Denny Hamlin, a prominent NASCAR driver and co-owner of 23XI Racing, has openly criticized NASCAR’s costly television contracts, blaming them for the sharp decline in the sport’s TV ratings in 2025. Speaking on his podcast Actions Detrimental, Hamlin argued that prioritizing lucrative media deals over accessibility has alienated many fans and contributed to the dwindling viewership.
Alarming Drop in NASCAR’s Television Audience
NASCAR’s audience figures have taken a significant hit this year, with the regular season averaging just 2.64 million viewers—the lowest in history. The decline is even more pronounced during the 2025 NASCAR playoffs. Recent broadcasts underscore this troubling trend: the Pocono race aired on Amazon Prime drew 1.87 million viewers, a 22% decrease from 2024, while the New Hampshire race saw a 31% drop to 1.29 million viewers. Overall, the playoffs have lost about 1.15 million viewers compared to last year’s numbers.
This downturn is particularly stark when compared to other sports, notably the NFL, which attracts an average of 17.5 million viewers per game on Sundays—far eclipsing NASCAR’s 2-3 million viewers.
Denny Hamlin’s Perspective on NASCAR’s TV Strategy
Hamlin’s frustration with NASCAR’s broadcast approach is clear. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, he stated,
“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,’”
highlighting that financial incentives have overshadowed efforts to maximize fan accessibility.
He further explained the burden placed on fans by constantly shifting race broadcasts across platforms, saying,
“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.”
This erratic distribution makes it difficult for casual viewers to follow races consistently.
Fan Discontent Highlights Growing Accessibility Problems
NASCAR’s fan base has expressed similar frustrations, with many taking to social media to complain about the fragmented nature of coverage across Fox, NBC, and the TNT Warner Bros. Discovery deal. Many fans note challenges such as frequent channel changes and the need to navigate various subscription services, often requiring multiple logins and apps to watch races.
Beyond broadcasting issues, some fans critique NASCAR’s Next Gen car, the playoff format they find gimmicky, and the fatigue from a grueling 38-race season that strains audience attention. Hamlin has proposed potential remedies to these concerns, including redrawing the schedule. He suggested moving races to Saturday nights to avoid head-to-head clashes with the NFL on Sundays:
“I’m just saying it’s not a school night,”
he noted.
“It definitely would be harder for those who travel, so you don’t want to just alienate them. I’m just brainstorming here.”
Additionally, Hamlin has proposed a shorter NASCAR season, concluding before football’s dominance peaks, to maintain higher levels of fan engagement throughout the year.
Implications for NASCAR’s Future
Hamlin’s critique reflects broader concerns about NASCAR’s direction, emphasizing the risk of losing core fans if TV accessibility and scheduling issues remain unaddressed. His warnings suggest that the pursuit of high-value TV contracts at the expense of audience reach may be unsustainable in the long term. Unless NASCAR reconsiders its broadcast strategy and race calendar, the sport risks continuing its slide from the glory days of higher viewership.
Whether Hamlin’s outspoken comments on Actions Detrimental will lead to meaningful change or deepen divides within NASCAR’s leadership and driving community remains uncertain. However, his statements underline a growing impatience among fans who no longer want to be “guinea pigs” in experimental TV deals that fracture their viewing experience.
