Overview

• Sunday’s New Hampshire race on USA averaged 1.29 million viewers and a 0.70 rating, down from 1.88 million (1.0) at the track in 2024 and 1.79 million (0.96) for last year’s comparable playoff race at Kansas.
• Across 2025, Cup Series viewership is down about 13.4% year over year, with playoff telecasts off roughly 16–17%.
• NHMS reported packed grandstands despite the TV drop, underscoring strong local attendance versus weaker national reach.
• Analysts cite heavier NFL audiences, cable cord-cutting, and split coverage across USA/FS1/TNT/Prime as key headwinds, while Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel complicates direct comparisons.
• Debate over causes intensified as Jeff Gluck pointed to Fox News’ 5.2 million memorial-service audience that day, and Brad Keselowski urged reforms such as ditching the playoff format, diversifying track revenue, and adding OEMs.