since 2016. Both races were affected by weather, with the Cup race experiencing a one-hour delay and the Xfinity race called after 134 of 200 laps.
Source: NASCAR, CW
Jon Lewis
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Sonoma (Ca.) averaged a 1.1 rating and 2.19 million viewers across TNT (1.97M) and truTV (224K), down sharply from last year on FOX (1.6, 2.90M), but an increase over the higher-profile Chicago Street Race a week earlier (1.1, 2.06M).
Shane Van Gisbergen’s second-straight win, which peaked with 2.5 million in the 6:30 PM ET quarter-hour, drew the largest publicly reported Cup Series audience since the Coca-Cola 600. Keep in mind Prime Video used Nielsen’s “big data” metric for its five races (including the Coke 600), as opposed to the “panel only” measure being used by the linear networks.
Notably, Sunday’s viewership in adults 18-34 is said to have increased 29% over last year’s Cup Series average on cable.
Xfinity Series action the previous day drew a 0.51 rating and 972,000 on CW — the largest audience in the three years the race has been run.
Source: NASCAR, TNT Sports, CW
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race averaged a 1.1 rating and 2.06 million viewers across TNT (1.88M) and truTV (184K), down sharply from last year on NBC, when the race was scheduled for a later start time and ended even later than scheduled due to rain (2.1, 3.79M).
Shane Van Gisbergen’s win, which peaked with 2.8 million in the 5 PM ET quarter-hour, increased nearly 90 percent among adults 18-34 when compared to last year’s Cup Series races on cable.
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Chicago Street Race averaged 1.14 million viewers on CW, down 35% from last year on NBC. Though down sharply overall, CW said viewership was up 51 percent on the Chicago CW affiliate WGN compared to last year on NBC affiliate WMAQ.
Shane Van Gisbergen’s win, which peaked with 1.3 million in the 6:30 PM ET quarter-hour, ranks seventh for the season among races on CW.
Source: CW
Jon Lewis
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Atlanta averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.61 million viewers across TNT and truTV, a figure that includes a half-hour weather-delay — down 23% and 20% respectively from last year, when the race aired on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend on USA Network (1.1, 2.02M).
Versus Nashville on same late June weekend last year, another Sunday race on USA Network, ratings fell 28% and viewership 25% from a 1.1 and 2.13 million.
In other action, last Friday’s rain-delayed Xfinity Series race from Atlanta averaged a 0.33 and 583,000 on CW, and Truck Series action from Lime Rock (Conn.) drew a 0.36 and 616,000 on FOX.
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s rain-delayed NASCAR Cup Series race from Pocono (Pa.) averaged 1.87 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, per the Nielsen “Big Data” metric — down from the equivalent race last season at New Hampshire (1.94M). Last year’s Pocono race aired on USA Network in July — on a weekend of unusually significant breaking news — and averaged 2.4 million (per the Nielsen “panel only” metric).
Chase Briscoe’s win, which peaked with 2.13 million in the 7:15 PM ET quarter-hour, had a median age of 56.1 — compared to 63.2 for last year’s New Hampshire race.
Source: Amazon
Jon Lewis
The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race from Mexico City averaged a 1.0 rating and 2.10 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, per the new Nielsen “big data” metric. Shane Van Gisbergen’s win, which peaked with 2.45 million in the 6:15 PM ET quarter-hour, had a median age of 54.3 — the lowest for a Cup Series race since 2017.
The corresponding Xfinity Series race averaged a 0.49 and season-low 868,000 on CW.
Source: Prime Video, NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race from Nashville averaged a 0.55 rating and 988,000 viewers on CW, marking the most-watched edition of the race since it debuted in 2021. Ratings were flat and viewership increased 5% in viewership from last year on USA Network, when the race took place at the end of June (0.55, 943K).
Justin Allgaier’s win, which peaked with 1.06 million in the 9:45 PM ET quarter-hour, was the first Xfinity Series race this season to average fewer than one million viewers.
NASCAR now accounts for the 23 most-watched programs on CW this year.
Source: CW, NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Nashville averaged a 1.0 rating and 2.06 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, per the new Nielsen “Big Data” measurement — which would rank as the smallest audience yet for the five-year old race. Last year’s edition aired on NBC and averaged 3.24 million, per the traditional Nielsen panel-only metric.
Ryan Blaney’s win, which peaked with 2.21 million in the 10 PM ET quarter-hour, increased 10% over last year and 23% over 2023 among viewers under 35. As was the case for the Coca-Cola 600 a week earlier, the median age of 56.8 was lower than for a typical NASCAR race on linear television (62.8).
Source: Prime Video
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte averaged a 1.2 rating and 2.72 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, according to the new Nielsen “Big Data” measure that Prime is transacting on in its debut season. Per Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal, the race averaged 2.6 million using the traditional “panel-only” Nielsen measure that is directly comparable to past years.
For a full breakdown of the numbers, see this article.
Source: Prime Video, NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race from Charlotte averaged 1.15 million viewers on CW, down slightly from last year on FOX, when the race drew its largest audience since 2016 (1.16M).
William Byron’s win, which peaked with 1.4 million in the 7:15 PM ET quarter-hour, increased 56% from last year’s 13th race of the season — Portland in June on FS1.
The first 13 Xfinity Series races this season have averaged at least one million viewers, the first such occurrence since 2016.
Source: CW
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race averaged a 1.1 rating and 2.0 million viewers on FS1, down from last year (1.4, 2.57M). Excluding prerace and postrace segments, the race drew a 1.2 (-21%) and 2.27 million (-18%).
Last year’s All-Star Race marked NASCAR’s return to the North Wilkesboro track.
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Kansas averaged a 1.1 rating and 2.32 million viewers on FS1 last Sunday, down 11% in ratings but up 1% in viewership from last year, when the start was delayed due to rain (1.3, 2.30M). Kyle Larson’s win — which peaked with 2.92 million in the 6 PM ET quarter-hour — declined slightly from two years ago, when the race was run as scheduled (2.35M).
There was no corresponding Xfinity Series race.
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
NASCAR Cup Series racing from Texas averaged a 1.4 rating and 2.56 million viewers on FS1, up a tick in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year, when the race was run in mid-April. Compared to Dover on the equivalent weekend of last season, viewership for Joey Logano’s win increased 7% from last year’s 2.4 million.
The Cup race comfortably outdrew the competing F1 Miami Grand Prix on ABC (2.17M).
As for the corresponding Xfinity Series race, CW averaged a 0.56 and 1.00 million on Saturday — up sharply from last year’s Texas race (803K).
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Talladega averaged a 2.2 rating and 4.0 million viewers on FOX, down 10% and 6% respectively from last year (2.4, 4.3M). Austin Cindric’s win, which peaked with 4.8 million viewers, still delivered the second-largest sports audience of the week (behind the competing Lakers-Timberwolves NBA playoff game on ABC — 7.35M).
On Saturday, Xfinity Series racing at Talladega drew a 0.7 and 1.3 million on CW — down 22% and 21% respectively from last year on the FOX broadcast network (0.9, 1.6M), but still the third-largest Xfinity Series audience in the CW era (18 races).
The Xfinity Series again delivered the largest CW audience of the week and has now topped the one million mark for 11-straight weeks.
In other Talladega action, the ARCA race there averaged 317,000 on FS1 (-23%).
Source: NASCAR
Jon Lewis
NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Rockingham (N.C.) averaged a 0.58 rating and 1.05 million viewers on CW, up 9 and 19 percent respectively from last year’s equivalent race at Dover on FS1 (0.53, 883K). All ten Xfinity Series races this season have crossed the million viewer threshold.
Notably, the race delivered the week’s largest audience on CW.
Source: NASCAR
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