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It’s no secret that NASCAR’s TV numbers have been sliding. In 2023, the Cup Series averaged 2.86 million viewers per race across FOX, FS1, NBC, and USA Network, the lowest-ever season average in the sport’s history. Early in 2025, the drop continues: races on streaming or cable platforms such as Amazon Prime Video saw viewership declines of over 12%. Several factors are at play: the shift of marquee races from broadcast TV to cable and streaming, increasing competition for viewers, and changing habits in how people consume live sports. And commentator Kevin Harvick has blamed the Playoffs. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Kevin Harvick calls a bluff Mamba Smith was effusive on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, likening the playoff cuts to a Game 7 thrill, before Kevin Harvick cut in sharply. He said: “What has it done though? What is it? I mean it’s changed the way that you do as a competitor but has it increased the ratings at the end of the year? They talked about how big this ratings increase was going to be because we’re going to have this Game 7 moment.” Harvick remembers the pitch since 2004; eliminations would spike eyes. But the 2023 Phoenix finale pulled 2.9 million, way down from 4.1 million in 2016 at Homestead. The big moment fizzled on screen. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad He continued: “Game 7 moment hasn’t done anything for the TV ratings or popularity of the sport. Nothing. We’ve had some of our lowest TV ratings ever, in the playoffs. The TV deal is bad. When it’s not on the proper networks and it, I mean when you put Talladega back on NBC, the TV ratings are great.” Cable buries the buzz. Las Vegas in the USA drew 1.9 million; Talladega on NBC hit 3.3 million. Broadcast still rules the room. He added, “I would say the playoffs have not done anything. The one-race, Game 7 championship moment has done absolutely zero to make it more exciting. More people don’t watch that last race because they’re racing for a championship than they did when they had normal points.” Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Old finales pulled bigger crowds without the drama tag. Phoenix lags behind Daytona or the 600. The format stirs chaos, not couches. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Harvick finished: “The Cup piece of it, they’re all equal, they’ve all had pretty good years. But the other two are pretty lopsided and if one of those, if Corey Heim or Connor Zilisch don’t win the championship, it’s an embarrassment to the whole season.” Xfinity and Trucks expose the cracks. Heim and Zilisch dominated, yet one bad lap could crown a no-win champ. Playoffs twist merit, not lift eyes. The playoff chat circles the ultimate what-if, best without a title. Drivers at Vegas picked between Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin. Hamlin or Martin, the true GOAT without a ring? Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Josh Berry, Chase Briscoe, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., A.J. Allmendinger all leaned one way or both. Larson said: “I mean, I guess it would be between Denny [Hamlin] and Mark Martin, right? I didn’t get to compete with Mark a whole lot, you know? I wanna say Denny just because I see how good he is.” Briscoe shrugged: “I mean, it’s gotta be either Mark or Denny. I didn’t get to race against Mark. So, it’s hard for me to really say. Denny is extremely good. So, one of those two. Flip a coin.” Hamlin has 60 wins in 718 starts, three Daytona 500s, three Southern 500s, and one Coca-Cola 600. Martin tallied 40 wins over 882 races, two Southern 500s, one Coca-Cola 600, two Winston 500s, and five IROC crowns. Hamlin sits one Phoenix win from shedding the label. Playoffs gave the stage, but ratings say the show needs work. Harvick’s truth stings, drama without draw leaves legends chasing ghosts.
