Ratings Roundup: ESPN's NBA Today Draws Most-Watched July in Five Years, NASCAR Ratings in Indianapolis By SVG Staff Wednesday, August 3, 2022 - 11:56 pm
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Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week's edition, ESPN's NBA Today Draws Most-Watched July in Five Years, t NASCAR Ratings Info Indianapolis, and more.
ESPN's NBA Today Draws Most-Watched July in Five Years
NBA Today, ESPN's year-round, Monday through Friday, NBA studio show, reached a five-year viewership high for the month of July. The show drew an average audience of 342,000 viewers, the most since 2017, according to Nielsen.
NBA Today's average audience was up 51 percent vs. last year. It was the second-most watched month ever for NBA Today since the show launched, slightly trailing December 2021 at 343,000 viewers.
NBA Today viewership in July was also up in several key demos. Among Women, NBA Today's audience is up 46 percent from last year. Among Black viewers, the show is up 34 percent year over year.
Three of the top five NBA Today shows ever aired in July 2022. The July 6 episode averaged 514,000 viewers, making it the third-most watched edition of NBA Today on record.
NBA Today is hosted by Malika Andrews and regularly features analysts Kendrick Perkins, Richard Jefferson, Chiney Ogwumike, Vince Carter and writers Zach Lowe and Ramona Shelburne with appearances by Adrian Wojnarowski. The one-hour show generally airs Monday-Friday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App.
NASCAR-INDYCAR Crossover Weekend On NBC Delivers Significant Viewership Gains For All Series
NBC Sports' coverage of the NASCAR-INDYCAR crossover weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on NBC delivered significant viewership gains for all series vs. 2021.
For only the third time, the crossover weekend featured races from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series all competing on the road course at iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
NASCAR CUP SERIES VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD
Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series coverage on NBC (3:14-6 p.m. ET) averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 3.402 million viewers, up 18% vs. the same race in 2021 (2.875 million viewers). This ranks as NBC Sports' most-watched Cup Series race since last year's regular-season finale at Daytona in primetime on NBC (3.995 million viewers; 8/28/21).
Viewership peaked at 3.9 million viewers in the final quarter hour (5:45-6 p.m. ET) as Tyler Reddick crossed the yard of bricks for his second consecutive road course victory;
Through six races, NBC Sports' 2022 NASCAR Cup Series viewership is up 6% vs. 2021, averaging a TAD of 2.653 million viewers.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES GALLAGHER GRAND PRIX
Saturday's NTT INDYCAR SERIES race coverage on NBC (12:30-2:20 p.m. ET), in which Alexander Rossi snapped a 49-race winless streak, averaged a TAD of 1.070 million viewers, up 105% vs. last year's race coverage on NBCSN (522,000 viewers);
Through 12 races, NBC Sports' 2022 INDYCAR viewership is up 6% vs. 2021, averaging a TAD of 1.472 million viewers, to rank as the most-watched INDYCAR season to date since 2016.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES PENNZOIL 150
Saturday's Xfinity Series race on NBC (3:53-6 p.m. ET), which was won by AJ Allmendinger, averaged a TAD of 1.548 million viewers, up 23% vs. NBC's Xfinity Series average in 2021 (1.263 million viewers), and up 65% vs. last year's comparable race on NBCSN (937,000 viewers);
Saturday's race was NBC Sports' most-streamed Xfinity Series race on record, delivering an AMA of 32,300 viewers across NBC Sports' digital platforms.
NASCAR Ratings Info Indianapolis
NASCAR Cup Series - NASCAR ranked as the #1 sport of the week on television
NCS at the Indianapolis Road Course earned a 2.05 rating on NBC, with an average of 3.40M viewers tuned in.
The rating was up 14% YoY versus the 2021 Indianapolis Road Course on NBC (1.80), while viewership rose 18% (2.8 million)
Highest-rated and most-watched 2022 NCS event since the Coca-Cola 600 on FOX in May (2.20)
The race drew a 7.9 share - the highest since Talladega in April on FOX (8.64)
Viewership peaked with 3.9 million viewers tuned in
NASCAR Xfinity Series - the event at the Indianapolis Road Course earned a 0.94 rating on NBC with an average of 1.52 million viewers tuned in.
The rating was up 21% YoY versus the 2021 Indianapolis Road Course on NBC (0.78) while viewership was also up 21% (1.3 million).
Highest-rated and most-watched 2022 NXS event since Talladega on FOX in April
Second-most-viewed motorsport of the weekend ahead of IndyCar on NBC and F1 on ESPN, behind only NCS
Viewership peaked with 1.7 million viewers tuned in
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series - the event at Indianapolis Raceway Park earned a 0.31 rating on FS1 with an average of 492,000 viewers tuned in
The rating was up 48% YoY versus 2021 Gateway on FS1 (.21), while viewership rose 30% (378,000).
Most-watched telecast of the week on FS1
Viewership peaked with 602,000 viewers tuned in
Oregon22 Is Most-watched World Track & Field Championships On Record
The World Track & Field Championships Oregon22 are the most-watched World Track & Field Championships on record (since 1988), reaching 18.7 million total viewers across NBC Sports platforms for the 10-day event. The 18.7 million total viewers surpass NBC Sports' previous record for the event by 65% (London 2017, 11.3 million).
In the first-ever outdoor World Track & Field Championships held in the United States, Team USA finished with 33 total medals (13 gold), the highest ever by a single nation, breaking a 35-year-old record (31, East Germany, Rome 1987). The previous American record was 30 medals for London 2017. See below f
