NASCAR Playoff Viewership Falls to 1.2 Million as Cup Series Average Slips to 2.3 Million
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 22
NASCAR Playoff Viewership Falls to 1.2 Million as Cup Series Average Slips to 2.3 Million
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 22
Summary
Phoenix’s playoff race drew just 1.2 million viewers last Sunday, a stark low for NASCAR with the championship only three weeks away.
Through 33 races, the Cup Series is averaging 2.3 million viewers, while the seven playoff races have averaged 1.5 million—far below the more than 4.5 million per race NASCAR averaged in 2016.
The report blames the slide on limited network exposure—only seven races on broadcast TV this season—plus a playoff schedule that runs headlong into the NFL and college football.
It also points to fan frustration with the Next Gen car, fewer standout personalities in the garage and the loss of elimination-race drama as reasons casual viewers are tuning out.
With the TV deal locked in and a new car years away, the clearest near-term fix cited is shortening the season and ending the playoffs around Labor Day.