Clash of Opinions in NASCAR Community After Shocking 9.1% Viewership Viewership Decline for Phoenix- “It Just Makes It Seem So Fabricated”

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney took the throne at Phoenix Raceway as he came home victorious, being the fastest out of the 4 drivers. The epic conclusion of the Cup Series had all the thrills and frills of a blockbuster event, except one: the fans’ approval. Now, that itself might be a controversial statement to make, but the viewership numbers certainly point towards a sharp decline in TV audience compared to the packed crowd that made it to the venue.

While the #12 driver picked up his first Cup Series title, edging out champion Kyle Larson in the fray, the climax of the 36-race schedule did not receive the response NASCAR hoped it would as the statistics dropped, raising more concerns about the sport’s dwindling popularity.

Packed crowd vs. declining TV viewers: Was the 2023 Cup Series conclusion really a hit?

Now, this is one aspect of the sport that has been getting avid NASCAR fans off their sleep. Compared to the 1990s, or, say, the early 2000s, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR, as it is popularly known, has been in a state of contingency. Unlike its early years as the heartthrob of fans across the US, the art of stock car racing has been in decline, so to speak.

Despite the organization’s efforts to breathe some life, incorporating newer track layouts, and its publicity stunts to go international, the numbers seem to point out a different ball game altogether. Following the conclusion of the Cup Series in Phoenix, prominent NASCAR journalist Austin Konenski uncovered the harsh reality of the sport’s current situation.

The finale, compared to last year’s event, was down by almost 9.1% of TV viewers. According to the numbers available online at this point, NBC drew in a total of 2.92 million viewers for the Cup Series bonanza, which is 9.12% less than what it was last year. Even more worrisome is the fact that this sheer drop in numbers is attributed to the drop in young fans. Despite NASCAR’s efforts to bring in more eyes and add more elements that could cater to the younger section of the fanbase, the all-important 18-49 age group of viewers was a miserable 14%, down 27.57% from 2022.

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NASCAR’s inaugural street race in Chicago still remains the highest-grosser this year in terms of TV numbers, with a total audience density of 4.795 million, becoming the most-viewed NASCAR event on NBC in the last 6 years.

Redditers speculate about the decline as they take matters into their own hands

For some, this was indeed shocking news. Considering the packed stands with cheering crowds that made their way onto the desert track, the TV ratings were certainly an unbelievable shocker. 2023’s final Cup Seris event saw a sell-out crowd despite the excruciating heat of the Arizona desert plains.

With the news of the dwindling ratings making its rounds in NASCAR nation, fans took the journalist’s tweet and started a new discussion, speculating what might have caused the drop. This eventually caused a major rift among the fanbase, as many in the community owed it to NASCAR’s new elimination-style playoff rounds while others dismissed the statistics.

One user used sarcasm, commenting, “Wake up, babe, it’s time to complain about ratings and act like we know exactly how to fix the problem.”

Another fan backed the organization, deeming it wasn’t a fair comparison, mentioning last year’s infamous “Hail Melon” move that got many fans hooked on the final.

“Last year, the Chastain incident went viral right before Phoenix, so I’m not even really sure it’s a fair comparison compared to this year, where the top 4 were all pretty conventional championship competitors and there wasn’t a big viral moment.”

“The 500 was down over 8% this year. As a matter of fact, the worst 6 Daytona 500 TV ratings were the last 6 seasons. Ratings are down over 50% from all-time highs, which was basically 2001–2008,” wrote another fan, stating the obvious, while one user blamed the current playoff format for the drop in numbers. 

“I’ve said it before once the playoffs start, my urge to watch declines a lot. I just don’t care for all the points elimination talk and cut-off races. It just makes it seem so fabricated. Nascar is my #1 Motorsport, but INDYCAR and IMSA have been getting more of my attention recently.”

“Nascar really had the best of both worlds with the Chase. It provided a good playoff feel and rewarded consistency across the season and the playoff.”

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What do you think is the real cause of the trouble? Is the organization’s stance against conventional fans really the cause? Or are NASCAR’s ambitions killing its own game? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below.