SBD/Issue 215/The Back of the Book

IndyCar Viewership Up 18.8% Across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2

The IRL IndyCar Series is averaging 1.9 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 through 13 races, up 18.8% from 1.6 million viewers through the first 12 races of last season. Following the IRL/Champ Car merger, nine races have seen double digit jumps in viewership, with the RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 seeing the biggest gain, up 191.8%. ESPN's three races have each seen gains, as the net has averaged 754,000 viewers, up from 550,000 viewers for the same three races on the net last year. The following lists race-by-race viewership for the '08 IRL IndyCar Series, with comparisons to the same races last year (THE DAILY).

'08 IRL INDYCAR SERIES VIEWERSHIP
DATE
RACE
TRACK
START
NET
VIEWERS (000)
'07 VIEWERS (000)
% +/-
3/29
GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300
Homestead-Miami
8:02pm
ESPN2
1,076
829
29.8%
4/6
Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Streets of St. Petersburg
2:30pm
ESPN
575
388
48.2%
4/20
Indy Japan 300 (a) Motegi
11:00am
ESPN2
377
379
-0.5%
4/20
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (b) Streets of Long Beach
5:30pm
ESPN2
621
721
n/a
4/27
RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 Kansas
5:35pm
ESPN2
1,068
366
191.8%
5/25
Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis
1:00pm
ABC
7,245
6,402
13.2%
6/1
ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt 225 Milwaukee
4:00pm
ABC
1,066
1,345
-20.7%
6/7
Bombardier Learjet 550 Texas
10:27pm
ESPN2
1,148
875
31.2%
6/22
Ethanol Indy 250 Iowa
1:30pm
ABC
1,690
1,593
6.1%
6/28
SunTrust Indy Challenge Richmond
8:00pm
ESPN
947
803
17.9%
7/6
Camping World Grand Prix Watkins Glen
3:30pm
ABC
1,545
1,385
11.6%
7/12
Firestone Indy 200 (c) Nashville
8:00pm
ESPN
754
508
48.4%
7/20
Honda 200 (d) Mid-Ohio
2:06pm
ABC
1,827
2,432
-24.9%

NOTES: Last year's IndyCar viewership average does not include telecast of Long Beach Grand Prix. On February 26, 2008, it was announced that former Champ Car events at Long Beach, Edmonton, and Surfers Paradise, Australia, would be added to the '08 schedule. As a result of the scheduling conflict between the Motegi race and Long Beach, IndyCar teams competed in the Indy Japan 300, while some of the former Champ Car teams raced at Long Beach. (a) = After a rain delay in Japan which postponed the race Friday night, the Indy Japan 300 aired live from 10:00pm-12:27am ET on April 19 on ESPN Classic. The tape-delayed broadcast aired on April 20th at 11:00am ET on ESPN2; rating listed is for the replay. Last year's viewership reflects telecast on ESPN. (b) = Race aired on NBC last year as part of Champ Car schedule. (c) = Last year's race rained out on Saturday night and run on Sunday afternoon (d) = '07 event aired for only 66 minutes after British Open Final Round went into a playoff.

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