NASCAR's viewership numbers have been a topic of discussion, especially with the introduction of the 'Big Data' methodology. This season, the focus has been on the impact of the methodology and the platform on ratings, rather than the racing itself.
The recent NASCAR Cup Series race in Chicagoland saw an interesting contrast in viewership numbers. On a 'Big Data + Panel' basis, the race averaged 2.1 million viewers, while on a panel-only basis, it averaged 2.35 million. This marks the second time in as many weeks that the 'Big Data' figure trailed its panel-only equivalent. Interestingly, the race's viewership on a 'Big Data + Panel' basis increased by only 3% from last year, while on a panel-only basis, it increased by 14%.
The 'Big Data + Panel' methodology, which integrates data from smart TVs, set-top boxes, and select providers' first-party data with the traditional Nielsen panel, has generally lifted sports viewership. However, NASCAR is an exception. The reason for this discrepancy is not yet clear, but it raises questions about the effectiveness of the 'Big Data' approach in the context of NASCAR.
NASCAR has chosen to stop reporting 'Big Data + Panel' figures for its races following the Fox Sports portion of the season, making it the only major sports league or network to publicize the 'panel-only' results. This decision could have implications for other leagues, as they may also experience a divergence between the 'Big Data' and panel-only results if both are publicized.
The race in Chicagoland also saw the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race, which averaged just 629,000 viewers on CW after a five-hour weather delay. This highlights the impact of external factors on viewership numbers.
In my opinion, the 'Big Data' methodology is an interesting development in sports viewership, but it seems to have its limitations in the context of NASCAR. The divergence between the 'Big Data' and panel-only results raises questions about the accuracy and effectiveness of the approach. It will be interesting to see how NASCAR and other leagues adapt to this new metric and whether it will have a lasting impact on their viewership numbers.
