Despite concerns about declining viewership in recent years, NASCAR’s 2025 season has gotten off to a robust start. The sports governing body has been proactive in introducing changes aimed at reclaiming its former glory, which has included an overhaul of their broadcasting model. A massive $7.7 billion media rights deal has enabled NASCAR’s Cup Series races to be streamed on Amazon Prime Video and WB’s TNT Sports for the first time in the sport’s history.
The season’s kickoff with the Daytona 500 was a resounding success, with FOX reporting an average of 6.761 million viewers, a 13% increase from the previous year’s event. While the subsequent Atlanta race did not match this initial surge, it maintained the positive trend, with the AmBetter 400’s viewership figures reinforcing the belief that NASCAR is regaining traction.
Indeed, with Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta, FOX attracted 4.586 million viewers, marking a 1% increase from last year. While this may not seem like a significant rise, in a landscape where viewership has been steadily declining, any increase is a cause for celebration. It is noteworthy to mention that this race was the most-watched sports event of the weekend in the U.S., outperforming both the NBA and college basketball.
The 2010s was a challenging period for NASCAR, with viewership figures hitting rock bottom. Races that once boasted 9.5 million viewers in 2015 plummeted to a mere 3.7 million by 2021. A combination of an aging fanbase, the retirement of superstars like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon, and the rise of esports and bingeable streaming content were all contributing factors to this downturn.
Yet, the tide began to turn in 2022, with viewership numbers showing signs of revival. The upward trend continued into 2023 and 2024, providing a glimmer of hope that the sport was making a comeback. NASCAR’s ability to still attract millions of viewers to live television broadcasts in an era where digital content reigns supreme is undoubtedly a significant achievement.
However, NASCAR faces stiff competition in its quest to reclaim viewers. The sudden surge in Formula 1’s popularity in the United States, propelled by Netflix’s Drive to Survive and its aggressive push into the U.S. market, has seen NASCAR pitted against this sleek, globally connected brand. F1 now regularly garners over a million American viewers per race, and its fanbase is notably younger. This has led NASCAR to ramp up its efforts to appeal to new audiences and viewers.
While the future still holds considerable challenges, there are promising signs for NASCAR. The excitement on the track has been palpable, with intense, unpredictable races proving captivating for viewers. If NASCAR can successfully tap into this momentum and draw younger fans, it could be on the precipice of a significant resurgence.
However, the question remains: is this recent uptick in viewership the start of a genuine revival or just a temporary blip? The upcoming months will provide the answer. One thing is certain, though: NASCAR still knows how to put on a show. Despite the hurdles it faces, it continues to provide thrilling, high-octane entertainment for millions of viewers.
