“Bounce back on the NBC races, and I think we’ll have a decent rating here on Sunday.” Those words said by Steve Phelps in defense of the declining TV ratings didn’t age well. If you have been following NASCAR closely, then you’re surely well-versed with this long-standing problem. NASCAR’s ratings slide has fans pointing the blame at the playoff system.

Despite the $7.7 billion media deal with FOX, Amazon, NBC, and Warner Bros. Discovery, the ratings and viewership numbers continue to dip. New Hampshire drew just 1.29M compared to 1.88M last year. Even the 2025 Phoenix finale couldn’t escape the slump. While the NFL dominates Sundays with 25 million viewers, NASCAR hovers near 1-2 million, and fans insist the playoff format is the real problem.

NASCAR insider shares devastating TV num

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