The drops: 10% in one year, 19% in two years, 38% in three years, and, good golly Miss Molly, 51% since 2015, when NBC picked up the second half of the season in a giant 10-year contract, with Fox. I wonder why Truck Series and Xfinity viewership(even from 2019) is up but Cup Series viewership is down. Removing the Toyota logo and Supra badge, one would be hard-pressed to identify, and in actuality, to associate with the caron what it is supposed to represent. The trajectory is good. However, in recent years that growth has slowed. Dover is a 1-mile track, and 11 laps does not take long. The fan base that is paying attention to our sport now than probably two or three years agopart of that is the economic model of our sport is a little bit more sounder, on solid footing; the introduction to the Next Gen car, it brings on new owners like Justin Marks and Michael Jordan, Pitbull et cetera. In the early 2000s, NASCAR was soaring. In that race, caution flags were flown almost every ten laps for tire wear, as Jimmie Johnson limped to a victory. I remember watching it and literally wondering if I was going to see the finish of the race. However, by the time NASCAR was peaking in the early 2000s, there already wasnt much manufacturer identity left. The Patriots domination was great for the NFL. Up until the middle of the 21st century the measured pairs of eyeballs watching NASCAR on TV were counted, analyzed and, for the most part, cheered. Sunday, when the big-league Monster Energy Series took the green flag, it was better but there were still an awful lot of empty seats. Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader, Geoff Bodine, Rusty Wallace and Trevor Boys were among several dozen drivers whose names soon became familiar, if not famous. In fact, the current car lends itself to some pretty good racing. 2 days ago The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to decline running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year option, which in turn makes him a logical candidate to be traded this offseason. Certain segments of fans, and media, began to cry that sky was falling. Now, they buy their way in. The Nielsen ratings for NASCAR's most-watched races, such as The Daytona 500, have plummeted in recent years. NASCAR's meteoric rise was fed by the rise of Jeff Gordon, whom many consider to be NASCAR's first superstar, and the death of legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. In addition, the current playoff format, while far from perfect, isnt nearly as unpalatable as the Chase was. The Great Recession that swept across the landscape starting in 2008 changed everything. Its safe to say this is not ideal for the sport and there should be some concern on why ratings continue to fall. HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 17: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, celebrates after [+] winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead Speedway on November 17, 2019 in Homestead, Florida. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season averaged 2.93 million viewers across FOX, FS1, NBC and NBCSN, down 4% from last year (3.06M), down 6% from 2019 (3.11M) and the least-watched season on record. The league's first game of the 2023 slate, the Vipers vs. Renegades, drew 1.54 . NASCARs viewership continues to fall after the ratings for last weekends race at Auto Club Speedway were released on Tuesday morning. For the first time in over a decade and a half, they seem to be headed in the right direction. A shot that shows the overall value sponsors receive. Nascar, long a symbol of Southern heritage, has become an unlikely battleground in the debate over whether the Confederate battle flag still has a place in America. The Xfinity Series at Indianapolis had a rating of 0.67, with 1.249 million viewers, totaling more than F1 Pocono TV Ratings July 26, 2022 Herbst adds that small swings in the numbers show the steadiness of viewership week to week, and thats a very good thing. The sport has grown from. In NASCARs pre-1990s heyday, when it was still very much a regional sport, manufacturer identity was a big thing. All eight CBS-owned CW affiliates have "declined to air" LIV Golf's tournaments, according to Rice & Hayes of DEADLINE. However, the second race of the 2022 season saw a more significant drop in viewership compared to previous seasons. Longtime, big-name sponsors are leaving the sport while. He said its important to look at the bigger picture, a bigger picture that shows how media is consumed. Advertising and sponsorship deals are the lifeblood of spectator sports, that is why the TV spots for the Superbowl are some of the most expensive in television. I dont need to tell anyone who was a fan in the 2000s this, but NASCARs broadcasts at the time may have been the worst in the history of sports. They shut down the polls and went ahead with it anyway. Mike Joy is an outstanding announcer, and it was never a big deal for a fan to mute Darrell Waltrips exponentially annoying boogity boogity boogity! at the green flag. NASCAR should post improved viewership numbers in 2022. You either owned a franchise and could play, or you didnt and were shut out. In 2008 Kyle Busch smoked the field for the first 26 races, winning eight of them and setting the NASCAR world on fire with his brash and unapologetic racing style. NASCAR blew off fan demand for picture-in-picture commercial breakssomething theyve since embracedwhile Fox Sportss indifference to fans went completely unchecked. The season averaged 2.866 million sans-Daytona, down 1% from last year (2.91M) and a fraction of a percent from 19 (2.871M). Photo credit: wjarrettc on Visual hunt / CC BY With the current playoff point structure, drivers are also somewhat rewarded for strong season-long performances as wellwhile the Chase completely disregarded excellence during the season. After two DNFs in the first two Chase events resulting from simple bad luck, just like that his title hopes were gone. Sundays NASCAR Cup Series race from Las Vegas averaged a 2.6 rating and 4.36 million viewers on FOX, marking the lowest rated edition of the race since it debuted in 1998 and the smallest audience since at least 2001 (viewership prior to 2002 was not available). It may seem good on the surface, but there's more beneath that makes this concerning. As one of motorsport's most popular race series, NASCAR has a long and colorful history that dates to the US prohibition erain the 1930s. Fortunately, NASCAR is finally addressing this. . . Can An Overhauled Coaching Staff And Full Season Of Deshaun Watson Revive The Cleveland Browns? Speaking of disrespecting your fan base, how about needlessly putting an end to a beloved 54-year tradition? (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images). It was blatant condescension towards what was arguably the most loyal fanbase in sports. So that's household using televisions. Ratings fell 19% and viewership 21% from last year, when it was the second race of the season (3.2, 5.50M). Q: You say NASCAR continues to grow and like you, . In the FOX/NBC era of NASCAR TV (since 2001), Daytona 500 ratings peaked in 2006 on NBC with 19.4 million viewers and an 11.3 rating. Comments Off on What Caused The Decline of NASCAR? NASCAR Home. It would have saved a lot of time. What are the biggest differences between these sports? Im also someone who became a disenchanted former fan myself. Fans might be tired of the novelty of the playoffs. They hate all of the commercials. NASCAR Home. It could be argued that Junior was the sports last link to its tobacco-chewing, Southern past; once Jeff Gordon tore up the sport, drivers started to appear from every corner of the country. Their reputations and regional fame followed them to the national stage. In a piece published in the Athletic last week, Ethan Strauss reported that the ratings for network NBA broadcasts have declined by 45 percent since 2011-12. Las Vegas, by contrast, moved back from the coveted week after the Daytona 500. NASCAR polled fans about the idea on their website following the 2003 season, and fans overwhelmingly rejected it. But experts say the reasons are multitude. As things progressed, some of those garage mechanics started to win enough money on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons that they gave up their day jobs to become full-time racers guys like Lee Petty and his son Richard (who raced as Dick Petty, originally), David Pearson, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker and Benny Parsons. If that contributed to NASCARs decline, however, that is on NASCAR. Interestingly, it has been said that NASCAR has been getting younger (the drivers) and older (the fans) at the same time. Photo credit: Zach Catanzareti Photo on Visualhunt / CC BY-SA I'm just . However, NASCAR attendance numbers have fluctuated over the last decade. So if you can say that it's you and the NFL in terms of stability of your audience. Jimmie Johnson was a hallmark of ruthless efficiency in his prime, winning seven titles and five in a row. Gordon scored the most points overall of any driver in 2004, 2007, and 2014. Though Nielsen had been king of all things TV for generations, the truth was they were having trouble keeping up as people began to shift their viewing habits. These are bold changes, but this variety of tracks will test drivers and teams at every level. For any fan that needs racing to be dangerous, there are still four restrictor plate races on the schedule. It was, but even that wasnt the point. But for whatever reason, Junior not only didnt measure up to his fathers formidable reputation, he rarely even established himself as a contender. There was suddenly lots and lots of prize money available and other full-time competitors like Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip joined up to give chase. So more people are tuned into Amazon prime or Netflix So to the extent that you can be flat or even up a couple of points it says a lot just about fan interest in the sport.. Now, only the economic elite are allowed to enter the Inner Sanctum and if theres one thing NASCAR used to abhor, it was elitism of any kind. Photo credit: sarahstierch on Visualhunt.com / CC BY While retired drivers still are visible within the world of NASCAR acting as team managers, commentators, or guests, without the familiar presence of these stars on the track, people can, and have lost some level of interest in NASCAR. . As the son of one of the greatest racecar drivers in history, Junior also had an impossible standard to live up to. The presidential and general elections, which need to be held no later than June 18, come at a tough time for Erdogan who has seen a decline in his ratings because of skyrocketing inflation. Then they sharply declined in Week Two. Not only in the business world, but in all sports as well. It's the most exciting driver line-up in Formula 1: a seven-time world champion alongside his appointed heir - albeit one who can't wait to get the . I have been around and covered NASCAR for over two decades. The various platforms of social media have been a convenient and fast way to obtain information and entertainment on a particular sporting event. Im not sure why people would think this, although Id actually had some heated debates with Tom Bowles at the Frontstretch about it. Next:10 NASCAR Drivers With The Most Wins (& How Much They Won). Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired at the end of the 2017 season. And he had a very large fan base. NBC said its season viewership averages of 18 Cup races in 2019 (except for weather-affected races at Daytona and Darlington) was 2.57 million, the same as in 2018. But the ratings decline is hitting all of the leagues hard (including MLB, which has not embraced the movement on the field nearly as much as the WNBA, NBA, and NFL). LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 14: (L-R) Brian Herbst, NASCAR managing director, broadcasting, Scott Warfield, NASCAR managing director, social and digital content, Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Team Penske Ford Fusion, Jill Gregory, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer and Laura Froelich, Twitter global head of sports partnerships, pose for a photo after NASCAR announces plans to live-stream in-car cameras on Twitter for the 2018 season on March 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. After a marked decline in the middle of the previous decade, NASCAR's television numbers have been on the rebound over the past five years. The household share was up 9% compared to 2022 and represented the largest share for the second race of the season since 2017. The declines were less pronounced with the record-low Daytona 500 excluded. Compared to the 2019 finale from Homestead-Miami, ratings fell 13% (from 2.2) and viewership 14% (from 3.74M). OK, here we go. Standings. Photo credit: Zach Catanzareti Photo on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-SA Brandon Kochkodin. For NASCAR it meant fewer butts in seats at tracks, and fewer sponsors willing to part with what little revenue they were earning. (It wasnt a tough call to make, if you actually looked at her results instead of her figure.). Yes, thats actually true; read it again if you need to. The season ended with two flat tires. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images). The news sort of heads downhill from there. Much like Kyle Petty, he ultimately became more known for his good-guy personality and his lineage than for his achievements on the racetrack. When you use this link to shop on Amazon, youll help subsidize this great websiteat no extra charge to you. As a result, teams with more resourcessuch as Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Racingwon big for years. [Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.9, network PR]. Not only is this tolerated by NASCAR but encouraged. Compared to NASCARs 18-49 demographic, IndyCar has an average of 24%, while they are at 20.1%. However, these deals may be stopping the brand from adapting to consumers' changing viewing habits. In 1994, there were six events held at intermediate tracks of 1.5-2 miles in length. Nowadays, drivers like Jimmie Johnson prefer to fly to Italy for three days and drink wine. Still with me? Its not often noticed, but it was definitely noticed by Jeff Gordon fans: had NASCAR not implemented the Chase, the driver of the iconic #24 could have been the one standing aside Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty today with seven titles, instead of his protg Jimmie Johnson. This was a problem that actually needed to be addressed and wasnt. winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Homestead Speedway on November 17, 2019 in Homestead, Florida. The NFL only went down 9%, but please, tell me about anthem kneelers. Strauss also reported that TNT's viewership is down 40 percent since the 2011-12 season, and ESPN has seen a decline of about 20 percent during the same time. Formula 1 and IndyCar are on the rise while NASCAR is slowly declining on a weekly and yearly basis. 2) When NASCAR established the franchise system in 2016, the league essentially became a closed shop. . Translation: the drivers are paying for the pleasure of racing. Danica turned out to be a huge bustas many people who followed the sport closely, including yours truly, predicted she would be. If NASCAR wants to fix the ongoing issues with viewership, fixing their way of broadcasting commercials would go a very long way in those efforts. Please email the author at nmcdonald@thestar.ca, Copyright 2023 | Powered by CityMediaInc.com, Happy Birthday, GM Canada, and thanks for the (many) ride(s), Racing Roundup: Great Grand Prix in Austin, despite actions by stewards; Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame induction video; Alonso wont drive in IndyCar in 2019 or ever. NASCAR scraped bottom. Bowlesy thinks there needs to be an element of risk for racing to be exciting; I dont tune in to races to see a car potentially fly into a catch fence and injure spectators. Last Sundays Cup Series finale from Phoenix averaged a 1.95 rating and 3.21 million viewers on NBC, up 4% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.06M) and the highest rated and most-watched fall Phoenix race since 2018 (2.0, 3.31M). People rooted for car brands as well as drivers, and car companies believed in the whole win on Sunday, sell on Monday mantra. This marks a 25% lift versus NASCAR's analogous share in 2018, and is the strongest showing since Fox got off to a 10.5 share start in 2016. Even before the recent political turmoil in the sport, NASCAR was hemorrhaging fans and supporters, with viewership numbers dropping every event. More to the point: both sports need to be patient . Gordon wasnt the only driver who turned in a spectacular season-long performance only to have it nullified. One shining example was a 2010 Dover racea playoff race, no lesswhere ESPN broke away with 11 laps to go in a very much undecided event for an ad break. Elliott is a great driver and a likable kid, and he doesnt take any craphe doesnt shy away from wrecking a driver like Denny Hamlin if the situation called for it. The one thing, though, that all those racing drivers had in common Petty, Pearson, Parsons, Bodine, Waltrip, Earnhardt, Wallace and the rest is that they all started racing on local tracks and created reputations for themselves as hard chargers who were winners. Statistics for NASCAR indicate that 63% are male, 20% are minorities and 47% are between the ages of 18 and 44, with the majority of this age bracket being in the older end, the number of which is also dropping yearly. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. But more importantly, the racing isnt anywhere near as exciting at the cookie cutters, as I so eloquently explained here. Veterans like Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are future Hall of Fame drivers with fairly large followings, and a strong crop of young drivers are making names for themselves. The drops: 10% in one year, 19% in two years, 38% in three years, and, good golly Miss Molly, 51% since 2015, when NBC picked up the second half of the season in a giant 10-year contract, with Fox doing the first half. Labor Day is in Darlington where it belongs, and Darlington is hosting two events again. Sundays race at Auto Club is also down from the second race of the 2021 season. They do not want to watch commercials over and over again. . Next years championship race will be held in Phoenix, and even though the 2020 race should draw a packed house of 42,000, or 7,000 more than the estimated crowd at Homestead, fans have said they dont like the racing at Phoenix as much. While Nielsen was undergoing its transformation other smaller agencies stepped into fill the void. IndyCar always has side-by-side commercials during green flag racing. As it happens, the first four official NASCAR races of 2022 are averaging a 9.73 share, which means nearly 10% of all homes that had TVs in use at the time of the broadcasts were tuned in to Fox. The half-mile dirt track was a success on many levels. When you think of the venues that have showcased the most memorable events in the sports history, Daytona, Darlington, and Bristol often come to mind. And the same is true for NASCAR. In NASCAR's pre-1990s heyday, when it was still very much a regional sport, manufacturer identity was a big thing. NASCAR star Bubba Wallace reacted to a chart on Twitter that showed last weekend's NASCAR race at Foxwoods Resort Casino as the top-watched sporting event of the weekend. The last race at. After 26 of 36 races, the top ten drivers would have their points reset, putting them all on a level playing field again for the last ten races. Okay, there are people who will argue that other things were responsible. 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