NASCAR and The CW embarked on an optimistic journey with the launch of their first full season TV rights deal this year, and after two races, the results are promising. According to Sports Media Watch, Saturday’s Xfinity Series race from Atlanta averaged 1.31 million viewers, marking a notable 10% increase compared to last year’s FS1 broadcast. Impressively, this race secured the second spot in ratings among Saturday’s sports broadcasts, trailing only behind ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets, which attracted 2.87 million viewers.
This Xfinity Series race outperformed college basketball games on CBS and Fox, an NHL game on ABC, and the PGA Tour on NBC. “While it’s not unusual for the Xfinity Series to surpass more prominent sporting events, CW’s ability to outshine each of the ‘Big Four’ networks on a competitive weekend afternoon is likely unprecedented,” noted Sports Media Watch. This audience figure is particularly noteworthy given that race winner Austin Hill led 146 of the 163 laps, as non-competitive races often receive lower ratings.
Though the season is still in its early stages, both NASCAR officials and The CW executives must be pleased with these initial results, especially since the season-opening race from Daytona averaged 1.8 million viewers, the highest viewing figures for an Xfinity race since 2022 and the best for a season opener since 2020. The CW’s exclusive deal with NASCAR for Xfinity Series rights extends through 2031, valued at an estimated $115 million per year.
In related news, the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta on Fox also achieved impressive numbers, averaging 4.59 million viewers and representing the best performance for a post-Daytona 500 race since 2021.
