Since NASCAR inked a fresh media rights deal spreading across Amazon Prime, TNT Sports, NBC, and FOX, questions have swirled about whether the sport might lose its grip on its core demographic. With much of NASCAR’s fan base falling within the 40-to-65 age bracket, the transition to streaming-heavy platforms has left many concerned.
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For the tech-savvy younger crowd, switching platforms is second nature, but for others, the shift hasn’t been as smooth, showing a natural dip in viewership. Still, Ryan Blaney isn’t buying the panic.
The Cup Series’ debut on TNT Sports drew an average of 1.61 million viewers at Atlanta Motor Speedway, compared to 1.88 million viewers on USA Network for last season’s 18th race in New Hampshire. Despite a brief 30-minute weather delay in Atlanta this time, the drop in numbers didn’t go unnoticed.
When Jeff Gluck took to X with the post, “Ugh, Saturday night NASCAR races just can’t seem to pull numbers. NASCAR says it got an average of 1.6 million viewers for the Atlanta race,” Blaney pushed back hard.
“So, we got 500k more folks tuned in. Why do people make it out to be a bad thing? We crush the parade every week, so why do we get down in the dumps by this? NASCAR is currently crushing it,” he fired back, standing firm in defense of the sport’s course.
So, we got 500k more folks tuned in. Why do people make it out to be a bad thing? We crush the parade every week, so why do we get down in the dumps by this? Nascar is currently crushing it. https://t.co/leO00nUvjE
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) July 2, 2025
However, by comparison, last year’s September Atlanta playoff race, despite going head-to-head with NFL Sunday, pulled over 2.02 million. And the same weekend in 2024, Nashville’s Sunday night race on NBC netted a 3.24 million.
NASCAR acknowledged that the rain delay alone shaved 16 percent off viewership. Still, this 1.61 million tally stands as the lowest mark of the season, far from the start TNT envisioned for its new partnership. Year-over-year declines have now hit 13 races in 2025, with NASCAR averaging 2.88 million viewers through 18 events.
Fans ask: Crushing it in comparison to what, though?
NASCAR fans didn’t mince words in response to Blaney’s upbeat take on the sport’s current state. Many pushed back, pointing to the sharp drop in viewership as cause for concern rather than celebration.
One fan, not pulling any punches, wrote, “Respectfully… what are they crushing? Other motorsports? Yeah, sure.. The potential that the sport has? No.” Another reminded Blaney of NASCAR’s heyday, noting, “19 million people watched the 2006 Daytona 500. Gulp.”
Another added fuel to the fire, questioning the benchmark behind Blaney’s optimism: “Crushing it in comparison to what though? These numbers drive me crazy regardless because they are a fraction of what the sport pulled before the constant tinkering and gimmicks took place.”
Clearly, the numbers have rubbed fans the wrong way. The 2025 Atlanta summer race viewership plummeted 64.6% from the 4.546 million that tuned in for the Ambetter Health 400 on FOX in February 2024. It’s definitely a big setback, especially given the race in itself was quite thrilling.
