NASCAR Cup Phoenix Cable High, Broadcast Down
- The NASCAR Cup Series has experienced a meaningful shift in viewership patterns following the implementation of its new media rights deal.
- The NASCAR Cup Series race from Phoenix achieved a notable milestone, averaging a 1.4 rating and 2.82 million viewers on FS1.This marked the largest Cup Series audience on...
- The move to FS1 for the Phoenix race represents a broader trend in NASCAR's broadcasting strategy.
NASCAR Cup Series Viewership Shifts with New Media Rights Deal
Table of Contents
- NASCAR Cup Series Viewership Shifts with New Media Rights Deal
- NASCAR Viewership Trends: A Deep Dive into the New Media Rights Deal
- How is the new media rights deal affecting NASCAR Cup Series viewership?
- What happened with the Phoenix race viewership?
- How does the Phoenix race viewership compare to previous cable races?
- What does the future hold for NASCAR Cup Series on broadcast TV?
- Who won the Phoenix race, and how did it impact the day’s sports viewership?
- How is the NASCAR Xfinity Series performing with its new broadcast partner?
- Key Viewership Comparisons
The NASCAR Cup Series has experienced a meaningful shift in viewership patterns following the implementation of its new media rights deal. The changes have resulted in both gains adn losses in audience size, reflecting the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting.
Phoenix Race Marks Cable Milestone, Shows Audience Decline
The NASCAR Cup Series race from Phoenix achieved a notable milestone, averaging a 1.4 rating and 2.82 million viewers on FS1.This marked the largest Cup Series audience on cable in nearly four years, sence the 2021 Darlington race which drew 3.1 million viewers. However, this achievement was accompanied by a decline of 36% in ratings and 30% in viewership compared to the previous year’s race, which aired on the FOX broadcast network and garnered 2.2 ratings and 4.03 million viewers.
The move to FS1 for the Phoenix race represents a broader trend in NASCAR’s broadcasting strategy. With a reduced presence on broadcast television due to the new media rights agreement, the Phoenix race became the earliest cup Series event on cable since 2000. Back then, TNN broadcasted Rockingham in the season’s second week. In contrast, the first cable race of the previous season occurred in April at Martinsville. Interestingly, viewership for the Phoenix race increased by 29% compared to that Martinsville race.
Phoenix was the first of ten races transitioning from broadcast to cable or streaming platforms this year. Looking ahead, only two races are scheduled for broadcast TV between now and late October, signaling a significant shift in how fans can access NASCAR content.
Christopher Bell’s Victory and Weekend Sports Audience
Christopher Bell‘s third consecutive win peaked with 3.39 million viewers during the 6:45 PM ET quarter-hour. This peak made it the largest sports audience of the day, surpassing NBC’s coverage of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational, which drew 2.81 million viewers. However, for the entire weekend, the race’s viewership ranked behind the Lakers-Celtics NBA game on ABC (4.6 million) and the Duke-North Carolina college basketball game on ESPN (3.0 million).
Xfinity Series Thrives on CW
In contrast to the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix saw positive gains. It averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.2 million viewers on CW, representing a slight increase in ratings and a 13% rise in viewership compared to the previous year’s race on FS1. Notably, the NASCAR xfinity Series has consistently delivered the largest CW audience of the week for all four weeks of the season.
While the Cup Series is reducing its presence on broadcast television, the Xfinity Series will be broadcasted exclusively on the CW for the duration of the new media rights deal. So far, all four CW races have outperformed last year’s equivalent races on FS1, indicating a triumphant transition for the series.
NASCAR Viewership Trends: A Deep Dive into the New Media Rights Deal
NASCAR’s new media rights deal is reshaping how fans consume racing.This Q&A explores the shifts in viewership, highlights key stats, and analyzes the impact on both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series.
How is the new media rights deal affecting NASCAR Cup Series viewership?
The NASCAR Cup Series is experiencing a mixed bag in terms of viewership since the new media rights deal was implemented. While some races have seen audience growth on cable networks, others have faced declines compared to previous years when they aired on broadcast television. This reflects the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting and changing viewing habits.
What happened with the Phoenix race viewership?
The NASCAR Cup Series race from Phoenix saw a notable milestone, averaging a 1.4 rating and 2.82 million viewers on FS1. This was the largest Cup Series audience on cable in nearly four years. However, this was accompanied by a 36% decrease in ratings and a 30% decrease in viewership compared to the previous year’s race on FOX, which garnered 2.2 ratings and 4.03 million viewers.
Why did the Phoenix race viewership decline compared to last year?
The decline is primarily attributed to the shift from broadcast television (FOX) to cable (FS1).Broadcast networks typically have a wider reach than cable, leading to larger audiences.
How does the Phoenix race viewership compare to previous cable races?
Interestingly, while the Phoenix race viewership was down compared to the previous year’s broadcast on FOX, it showed a 29% increase compared to the first cable race of the previous season, which was held at martinsville. This suggests that while moving to cable may initially reduce viewership compared to broadcast,it can still attract a important audience.
How manny NASCAR Cup Series races are moving to cable or streaming?
The Phoenix race was the first of ten races transitioning from broadcast to cable or streaming platforms this year, signaling a major shift in how fans will access NASCAR content.
What does the future hold for NASCAR Cup Series on broadcast TV?
Looking ahead, only two NASCAR Cup Series races are scheduled for broadcast TV between now and late October. This represents a significant reduction in the Cup Series’ presence on free,over-the-air television.
Who won the Phoenix race, and how did it impact the day’s sports viewership?
Christopher Bell won the Phoenix race. The race peaked with 3.39 million viewers during the 6:45 PM ET quarter-hour, making it the largest sports audience of the day, surpassing NBC’s coverage of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational (2.81 million viewers).
How did the Phoenix race viewership compare to other weekend sports events?
Despite topping the sports viewership for the day, the Phoenix race’s overall weekend viewership ranked behind the Lakers-celtics NBA game on ABC (4.6 million) and the Duke-North Carolina college basketball game on ESPN (3.0 million).
How is the NASCAR Xfinity Series performing with its new broadcast partner?
In contrast to the Cup series, the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix saw positive gains. It averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.2 million viewers on CW, representing a slight increase in ratings and a 13% rise in viewership compared to the previous year’s race on FS1.
Is the Xfinity Series doing well on the CW network?
Yes, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has consistently delivered the largest CW audience of the week for all four weeks of the season so far. All four CW races have outperformed last year’s equivalent races on FS1.
What is the broadcast arrangement for the Xfinity Series?
The Xfinity Series will be broadcast exclusively on the CW for the duration of the new media rights deal. This contrasts with the Cup Series, which is seeing a reduction in its broadcast presence.
Key Viewership Comparisons
| Metric | NASCAR Cup Series (Phoenix, FS1) | NASCAR Xfinity Series (Phoenix, CW) |
|—————–|————————————|————————————|
| Viewership | 2.82 million | 1.2 million |
| Rating | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| Change vs. Last Year | -30% (vs. FOX broadcast) | +13% (vs. FS1 broadcast) |