The addition of NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series racing to NBC Sports Group’s portfolio in 2015 has driven a number of records and milestones, according to data provided by The Nielsen Company.
Last week’s broadcast of the 2015 Sprint Cup Championship from Miami on NBC stands as the most-watched NASCAR season finale in a decade, and as NBCSN prepares to present Friday night’s 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, the cable network is poised to close out its most-watched year on record.
Since the debut of live NASCAR racing over July 4th weekend, NBCSN has averaged 183,000 viewers in Total Day audience (6 a.m.-6 a.m.), which marks an increase of +120% over the same period one year ago and the best Total Day increase for any cable network in that five-month stretch (June 29-Nov. 29). As noted earlier this fall, NASCAR fueled NBCSN to its most-watched third quarter (June 29-Sept. 27) in history.
NBC’s five 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup races reached a total audience of nearly 31 million viewers (30.68M), up +42% vs. those races in 2014 (21.61M), and the Nov. 22 broadcast of the 2015 Sprint Cup Championship from Miami on NBC is the most-watched NASCAR season finale in a decade.
The five Sprint Cup races on NBC averaged a 3.21 rating and 5.25 million viewers, up +12% and +10%, respectively, over those events in 2014.
Highlights surrounding the 2015 NASCAR season on NBC and NBCSN include:
– The addition of NASCAR puts NBCSN on pace to deliver its most-watched year in history.
– The Nov. 22, 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship averaged 7.64 million viewers and posted a combined 4.42 national HH rating on NBC and NBCSN, marking increases of +46% (vs. 5.22 million) +41% (vs. 3.14 HH) over the previous year’s presentation on ESPN.
– NASCAR America delivered its most-watched month on record in November, averaging 118,000 viewers during its 5 p.m. ET premieres, up +84% vs. Nov. 2014.
– NBC Sports Live Extra closes out the 2015 NASCAR season with a total of 571,000 uniques and 67 million live minutes.