Popularity of NASCAR Reaches Sky High as Risks Reap out Huge Rewards

Sunday’s NASCAR race, and the NBC golf event, were the primary live games on TV in over two months. The live games on TV in over two months conveyed solid viewership for NASCAR.

Fox’s broadcast of the NASCAR race in Darlington, South Carolina, delivered 6.32 million watchers. Like other significant professional athletics classes, NASCAR was closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

NBC likewise brought back live games Sunday with golf – TaylorMade Driving Relief. It drew 2.35 million watchers across NBC, NBC Sports Network, Golf Channel.

As indicated by Nielsen Media Research, the viewership figure for the Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway was up 38 percent on the FanShield 500 in Phoenix, the last race to occur before the arrangement was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fox said it was the most-watched Nascar Cup Series race outside of the Daytona 500 since the Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 in March 2017.

NASCAR returns with a bang

A year ago, the NASCAR Cup Series races had an average viewership of 2.9 million. It was down from 3.3 million watchers in 2018.

Early this year, the greatest race of the NASCAR season, the Daytona 500, pulled in 7.3 million watchers on Feb. 16 in a postponed race. It was down from 9.2 million watchers the prior year.

The “Heroes” race was broadcasted without any fans in the stands with regards to COVID-19 limitations of live games.

The last two races saw Fox pulling in 4.8 million for the “Auto Club 400” (March 1) and 4.6 million watchers for “Fan Shield 500” (March 8).

Michael Mulvihill, executive vice president at Fox Sports says: “30% of NASCAR viewers this weekend had not watched any NASCAR Cup races this season prior to the shutdown, per Nielsen.”

Fox’s inclusion of the race, which was held away from the fans, additionally observed 47 percent more men between the ages of 18 and 34 tune in contrasted with the last occasion before the shutdown. Other than the Daytona 500, it was Nascar’s greatest viewership for that segment in three years.