Sports Media Watch says IndyCar finished its worst rated season ever.

[TMC]

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2012/09/indycar-wrap-nbcsn-has-worst-season-abc-down-15/

The 2012 IndyCar Series season was not much of a success for broadcast
partners ABC and NBC Sports Network.

NBC Sports Network averaged 292,000 viewers for IndyCar coverage
during the 2012 season, according to Sports Business Journal, down 27%
from last year (402K).

This season was the least-viewed on NBCSN, which began televising
IndyCar coverage in 2009.

ABC, meanwhile, averaged 2.5 million viewers for coverage this season
— down 17% from last year. Four of the six races on ABC failed to draw
even 1% of U.S. TV homes.

The only exceptions were the Indy 500 (4.3) and the June 16 race from
Milwaukee (1.0), which due to rain delays aired for only an hour on
ABC.

(This year’s numbers from Sports Business Journal, with additional
information from ESPN)

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/09/24/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/IndyCar.aspx

[Yousuf Khan]

On 24/09/2012 9:47 PM, TMC wrote:
> http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2012/09/indycar-wrap-nbcsn-has-worst-season-abc-down-15/
>
> The 2012 IndyCar Series season was not much of a success for broadcast
> partners ABC and NBC Sports Network.

I found some things about this season unwatchable. Things such as the
asphalt falling apart in Belle Isle really lost my interest. Also I
think there was more passing done in the pits than on the track, simply
because there were so many pitstops. I think they should consider using
bigger fuel tanks so that they don't have to pit so often.

Yousuf Khan

[Obveeus]

"TMC" <tmc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2012/09/indycar-wrap-nbcsn-has-worst-season-abc-down-15/
>
>The 2012 IndyCar Series season was not much of a success for broadcast
>partners ABC and NBC Sports Network.
>
> NBC Sports Network averaged 292,000 viewers for IndyCar coverage
>during the 2012 season, according to Sports Business Journal, down 27%
>from last year (402K).

Any data on how NASCAR's NATIONWIDE series has been doing in the ratings
this year? I'm guessing that there might be a correlation between a recent
ratings drop in Indycar and a similar rise in the NATIONWIDE ratings.

[TMC]

On Sep 24, 6:47 pm, TMC <tmc1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2012/09/indycar-wrap-nbcsn-has-worst-...

>
> The 2012 IndyCar Series season was not much of a success for broadcast
> partners ABC and NBC Sports Network.
>
>  NBC Sports Network averaged 292,000 viewers for IndyCar coverage
> during the 2012 season, according to Sports Business Journal, down 27%
> from last year (402K).
>
> This season was the least-viewed on NBCSN, which began televising
> IndyCar coverage in 2009.
>
> ABC, meanwhile, averaged 2.5 million viewers for coverage this season
> — down 17% from last year. Four of the six races on ABC failed to draw
> even 1% of U.S. TV homes.
>
> The only exceptions were the Indy 500 (4.3) and the June 16 race from
> Milwaukee (1.0), which due to rain delays aired for only an hour on
> ABC.
>
> (This year’s numbers from Sports Business Journal, with additional
> information from ESPN)
>

> http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/09/24/Leagues-...

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2012-articles/september/indycar-s-popularity-wanes-during-2012-season.html

There are plenty of reasons to get into for the waning popularity for
IndyCar, and perhaps the most significant is the full-time departure
of Danica Patrick to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Regardless of how
you feel about Patrick's skill on the racetrack, she draws eyeballs to
the sport, and that's an inarguable fact.

Another reason for IndyCar's struggles this year could be tied to the
tragic death of Dan Wheldon in the final race of the 2011 season.
Wheldon's death cast a shadow over the entire sport, and may have
disenfranchised fans after last season's final race in Las Vegas.

IndyCar has lost tons of fans to NASCAR over the last couple decades,
but this latest news may be even more concerning because this is one
unified series we're talking about. A drop of over a quarter of your
television viewership is staggering and the brass is going to need to
seriously consider some big changes for the 2013 season to draw some
viewers back in to open wheel racing.

[Obveeus]

"TMC" <tmc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2012-articles/september/indycar-s-popularity-wanes-during-2012-season.html
>
>There are plenty of reasons to get into for the waning popularity for
>IndyCar, and perhaps the most significant is the full-time departure
>of Danica Patrick to the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Regardless of how
>you feel about Patrick's skill on the racetrack, she draws eyeballs to
>the sport, and that's an inarguable fact.

Yep.

>IndyCar has lost tons of fans to NASCAR over the last couple decades,
>but this latest news may be even more concerning because this is one
>unified series we're talking about. A drop of over a quarter of your
>television viewership is staggering and the brass is going to need to
>seriously consider some big changes for the 2013 season to draw some
>viewers back in to open wheel racing.

The first thing they need to do is put the races on TV where people will
watch...which means NOT on NBC SPORTS NETWORK.