IndyCar Ratings Continue To Grow

INDIANAPOLIS — Ratings for the NTT IndyCar Series continue an impressive increase this season as the marks for Sunday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix were the best for a cable telecast in 23 years.

The sold-out first-year street race averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 1.212 million viewers on NBCSN, the most-watched race on cable in NBC Sports history (since 2009). It is also believed to be the most-watched IndyCar cable race in 23 years when an ESPN telecast was watched by 2.218 million viewers.

The Music City Grand Prix, which was won by Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson, surpassed NBC Sports’ previous cable rating record of 934,000 viewers for the 2016 event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

NBC Sports has now had two of its four most-watched IndyCar Series races on cable during the 2021 season (Road America; June 20; 807,000 viewers).

The 1.212 million viewership figure is up 181% compared to NBCSN’s 2020 IndyCar race average (432,000 viewers) and up 187% vs. the 2019 cable average (423,000).

Streaming across NBC Sports digital platforms delivered an Average Minute Audience of 11,500 viewers, another NBC Sports record for an IndyCar race, excluding the Indy 500.

“I think stars with leadership of the ownership of Roger Penske,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown said. “There is no one better to grow the motor racing team and I have a tremendous belief in what is happening and it’s at a time when you have one hand tied around your back because of what is going on around the world with COVID.

“Imagine how much it is going to grow once the masks are off.”

IndyCar owner Roger Penske found the numbers encouraging.

“I am very encouraged by the results we have seen from Sunday’s Music City Grand Prix broadcast and the positive momentum generated in TV viewership overall this season,” Penske said. “I would like to thank our partners at NBC for their hard work and continued innovation to showcase the stories, the excitement and the drama of the NTT IndyCar Series.

“I am excited about the rest of the season and the future of our sport with the recently-announced multi-year partnership with NBC that includes 13 races on network TV and more online and digital content on the Peacock platform.”

Through its first four races this season, NBCSN is having its best start to an IndyCar season ever, averaging a TAD of 761,000 viewers, up 110% vs. 2020 (362,000) and up 92% vs. 2019 (397,000).

Across both NBC and NBCSN, the 2021 season is averaging a TAD of 1.532 million viewers, up 35% vs. 2020 (1.139 million) and up 7% vs. 2019 (1.430 million).

“Nashville and IndyCar are a winning combination,” Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles told SPEED SPORT Tuesday afternoon. “The event was a huge success at the track and on NBC and immediately reestablished the momentum the Series had going into our Olympic break.

“With five races to go we expect the championship to conclude with exciting races and great crowds and viewer audiences.”

NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series continues this weekend with the Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.