NASCAR Cup Series Viewership Crisis: Ratings Show Alarming Plummet After New Hampshire Playoff Race
The numbers are in, and they’re not pretty. The NASCAR Cup Series is witnessing a decline in its TV viewership, and the fans who have remained loyal are growing increasingly frustrated. New data reveals a significant decrease in viewership, particularly during the playoffs, which are typically the most exciting time of the season. Even with sold-out crowds packing the stands at tracks like New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the folks watching from home are disappearing.
It’s a gut punch for the sport, and it’s making everyone wonder what is going on. This isn’t just a slight dip; it’s a freefall. The ratings problem has been eating away at NASCAR all season, but the 2025 playoffs have seen the floor completely drop out. We’re talking about a viewership drop of more than 13% from last year. Worse yet, the playoff races, which are supposed to bring in the big numbers, have tumbled nearly 17%. It just doesn’t make sense.
What’s Happening to NASCAR Viewership?
Look at the New Hampshire race, for example. The grandstands were packed, and every seat was filled with cheering fans. You’d think that kind of energy would translate to big numbers on TV, but you’d be wrong. Last year, the fall playoff races held their own, keeping NASCAR’s reputation as a major American sport alive. However, this year, it feels like the wheels are coming off. Many races have been moved from major networks to cable channels or even streaming services like Amazon Prime, creating a chaotic situation.
Adam Stern over at the Sports Business Journal laid it out bare. Sunday’s race at New Hampshire pulled a 0.70 rating with 1.29 million viewers. Last year at the same track? A 1.0 rating and 1.88 million viewers. That’s nearly 600,000 fans who just didn’t tune in. For a playoff race, a 0.70 rating is just brutal. It’s one of the worst we’ve seen in years, and it’s happening while the tracks themselves are selling out. Something is seriously wrong here.
Why Are Fans Tuning Out?
As soon as the numbers were announced, fans erupted with fury. On Twitter, on Reddit, everywhere, and people were ticked off. Some are blaming the NFL, which is a behemoth that consumes a significant portion of Sunday TV time. Others are pointing fingers at NASCAR itself, saying the broadcast schedule is a confusing disaster. One week, the race is on one channel, the next it’s on another, and sometimes it’s hidden away on a streaming service nobody can find.
The fans are getting tired of playing hide-and-seek with the broadcasts. They just want to watch the race. The old days of knowing exactly where to tune in are gone, and it’s pushing people away. One fan put it bluntly: “30% drop in viewership in one year is…….. no bueno.” He’s right. When the playoffs, the pinnacle of the season, are hitting new lows, you’ve got a real crisis on your hands. It’s a sign that the sport is losing its grip on the very people who built it.
Is Cable TV Killing NASCAR?
Let’s be honest, the world has undergone significant changes. Fewer people are paying for expensive cable TV these days. As one fan said, “Anyone under the age of 49 isn’t paying for traditional cable anymore. Everyone is streaming or just straight up not watching.” NASCAR is trying to attract a younger crowd, but they’re still stuck on cable channels like USA Network and FS1.
It feels like they’re trying to sell Blockbuster videos in a Netflix world. If you’re going to put a race on an NBC-affiliated channel, it has to be on Peacock, too. It’s that simple. You can’t expect fans to hunt down a cable login when everything else they watch is just a click away on a streaming app. The sport’s leadership needs to wake up and see that their distribution strategy is alienating the exact audience they need to survive.
Final Thoughts
The NFL will always be a juggernaut, but NASCAR’s problems run deeper than just competition. The fractured and confusing broadcast schedule is making it a chore to be a fan. If you can’t make it easy for people to watch, they’ll just find something else to do. And right now, it looks like that’s exactly what’s happening. Loyal fans are left scratching their heads, and potential new ones are never even given a chance to see what they’re missing. The fire and passion are still there at the track, but if no one’s watching at home, how long can that last?
