So far this season, NASCAR Nextel Cup Sunday races are averaging 4.6% of U.S. TV households, down 9% from last year and down 20% from 2005 for the same 22 races. Over the past years, each network carrying Cup races has seen ratings declines. NASCAR’s second-tier Busch Series Saturday races, which ESPN2 this season inherited from TNT and FX, are off 11% from last year. NASCAR’s national ratings are far more telling than those for other sports. While NASCAR’s Cup races are the only option for every NASCAR-seeking eyeballs, fans of Major League Baseball and the NBA can find TV games virtually every day of the week on local, regional and national channels meaning those sports’ national ratings represent just a slice of TV viewing, not the whole pie.(USA Today), see more on my 2007 TV Ratings page.(8-13-2007)
