Serving as Exhibit A that Nielsen Big Data is not a panacea for sports is NASCAR Cup Series coverage this season. Both sides are working through issues related to NASCAR’s data sets, and with that, NASCAR will be returning to the old panel vs. panel comparisons — and likely for the rest of the season.
The move came after a deep dive into the data, particularly around select demographics and metered markets.
It’s a decision that shifts narratives around Fox’s just-wrapped season of races. With Big Data vs. panel last year, Fox and FS1, averaging 3.3 million viewers, were down 1% for their points races (even after an 11% jump for the Daytona 500). But panel-to-panel, NASCAR would be up 1% for Fox Sports, which would have averaged 3.4 million viewers.