The 2025 Charlotte Roval had everything NASCAR fans could ask for. Chaos, comebacks, and championship heartbreaks. Shane van Gisbergen scored his fifth win of the season after surviving a wild, fender-banging showdown that left even veteran fans holding their breath. Joey Logano barely snuck into the Round of 8 thanks to a late-race pileup involving Ross Chastain and Denny Hamlin, while tire strategies and door-to-door battles kept the tension sky-high.

On paper, it was the kind of race that should’ve lit up TV screens across the country. But surprisingly, the Roval numbers told a different story. Viewership dropped by nearly a third compared to last year. 2025 drew in 1.544 million fans while 2024 had delivered 2.419. With ratings slipping during one of NASCAR’s most thrilling playoff races, fans have started raising an important question that goes beyond tire compounds and stage wins.

NASCAR ratings slide continues even in playoff season

NASCAR has struggled with declining TV ratings in recent years, and the trend has only worsened during the 2025 season. Overall, average viewership for Cup races is down 15-17%, with this year’s race average slipping to about 2.45 million viewers compared to nearly 3 million in 2024. While declines in regular-season numbers are concerning, the more alarming drop is happening mid-playoffs—a time traditionally expected to draw bigger audiences as championship drama ramps up.

Playoff races in 2025 average just 1.54 million viewers, a steep 29% fall from last year’s 2.17 million. Key events like the Charlotte Roval drew just 1.54 million viewers (down from 2.4 million), and New Hampshire dipped to 1.29 million, a full 31% drop year-over-year.

Multiple factors play a role, but one persistent narrative is NASCAR’s direct competition with the NFL. The NFL season dominates US television from September through winter—every Sunday and Monday, where high-profile pro football games take the spotlight, including marquee matchups and flexible scheduling across networks like NBC, CBS, FOX, and ESPN.

With massive ratings (sometimes triple or quadruple NASCAR’s), football reliably draws attention away from racing, especially during crucial playoff weekends in October and November. This disconnect between playoff expectations and ratings has not escaped fans.

On Reddit, one user recently asked, “Does NASCAR take a back seat during football season?” The replies highlight just how layered the viewership conversation has become. The next section will explore those responses and what fans see as the path forward.

Fans weigh in on viewership decline debate

Fan reactions to NASCAR’s viewership decline, especially during the NFL season, reveal a range of perspectives rooted in regional interests, technology, and sports loyalty. One Reddit user quipped, “For some, yeah, I don’t really get into football until the playoffs so Nascar is wrapped up by then.”

Indeed, the NASCAR Cup season typically ends at Phoenix in the first week of November, while the NFL regular season runs September through late December and the playoffs stretch into mid-January. That way, fans are lucky to finish the NASCAR season and then jump into the NFL.

Others pointed out, “For die-hard fans, no. For the masses, absolutely. The TV ratings for NASCAR plummet once the NFL season kicks off.” Recent stats show NASCAR playoff ratings dropping by 29% year-over-year. However, loyal fans still tune in to watch every NASCAR playoff race, even sacrificing headline NFL matchups for their favorite drivers.

Another response: “I mean yeah for some people but at the same time it is 2025 so watching both via flipping through the channels or multiview or watching on multiple devices is a lot easier now so i gotta imagine racing and football are able to still watch both.”

Streaming services and cable apps allow viewers to watch races and games side-by-side on phones, tablets, or smart TVs. Thus, people who want to tune in to the action of both concurrent sports can do so easily without any sacrifices.

A fourth fan explained, “College football is the priority for me on Saturdays, but NASCAR is the priority for me on Sundays. So other than the Bristol night race, it normally works out that Xfinity/Trucks take a back seat but Cup doesn’t.” This comment highlights how scheduling quirks impact viewing habits.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff races are typically held on Sunday afternoons, whereas the NFL Sunday games are lined up for afternoon, late afternoon, and late evening slots. Thus, viewers can easily choose to watch an NFL game, depending on the schedule and teams that are playing, without sacrificing their favorite NASCAR races.

Still, not everyone’s convinced by NASCAR’s playoff format, which can be a reason for a decline in viewership. “Yes, for me. There are 36 race weekends, but only half as many NFL Sundays… and the Chase/Playoffs have never really interested me anyway.” 

The NASCAR playoff format has received backlash since its inception, with many arguing that the format is unfair. A single race can decide the champion, often ignoring season-long consistency and rewarding luck rather than overall excellence.

With shifting schedules, streaming options, and playoff fatigue all in play, fans continue debating whether football truly overshadows NASCAR. But the question arises: what can NASCAR do to recapture broader support going forward?