ESPN Earns its Highest Ratings Ever for Nationwide Race Kansas, Cup Ratings Flat at 3.0

From ESPN PR ...

ESPN earned its highest rating and viewership ever for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway with its live telecast of the event on Saturday, Oct. 20.

The telecast saw a 36 percent jump from the 2011 race with a 1.5 household coverage rating (1.3 U.S. rating) and an average of 1,502,310 viewers, according to the Nielsen Company. The 2011 race earned a 1.1 rating and ESPN’s previous high was a 1.3 in both 2007 and 2008.

ESPN’s live telecast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kansas on Sunday, Oct. 21, earned a 3.0 household coverage rating (2.5 U.S. rating), averaging 3,896,638 viewers. Last year’s race earned a 3.1 rating while the 2010 race earned a 2.7.

Among markets around the country, Greensboro, N.C., was the highest-rated for the Sprint Cup race at 8.2, while the race’s home market of Kansas City was fifth at 5.8. Charlotte (6.6), Greenville, S.C. (6.1) and Knoxville, Tenn. (5.9) were second through fourth.

Comments

[vern]

Great increase in ratings for NNS and have to wonder what drove those ratings, bored people tuning in to see all the wrecks or what? Its been said before that when Danica runs well and up front the ratings jump as she had her best race according to some, regardles of the 10th place finish. Good increase for NNS anyway with these ratings, but Iam sure they would love to pin-point exactly why more viewers tuned in, but thats hard to know unless they could do a survey of sorts, asking viewers what they liked about it etc, but tough to do really--oh well?

As for the Cup race ratings being flat really surprises me with all the crashes they say the fans love, but then again they ARE up against the NFL so maybe explains it simple as that?

[Ted Wolfram]

In talking to an advertising professional....he says that it is the Danica factor at least in part. And remember it was against college football which is even more surprising.

[Scott]

Whoops, commented abotu Kenseth in the wrong post.

[pressdog]

Thanks for the Kenseth comment, Scott. I moved it to the correct post.

[garage equipment]

ESPN is comes with a good sense of technology. In the nationwide races it can often be a good choice for a player.