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NASCAR's Daytona 500 on Fox pulls disappointing ratings, worst since 2001
Too rainy for Digger? Maybe the gopher needs to call a meeting of the big brass (Photo: Fox Sports)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
Fox' TV ratings for Sunday's rain-shortened Daytona 500 drew a disappointing 9.2, the lowest ratings for the sport's biggest event since 2001, the first year of NASCAR's network package.
Fox officials said this past Sunday's TV audience averaged 16 million.
NASCAR officials called the race because of persistent rain, with nearly 100 miles yet to be run.
The Daytona 500 TV record was an 11.3 (with 19.3 million viewers) in 2006 when NBC paired the race with the Winter Olympics.
The 2001 Daytona 500, Fox' first, pulled an 8.4. In 2002 NBC, again pairing NASCAR with the Olympics, hit a 10.9. In 2007 Fox drew a 10.1, and in 2008 Fox drew a 10.2.
However Fox pointed out the Daytona 500 still outdistance the NCAA Final Four (which had 15.4 million viewers), the Beijing Olympics (15.2 million), the 2008 NBA Finals (14.9 million), the Kentucky Derby (14.2 million), and the final round of The Masters (13.1 million).
The top markets for the NASCAR event – Greenville, S.C., and Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point. Other top markets for this event were Dayton, Ohio, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Tn., Charlotte, Orlando, Nashville, Tampa, and Jacksonville, Fla.
So just how badly did NASCAR and Fox aggravate the fans and viewers with Sunday's disappointing pull-the-plug finish? (Photo: Fox Sports)
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I can proudly state that I
I can proudly state that I missed my first Daytona 500 (by choice) for the first time since 1993 and thus contributed to the ratings decline. After reading all about the race debacle and antics involved,I sure am glad I didnt waste those few hours of my life. Mr Brian France,stick that in your pipe and smoke it! NASCAR has problems and they are many. With Cali-bore-nia coming up,I dont see the reason to tune in again this week.
I get my fix on You Tube,
I get my fix on You Tube, watching old clips.
Digger all washed up...
Digger all washed up...
The calling of the race due to rain didn't bother me, though I'd rather see a race end on schedule but anyone who keeps up with the sport knows that the race can be called after the halfway mark. But finishing the race early hurts ratings because I imagine that a lot of people probably tuned in late to see the last 20 or so laps but instead they got to see the talking heads blabbering on and on...at least under the red flag we weren't subjected to Digger...
I think that the crossroads that NASCAR put it self at a few years ago is starting to show that it didn't work.
The problem with NASCAR these days is that it isn't so much about racing anymore as it is about just "being" NASCAR and using TV and advertising to further market that brand name.
It's all about marketing and advertising. The actual racing has taken a seat behind the "business" of being NASCAR.
The long time dedicated fans to racing are tuning out. But not enough casual TV fans are tuning in to replace them. So the ratings continue to drop.
I know I don't keep up with it near as much as I did just a few years ago. It's just so much posturing and pretending anymore.
Gone are the days of real racing and real race car drivers. Can you imagine Pearson and Yarborough or Allison and Petty being "Gillette Young Guns" or doing cutesy commercials for UPS or AFLAC?
But for some reason, I still tune in to watch certain tracks, like Daytona and Bristol. I guess I hope to see a flash of the sport that I loved back in the day.
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