Brandon Kochkodin. And that is for the Indianapolis 500 of stock cars. Now, they buy their way in. Internal surveys show that 75 percent of Nascar fans overall approve of next year's schedule -- one that includes a dirt race at Bristol -- and 90 percent of the 18 to 34 demographic approves. So here are three actual reasons for the decline of NASCAR. It was the first NCS race on the dirt in 50 years. 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. 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. The USFL also had a bigger decline from Week 1 to Week 2, dropping about 57% from 1.57 million. Fox Sportss coverage was particularly abominable, with a seemingly endless parade of commercial interruptions mixed with the Ford Cutaway Car, the Home Depot Pit Crew Member, the Viagra Boner Of The Race, whatever, all during green flag racing. Overall, it is another positive and negative week. NBC did the best with what it was given, really, but there were few compelling storylines. Just ten years later, there were 13 such eventsnearly half the schedule. NASCARs popularity is down and the ratings reflect it. So if Im right, in a few years NASCAR may become Americas summer sport again. 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. Interestingly, it has been said that NASCAR has been getting younger (the drivers) and older (the fans) at the same time. The Daytona Road Course averaged 4.750 million viewers during the event. The top of the mountain in NASCAR circles back then was known as the Grand National Division but in 1971, the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., then-manufacturer of Winston cigarettes, contracted with NASCAR to become title sponsor and the Winston Cup Series (to be known thereafter as simply Cup, regardless of subsequent sponsorships) was born,. (It wasnt a tough call to make, if you actually looked at her results instead of her figure.). The NFL only went down 9%, but please, tell me about anthem kneelers. ), and a race at the concrete venue of Nashville for the first time. In other NASCAR action, the Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas turned in a 0.7 and 1.28 million. View 2021 Bristol tv ratings below. Unless you are a die-hard fan of the sport, people would rather watch condensed snippets of the race or read the highlights instead of actually spending time watching or subscribing to NASCAR real-time races. It is possible that another playoff system to sustain interest in TV programming for nine months could be introduced with a radically revamped schedule in 2021 and it is possible that NASCAR could go back to the old way and determine a champ on points over an entire season. For NASCAR it meant fewer butts in seats at tracks, and fewer sponsors willing to part with what little revenue they were earning. Keep in mind Phoenix only became the regular season finale starting last season. 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. However, by the time NASCAR was peaking in the early 2000s, there already wasnt much manufacturer identity left. The decline of NASCAR from dominance started circa 2005, and there wasnt any big change to car specs in that time period. It took time, maybe too much time, but NASCAR is finally addressing the three biggest reasons for the decline of the sport. 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. The decline of NASCAR was a combination of ill-considered decisions: the implementation of a contrived playoff, poorly thought out broadcasting contracts, and departing from unique and venerable venues for dull, unexciting ones. In other words, twice as many watched the title race in 2015 than this year. NASCARs initial playoff brainchild was hugely unpopular, and every griping fan in comment sections of blogs everywhere had the artificial points reset near the top of their list of complaints. Yes, NASCAR actually believed an artificial points reset after two thirds of the season was the move that was going to catapult them past the NFL. Labor Day is in Darlington where it belongs, and Darlington is hosting two events again. 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. Yet instead of focusing their marketing on Johnsons unequaled supremacy, NASCAR chose to put all of their marketing eggs into the Danica Patrick basket, believing a swimsuit model who could drive a racecar would save the sport. Dr. Jon Lewis (aka Paulsen) has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. When not at work, Karlo spends his time at home, with family, either being the cook or fixit guy in his house. Now72 years old, the racing organization has managed to evolve through the decades in order to meet the changing trends, technology, and preferences that directly affect the sport. Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader, Geoff Bodine, Rusty Wallace and Trevor Boys were among several dozen drivers whose names soon became familiar, if not famous. By Jack Davis June 22, 2020 at 8:10am. Now, NASCAR might say, Well, 3.759 million for a race in November, even if it is half as much as four years ago, is more than 0.000 viewers for no race. And ratings are slightly better overall when you include the Fox half, which is better than another plunge, as in 2018. It's no secret that NASCAR is experiencing a variety of issues related to its popularity, despite a slight recent uptick in TV ratings. That would have a big effect on viewership overall. 1) Just like all the other major racing series in the world, NASCAR has become a money deal. And while 2020 has been anything but usual especially in the sports world, NASCAR was the one sport that didnt suffer a significant ratings drop. 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). [Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 3.9]. 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. OTHER VIEWS? NASCAR made an absurd amount of money with their television contracts in the 2000s, but that ultimately cost them a sizable chunk of the audience when networks were forced to make it worth their while. NASCAR vehicles evolved over the decades to become safer for the drivers and spectators, the result of which is that cars today are uniform, standardized vehicles with their bodies basically just shells on top of a chassis. This year's Daytona 500, for example, drew 4.8 million viewers a. 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. [Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.9, network PR]. Im not buying the its too safe bit as a cause for the decline of NASCAR. In fact, Nascar could just dump it all on Netflix - which, according to one study, is responsible for half the decline of TV viewership alone. Racing Ratings By Phillip Bupp on 06/23/2022. I also think it's healthy just in terms of the interest. 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. According to reports, the league saw a sharp 50% decline in viewership from week one to the next week.The 3.0 reboot is not going well. By the measurements used today, NASCAR then is in a very good place. Ratings fell 19% and viewership 21% from last year, when it was the second race of the season (3.2, 5.50M). Follow along, because there will be a test later . A leading business development, project manager in the auction and liquidation industry, and consultant for various local and national government offices in the Philippines. Racing, like basketball and other sports, has seen year-to-year ratings decline. Auto Club Speedway's racetrack seems to be adored by every . Maybe there is a segment of fans who tune in for death-defying calamities, but that has always been a part of the sport and still is. Related: NASCAR ratings on big rise compared to recent years in 2022. In the late '90s and the early 2000s, NASCAR saw an unprecedented growth in popularity and TV ratings. The Patriots domination was great for the NFL. The current NBA broadcast deal nets the league $2.6 billion a year, however, a new report says the next one may be closer to $8 billion annually. Standings. Ill never forget seeing Elliott Sadlers terrifying end-over-end crash at Talladega in 2003 and seeing it again in every single ad for Talladega races for the next 3-4 years. . By then, hardly anyone will have a standard TV, anyway, because every event will be streamed, and ratings wont matter. NASCAR's viewership for the first half of the 2022 season is the highest since 2017. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. You will find all of your NASCAR ratings coverage at Sportsnaut. That NASCAR was doomed, soon to become nothing more than a memory. The above car is a NASCAR entry that is supposed to look like a Toyota Supra. Im not sure why people would think this, although Id actually had some heated debates with Tom Bowles at the Frontstretch about it. NBC was slightly ahead of last years pace before the Nov. 10 race at Phoenix, but it drew 2.567 million, the least-watched Cup race on broadcast television since 2001 (not counting rainouts). 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