Here is the scoop from SPEED about the increase in viewers for the NCTS race and the All-Star festivities.
SPEED scored its highest rating in network history, earning a Nielsen Media Research mark of 3.74 (2,701,000 households), up six percent from last year’s 3.53 (2,480,000 Households), making it the No. 1 network in basic cable during its coverage of Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXIV. The event, in its second of eight seasons on SPEED, peaked at 4.75 (3,430,000 households) and drew a network record four million viewers.
“We are jacked up about seeing record ratings for the second consecutive year, and we are very aware that it is a total team effort that delivered these results,” said SPEED President Hunter Nickell. “Everyone at SPEED, everyone at Sprint, everyone at JHE Production Group, everyone at NASCAR, everyone at Lowe’s Motor Speedway puts maximum effort into this event and it shows. That said, we all will continue to set the bar higher each season, settling for nothing less than the coolest NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race experience possible.”
SPEED pre- and post-race programming also delivered larger audiences in 2008 as Nielsen Ratings for both NASCAR RaceDay Built by the Home Depot and NASCAR Victory Lane were up from 2007. NASCAR Victory Lane jumped 20 percent from a 1.03 (721,000 households) to a record 1.28 (926,000 households) and NASCAR RaceDay has been up double digits from 2007 all season long.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race from Lowe’s Motor Speedway scored an average Nielsen Household Rating of 1.13 (817,000 households), a 41-percent increase over the 2007 event, which scored a .80 (563,000 households). The race peaked at 1.54 (1,112,000 households).
An average of 1.1 million viewers watched the race, the most ever for the Charlotte event. Nielsen ratings for NCTS races on SPEED in 2008 are up 18 percent from 2007.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Just click the COMMENTS button below and follow the directions. The rules for posting are on the right side of the main page. Thank you for stopping by.
Thanks for the great news John. I'm sure that all the people at Speed(and Fox) are jumping for joy as we speak.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, JD, thanks for the info and breaking it down. I can relate to the information better when the number of households are included with the percentage.
ReplyDeleteMr. Daly,
ReplyDeleteDo you think that RaceDay having Ric Flair on helped the ratings. I found it curious that you failed to mention this in you analysis. It makes me think you might be on the Fox/Speed payroll.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning that. Over the years, RaceDay has hosted many guests from outside the industry.
Flair's appearance was documented in the comments section of the original RaceDay post.
While it may not have affected the ratings, there is no doubt that the continuing variety on RaceDay has been the key to the growth of the TV series.
Thanks for your comment.
JD
Don't believe Ric Flair's appearance was announced in advance so it couldn't have had an influence on the ratings. JD, you wouldn't by chance like to share some of your paycheck from Speed/Fox with us lesser offs, would you?
ReplyDeletebatchief,
ReplyDeleteWith what some of those SPEED announcer types make, maybe I could skim a little bit. Could you look into that one?
JD
An average of 1.1 million viewers watched the race, the most ever for the Charlotte event.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean that the all star race never achieved this rating when it was televised on fX? Hard to believe.
Also how much are these "record" ratings a reflection of Speed being available in more homes than in 2007?
JD, did some inquiring and you will be happy to know your check is in the mail. Just a bad thought though, I hope they put a stamp on the envelope.
ReplyDelete"and NASCAR RaceDay has been up double digits from 2007 all season long."
ReplyDeleteI find it very odd that SPEED points out that RaceDay is up double digits, but - unlike the other programming listed in the release - they declined to give specific figures.
I feel a little spin going on. Double digits could mean anything from 11 to 99 percent, but they're not releasing a base to go by. I think they want people to think RaceDay has more viewers than it actually does.
Looking at the many empty seas in the stands for most of the races this year, it doesn't surprise me that ratings are up. I wouldn't be surprised of many fans decided that, rather than pay triple motel rates and double gas prices, and purchasing tickets up to a year in advance, watching at home is a much more affordable alternative. Besides, if he race turns out to be a high speed parade (all too common lately), it's easy to flip the channel and find something interesting to watch.
ReplyDeleteGotta say, JD that a 3.7 nielsen is disappointing in my book-for a network the size of SPEED.
ReplyDeleteI mean, c'mon if the best they can do is get less than 4 out of every 100 tv homes to tune in to their "crown jewel" event, I'd be banging my head agsinst the wall- and waiting for the call from the corporate bosses asking why the #*&@! I'm spending all this money on NASCAR?