NBC Sports Group Posts Viewership Records

NBC Sports Group, the media "Home of Motorsports," drove viewership records and milestones across all of its motorsports properties in 2015, led by the most-watched NASCAR season finale in a decade, and NBCSN's most-watched INDYCAR and Formula One seasons to date.

In addition to record viewership for live racing coverage, NBCSN's portfolio of original motorsports programming posted across-the-board gains in viewership this year.

NBC Sports Group is the only U.S. sports media company broadcasting NASCAR, INDYCAR and Formula One in the same year, and all three series championships were decided on NBC or NBCSN in 2015. Led by NASCAR, F1, IndyCar, the Lucas Oil Pro MOTOCROSS Championship, and Red Bull Global RallyCross, NBC Sports Group presented nearly 1,400 hours of motorsports coverage in 2015, including race, studio and original programming.

Following are 2015 viewership highlights:

NASCAR

The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship on NBC and NBCSN from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 22 averaged 7.64 million viewers and posted a combined 4.42 national HH rating, marking increases of 46% (vs. 5.22 million) and 41% (vs. 3.14 HH), respectively, over last year's presentation on ESPN. The 7.64 million viewers made the race the most-watched NASCAR season finale in a decade, since NBC presented the championship event in 2005 (9.46 million).

Since the debut of live NASCAR racing over July 4th weekend, NBCSN has averaged 183,000 viewers in Total Day audience (6 a.m.-6 a.m.), which marks an increase of +120% over the same period one year ago and the best Total Day increase for any cable network in that five-month stretch (June 29-Nov. 29).

NASCAR America, which contributed to the Total Day audience, delivered its most-watched month on record in November, averaging 118,000 viewers during its 5 p.m. ET premieres, up 84% vs. Nov. 2014.

Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group's 2015 NASCAR viewership.

INDYCAR

NBCSN's presentation of the 2015 Verizon INDYCAR Series averaged 507,000 viewers, making it the most-watched INDYCAR season on NBCSN since INDYCAR rights were acquired in 2009. NBCSN's 2015 INDYCAR coverage (11 races) was up 34% from the network's average viewership for the 2014 season (378,000, 12 races).

NBCSN's record INDYCAR viewership was highlighted by significant gains in the second half of the season, capped by the season finale at Sonoma on Aug. 30. The race averaged 841,000 viewers to become the most-watched INDYCAR race on NBCSN since rights were acquired in 2009. Viewership of the race peaked in its final full quarter hour, as more than 1 million viewers (1.048 million) watched the thrilling conclusion to the 2015 campaign. Click here for more information on NBCSN's INDYCAR coverage.

FORMULA ONE

In its third season presenting Formula One™, NBC Sports Group's 2015 coverage of all 19 races across NBC, NBCSN and CNBC produced its highest viewership, highlighted by NBCSN delivering the most-watched F1 season for a single cable network in two decades. NBCSN averaged 418,000 viewers for its live coverage of 13 races this season, up 9% vs. 2014 (385,000), to rank as the best F1 season for a single cable network since 1995 (ESPN; 755,000 viewers).

Overall, NBC Sports Group's F1 coverage on NBC/NBCSN/CNBC averaged 521,000 viewers, up 14 % vs 2014 (457,000), and up 42% from its inaugural season of F1 coverage in 2013 (366,000). Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group's F1 viewership.

STUDIO & ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING VIEWERSHIP NOTES

• Across 129 telecasts to date, NBCSN's 2015 Mecum Auctions coverage has averaged 144,000 viewers, up 24% from 137 telecasts in 2014 (116,000);

• NBC/NBCSN's RED BULL GLOBAL RALLYCROSS coverage averaged 267,000 viewers across 21 telecasts, up 7% from last year's 21 telecasts (250,000);

• NBC/NBCSN's coverage of the Lucas Oil Pro MOTOCROSS Championshipaveraged 153,000 viewers, up 44% vs. 2014 (106,000);

• NBCSN's premiere of Mobsteel, the original automotive series that follows an existing custom car shop of the same name, averaged nearly 1 million viewers (965,000, Aug. 16) to become NBCSN's most-watched original series premiere to date;

• 2015 viewership of /DRIVE (77,000 viewers) and Off The Grid (61,000) on NBCSN was up 144% and 30%, respectively, vs. 2014.

NBCSN PRESENTS LIVE MECUM AUCTIONS COVERAGE FROM AUSTIN THIS WEEKEND

NBCSN presents more than 10 hours of live Mecum Auctions coverage this weekend from Austin, Texas. Coverage begins on Friday at noon ET and continues on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET. This week's auction in Austin features an estimated 600 vehicles, including a 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition with just 573 miles, and a 1986 Buick Grand National that was driven by actor Vin Diesel in the opening scene of "Fast and Furious 4."

Scott Hoke will anchor NBCSN's Mecum Auctions coverage on-site from the Austin Convention Center, alongside analysts John Kraman, Stephen Cox, and Bill Stephens.

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