Acc0rding to overnight Television ratings for Wednesday’s Cup Series race at the Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR’s decision to ban the display of the Confederate flag at its races and properties did not have a negative impact viewership despite complaints from some of its supporters.
TV ratings for Wednesday race at Martinsville also were up 16% over the last week’s race on FS1, the weather-delayed event at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28th. The Wednesday evening event at Darlington on May 20th, the first mid-week Cup Series event since 1984, drew a rating of 1.22 on FS1.
Wednesday’s race at Martinsville Speed, which started just a few hours after NASCAR released the statement on its prohibit of the Confederate flag, delivered massive numbers relative to comparable past Cup Series races.
Bubba Wallace and Jimmie Jonhson react to NASCAR’s Confederate flag ban
Stats showed overnight TV ratings were up 104% “over the comparable race last campaign,” per Fox Sports executive vice president Michael Mulvihill — a rating of 1.14 compared to 0.56 for the 11th race of the season last year, an event at Dover International Speedway presented on the same TV channel (FS1).
Through 11 races NASCAR Cup overnight ratings are up +1% on FOX/FS1.
This despite a rain-impacted Daytona, a ten-week interruption and an extra race on broadcast through last year’s first 11 races.
— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) June 11, 2020
NASCAR’s decision to ban Confederate flags at all events was met with expected anger from a large number of its loyal fan base.
Please don’t take the Confederate flage away from us all because of one don’t like it.
Thank You