Although NASCAR is still the most watched sport in the US market, a steady decline in ratings for NASCAR on Fox has officials researching why the audience is steadily shrinking and what can be done to reverse the trend.
According to Nielsen, ratings on Fox for the first 10 races are down 11.5 per cent and viewership is down 10.8 per cent from 2008 numbers. 2009 average rating for the season was a 5.4 with 8.9 million viewers before Saturday's race at Darlington, compared with averages of 6.1 and 10 million for 2008.
Marketers in the sport have expressed some concern, not just over the drop, but how steeply the ratings have dropped.
Some observers believe that a lack of "compelling story lines" may explain the diminish interest. Fans like unfolding dramas like feuds between rival's drivers with large egos or, even better, between teammates that are battling it out each week on and off the track.
Not unlike what happen with the PGA's tv ratings when its superstar Tiger Woods was recovering from surgery and absent from the golf courses, some believe that there's also the Dale Earnhardt Jr. factor.
Earnhardt, the sport's greatest selling force and biggest star, standing 18th in points and owning one top-five finish this season, has been unable to provide a Tiger Woods-like surge for NASCAR through his performance.
NASCAR officials will continue to monitor the situation and could be forced in the near future to make changes to the race formats or in the way the races are produce on television in order to attract or, at least, maintain its viewership.
photo:NASCAR - Getty Images
According to Nielsen, ratings on Fox for the first 10 races are down 11.5 per cent and viewership is down 10.8 per cent from 2008 numbers. 2009 average rating for the season was a 5.4 with 8.9 million viewers before Saturday's race at Darlington, compared with averages of 6.1 and 10 million for 2008.
Marketers in the sport have expressed some concern, not just over the drop, but how steeply the ratings have dropped.
Some observers believe that a lack of "compelling story lines" may explain the diminish interest. Fans like unfolding dramas like feuds between rival's drivers with large egos or, even better, between teammates that are battling it out each week on and off the track.
Not unlike what happen with the PGA's tv ratings when its superstar Tiger Woods was recovering from surgery and absent from the golf courses, some believe that there's also the Dale Earnhardt Jr. factor.
Earnhardt, the sport's greatest selling force and biggest star, standing 18th in points and owning one top-five finish this season, has been unable to provide a Tiger Woods-like surge for NASCAR through his performance.
NASCAR officials will continue to monitor the situation and could be forced in the near future to make changes to the race formats or in the way the races are produce on television in order to attract or, at least, maintain its viewership.
photo:NASCAR - Getty Images