IndyCar: NBCSN reports on year of audience growth

Although the final race for its 2014 schedule was problematic for TV with a start time of 10:20 p.m. ET that likely contributed to its disappointing rating reported at a 0.18, overall NBCSN's coverage of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series offered reasons for optimism. The network reported its 12 race telecasts in 2014 averaged 378,000 viewers, the second-highest average for a season on NBCSN since IndyCar rights were acquired in 2009 (402,000 in 2011). NBCSN's 2014 IndyCar coverage was up 34% from the network's average viewership for the series for the 2013 season (282,000, 13 races), according to data provided by The Nielsen Company.

"The viewership increases this year clearly demonstrate the benefits of everyone in the industry working together," said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports & NBCSN. "Our two organizations successfully cooperated to reduce scheduling conflicts; drivers and teams delivered thrilling races week after week; our marketing department drove viewers to telecasts by utilizing all of our motorsports platforms; and our production team continued its best-in-class coverage. We look forward to growing viewership for the sport for many years to come."

Following are additional viewership highlights from NBCSN's coverage of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series:

NBCSN's coverage reached 4.356 million unique viewers, making it the second-highest total audience since 2009 (4.789 million in 2011) and up 26% from the total audience in 2013 (3.456 million viewers);

Five of this year's races (Barber, Texas, Houston 2, Iowa and Toronto 2) eclipsed the average viewership of the top race in 2013 (Sonoma);

Six of this year's races posted viewership gains of at least 50% from the same races in 2013, including the Houston double-header, which saw increases in average viewership of 121% in Race 1 (361,000 vs. 163,000) and 144% in Race 2 (396,000 vs. 161,000), respectively;

Race 2 of the Honda Indy Toronto double-header averaged 484,000 viewers, making it NBCSN's most-watched IndyCar Race since the 2011 Grand Prix of Baltimore (9/4/11, 591,000).

In addition to delivering the second-highest average viewership since 2009, NBCSN saw increases across key demographics – up 13% among Adults 18-49, and up 21% among Adults 25-54 vs. 2013.

The following is a table of the six most-watched IndyCar races of the 2014 season on NBCSN:

Note: The first race of this year's Honda Indy Toronto double-header, scheduled to air on NBCSN, was postponed due to rain, and aired the following morning on CNBC. It is not included in NBCSN's season average.