Fox Set To Wrap NASCAR Coverage For Season As Ratings Struggle
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Despite NASCAR Ratings Decrease,
David Hill Says Fox Is Not Panicking |
Fox' coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover Int'l Speedway on Sunday is the net's last broadcast this season, and the coverage "could use a jolt," according to Nate Ryan of USA TODAY. Fox has averaged a 5.2 rating for the first 11 of its 13-race package, which is down 13% from last year. However, Fox Sports Chair & CEO David Hill said that the net "isn't panicking near the end of its ninth season." Hill: "Nothing goes up forever. Every sport has a correction. ... If it had gone down [50-60%], there's something wrong. But 13% is no time (for) alarm." Meanwhile, Ryan notes the popularity of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is 19th in the Sprint Cup points standings, is "so critical to drawing viewers to broadcasts or fans to racetracks, his success could be having an effect on the sport that's akin to Tiger Woods' impact on golf." Hill: "I'm told by our research guys that if Dale won, more people would watch" (USA TODAY, 5/29). Hill said that the sport "could shore up audiences with a consistent start time" for races. NASCAR Managing Dir of Corporate Communications Ramsey Poston said that the league is "interested in a closer look at consistent start times." Meanwhile, Hill said that he "received a recent e-mail from a high-ranking NASCAR official ... blaming 'Digger,' the animated gopher who has become a staple of Fox's coverage," for the ratings decline. Hill: "I said, 'I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I never would have created him. I didn't realize how insidious he was.' It's the biggest crock of (stuff) I've ever heard." Hill said that the net has sold $500,000 worth of "Digger-emblazoned items," which Ryan notes would rank among the top 15 in driver sales (USA TODAY, 5/29). In Las Vegas, Jeff Wolf writes of Digger, "Fortunately, the overrated rat will go into hibernation after Sunday when Fox airs its last race of the year. We can only hope the annoying rodent becomes animated road kill Sunday" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/29).
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