The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season has experienced a drastic decline in TV ratings, a situation fueled by the new $1.1 billion annual broadcast deal that splits coverage across multiple cable channels and streaming platforms. Denny Hamlin, a veteran driver for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), has criticized NASCAR’s handling of the deal, blaming organizational greed for the steep drop in viewership.
Before the introduction of the current broadcast agreement, NASCAR had started to regain some momentum in ratings. However, by dispersing races across four different broadcasting platforms, the sport confused fans and dramatically reduced its audience. Cup Series ratings have now fallen to levels comparable with the Xfinity Series and have lost over 1.15 million viewers during the playoffs alone.
This decline stands in stark contrast to the National Football League (NFL), which continues to break viewership records with an average of 17.5 million viewers per game. On the latest episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin attributed the ratings collapse to NASCAR’s pursuit of the highest TV deal payments rather than prioritizing maximum exposure.
Hamlin Criticizes NASCAR’s Focus on Money Over Viewership
According to Hamlin, NASCAR’s recent television contracts have focused mainly on securing the largest financial payout, not on maximizing the audience reach. He expressed his frustration by stating,
“In each one of the TV deals that we’ve signed over the last few years or the past few agreements that we’ve had, we’ve always just taken the most amount of money… It’s not been about ‘What’s going to put us on in the most households’” Denny Hamlin said via Actions Detrimental.
This prioritization has had tangible consequences, especially as the sport’s TV partners use NASCAR’s races to launch new channels, fracturing the viewer base. An example of this is the relocation of Cup Series races from the main Fox Sports channel to FS1, requiring fans to track races across different networks each week, leading to confusion and frustration among viewers.
Hamlin elaborated further on this issue, describing the current scenario as a burden on racing fans:
“We were the guinea pigs to get Channel X off the ground, Channel Y off the ground. And you’re asking so much of your fans to just keep chasing you around all these different networks.” Denny Hamlin added.
Proposal to Shift Race Days to Boost Ratings
In the same podcast, Hamlin proposed a potential solution to improve NASCAR’s TV ratings by rescheduling race days from Sunday to Saturday. His idea aims to avoid direct competition with NFL games, which dominate Sunday television slots.
Hamlin addressed potential concerns about moving race days, acknowledging the difficulties it may cause for some participants, but emphasized the opportunity it presents for increasing viewership, explaining,
“I’m just saying it’s not a school night. It definitely would be harder for those who travel, so you don’t want to just alienate them. I’m just brainstorming here.” Denny Hamlin explained.
While the suggestion seems practical on the surface, it faces significant challenges. Moving races away from Sunday’s prime viewing hours could undermine NASCAR’s status and risk ceding casual fans to rival motorsports like IndyCar and Formula 1. Kevin Harvick, another prominent driver, expressed his opposition to Saturday night races, dismissing the idea as unworkable based on historical data.
“Why do we ever race on a Saturday night? It makes no sense. Makes zero sense. Just look at the TV ratings when you get done. I know it’s football season, but the TV ratings are historically completely well known by everybody in the industry that it does not score ever, ever, ever, ever on a Saturday night.” Kevin Harvick said few weeks ago on his podcast.
Balancing Act Ahead for NASCAR’s Broadcasting Strategy
The views of both Hamlin and Harvick highlight the difficult choices NASCAR faces. While Hamlin’s idea to move race days could reduce competition with high-profile NFL games, the historical low ratings on Saturdays pose a significant risk. Meanwhile, Harvick’s call for retaining Sunday races emphasizes the need to protect NASCAR’s prestige and avoid a decline caused by changes in scheduling.
Ultimately, experts agree that the more pressing problem is NASCAR’s fragmented broadcast approach, which disperses races across multiple platforms and channels, causing confusion and driving fans away. Addressing these issues will be complicated, especially given the size and scope of the current media contract.
As NASCAR continues to navigate its relationship with broadcasters and streaming services, the decisions made today will profoundly impact the sport’s visibility and fan engagement in the future. Fixing the TV broadcast strategy remains crucial for restoring the sport’s dwindling viewership and securing its long-term growth.
