Nascar's Fox viewership drops for fourth year, averaging 3.11 million
Nascar's 2026 Fox season averaged 3.11 million viewers, marking the fourth consecutive year of decline, which the league partly attributes to Nielsen's 'Big Data + Panel' measurement methodology and reduced free-to-air races. This decline has prompted Nascar to revert to a 'Panel-Only' measurement for some events, despite earlier gains in younger demographics from streaming, and highlights challenges in its distribution and broadcast quality.
Key Takeaways
- Average viewership for the 2026 Cup Series on Fox was 3.11 million, a fourth consecutive year-on-year decline.
- Nascar's 2026 media deal with Fox, NBC, WBD, and Amazon is worth US$7.7 billion through 2031, a 40% increase.
- Only six of Fox's 14 races aired on its flagship network, averaging 4.45 million viewers; FS1 races averaged 2.37 million.
- The season-opening Daytona 500 drew 7.49 million viewers, the third most-watched edition since 2020.
- Three Cup Series races on Fox (Bristol, Watkins Glen, All-Star) averaged under two million viewers for the first time.
Why It Matters
Nascar's continued viewership decline on Fox is impacting the perceived value of increased media rights deals, suggesting distribution changes (fewer free-to-air races) may be eroding its core linear audience. The league's shift back to a 'Panel-Only' measurement is an attempt to stabilize reported numbers but could obscure streaming growth among younger demographics. This also highlights a strategic tension between maximizing rights fees and maintaining audience reach. Industry stakeholders should monitor how these measurement strategy changes influence future deal structures and whether Fox's anticipated DTC platform, Fox One, can mitigate linear declines for sports properties.
Read full article at blackbookmotorsport.com
Enjoy our coverage?
Add StreamingMeme as a preferred source on Google to see more of our streaming news at the top of your Search results.
Add as preferred source