More TV Ratings Stuff: NBC’s NASCAR Winston Cup finale, the Ford 400.from Homestead-Miami Speedway, on Sunday delivered a 5.2 national rating/11 share, NASCAR’s best rating ever against pro football, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 5.2 rating propelled the NBC & TNT 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season average to a 13 percent increase over 2001 and an explosive 59 percent increase over 2000, the year prior to the current television rights deal. The 19 NASCAR Winston Cup telecasts on NBC & TNT over the second half of the 2002 season averaged an impressive 4.3 national rating/10 share, up 13 percent over last year’s 3.8/10, and a 59 percent increase over the 2.7/8 for the 2000 season.. (All season averages exclude the Daytona 500 and the primetime Pepsi 400 – the two races which alternate between NBC and Fox each year). For the eight NASCAR on NBC pre-race shows that ran from the start of the NFL season through Nov. 17th, NBC’s “Discover Card Countdown to Green”.averaged a 2.6/7, making it the second highest rated Sunday “pre-game” show, outperforming CBS’ “NFL Today” (2.5/7).. Fox’s “NFL Sunday” averaged a 3.5/10.. Additionally, NBC’s NASCAR pre-race show outperformed CBS’ “NFL Today” five of the seven times when the two programs aired head-to-head. Fifteen of the 20 NBC & TNT races (including Daytona) equaled or improved the household ratings from 2001 and seven of the eight NBC races that went head-to-head against pro football achieved a rating of 4.0 or better. Last year, only three of six races generated a 4 rating in head-to-head competition with pro football. NBC & TNT’s key adult 18-49 demographic for the 19 NASCAR Winston Cup races generated a 2.7 rating, a four percent increase over last year’s 2.6 average.. Men 18-49 posted a 3.5, a three percent increase over the 3.4 for 2001. Chicago was NBC’s most improved NASCAR market, up 38 percent over 2001 to a 3.3/7.(NBC PR)(11-22-2002)
