FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S COVERAGE OF THE 2016 VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES SETS TOTAL VIEWERSHIP RECORD

2016 Coverage Reaches More Than 6.5 Million Total Viewers

Average Audience of 488,000 Viewers Is NBC Sports Group’s Second Most-Watched IndyCar Season Ever

A18-49 Demo Up 7% vs. 2015

10 Races in Past Two Seasons Have Eclipsed 500,000 Viewers

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 21, 2016 – NBC Sports Group delivered a second consecutive season of record-setting Verizon IndyCar Series viewership in 2016, reaching more than 6.5 million total viewers, its highest season-total since acquiring IndyCar rights in 2009.

NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series averaged 488,000 viewers across 10 weekend races to rank as its second most-watched IndyCar season since 2009, trailing only last year’s record-setting average viewership (507,000).

This season also delivered NBC Sports Group’s most-watched IndyCar race ever, when NBCSN and CNBC’s simulcast of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio averaged 929,000 viewers on July 31. Last Sunday’s finale at Sonoma on NBCSN (6:30-8:56 p.m. ET), which was won by 2016 series champion Simon Pagenaud, averaged 536,000 viewers.

Digitally, the 2016 IndyCar season on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app delivered 6.7 million minutes streamed and 89,000 uniques, both NBC Sports Group IndyCar records.

 

Following are additional viewership highlights from NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series:

  • Viewership in the Adult 18-49 demographic was up 7% vs. 2015 (123,000 vs. 115,000);
  • 10 races in the last two seasons eclipsed 500,000 viewers, more than the past six seasons on NBCSN combined (five);
  • Indianapolis ranked as the No. 1 local market with a 2.38 rating.

 

Following are NBC Sports Group’s five most-watched IndyCar races:

Date Race Viewership
July 31, 2016 Mid-Ohio 929,000
August 15, 2015 Sonoma 841,000
August 2, 2015 Mid-Ohio 666,000
July 24, 2011 Edmonton 642,000
August 23, 2015 Pocono 635,000

 

Following are the Top 5 markets from the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series on NBCSN/CNBC:

Rank Metered Market HH Rtg
1 Indianapolis 2.38
2 Milwaukee 0.83
3 Richmond-Petersburg 0.80
4 Greenville 0.78
5 Greensboro 0.73

 

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