NASCAR has been losing fans lately. There has been a 5 percent viewership drop in last year’s Cup Series races, compared to 2022. So what is the reason? Renowned journalist Jeff Gluck wondered the same. It’s not like NASCAR has made any major changes. So why can’t NASCAR accommodate both old and new fans?
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Meanwhile, Door Bumper Clear crew member and veteran spotter Brett Griffin feels like NASCAR is on a positive upswing due to the new media deal that starts in 2025 and the viewers need to start capitalizing on it. Waiting for FOX to watch the races will not be compulsory anymore as NBC takes over the first Cup race at Iowa Speedway on June 16, 2024, with Prime Video and TNT Sports coming in next year and evenly splitting ten mid-season races.
Griffin felt that the viewers should be educated about this viewing shift right away. He wrote, “As stated on DBC we are on a positive upswing and need to capitalize. BIG viewing shift coming in 2025. Need to prepare and educate fans for that now. Watching practice and qualifying is easy now. New TV partners coming across multiple series. Don’t wait til January to educate.”
As stated on DBC we are on a positive upswing and need to capitalize.
BIG viewing shift coming in 2025. Need to prepare and educate fans for that now.
Watching practice and qualifying is easy now. New TV partners coming across multiple series. Don’t wait til January to… https://t.co/PnYnWEMC1s
— Brett Griffin (@SpotterBrett) March 21, 2024
Sadly, the fans didn’t want to be educated.
Fans snap back as Griffin demands fan education
While NASCAR expects a boost in viewership with the 2025 media deal (and also with its brand new Netflix docuseries), most of the fans on X failed to understand how that will help. Another group of motorsport enthusiasts felt like NASCAR doesn’t have to educate the fans for a viewership boost, which they felt is essentially fake.
On that note, someone said,
No, this viewings boost is fake. It’ll drop off by 2026 like F1 did. The short term fans you gained via Netflix won’t stay. And you keep alienating the 90s fans.
— Wyatt Williams (@Wyatt92_Racer) March 21, 2024
Another fan wrote,
I mean one kinda series complaint about this is, I’m tired of being educated. Maybe NASCAR should do multiple telecasts like the NFL does with Nickalodean / the Manning Cast. I don’t need an explanation of what tire pressures are for the 1000th time.
— Kris McDonald (@MickeyDeez55) March 21, 2024
While someone said,
It’s ironic that the old school die-hard fans used to have to use TV Guide to figure out where the races were airing because it changed week to week. I know TV Guide isn’t a thing anymore but, damn, Google is free.
— SteelHorseLive ⛧ (@SteelHorseLive) March 21, 2024
A longtime NASCAR fan commented
I’m 46, been watching since in diapers. Drivers are vanilla, racing is more the car & crew chief over drivers now. Time to change shit up, heat races to set a starting order with half as many laps in the feature like a late model race. And let them fix a smashed car to continue
— Kevin (@Kevin1194307) March 21, 2024
Another added,
I can’t understand how putting NASCAR on an exclusive, subscription based platform and taking it off of network/network affiliated channels is an improvement. That seems like it’s pre 1979 if you ask me. Easy example for no access is bars, restaurants and parties.
— Nick Doneilo (@NickDoneiloJN87) March 22, 2024
Whether the viewership shift will help NASCAR garner more fans in the long run, or it will generate further dissatisfaction among the existing fans, is something that only time will tell. But one thing is certain, the fans do not like the fact that NASCAR is being taken over to platforms, which the fans have to subscribe to to watch.
