Published: October 7, 2002
preview / download NBC SPORTS COVERAGE OF NASCAR AND NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL CONTINUE TO POST YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASES
NASCAR Pre-Race Show Outperforms CBS NFL Today
NEW YORK — October 7, 2002 — NBC Sports weekend coverage of the Notre Dame -Stanford football game and the NASCAR Winston Cup EASports 500 from Talladega Superspeedway both posted year-over-year ratings increases, according to the overnights released today by Nielsen Media Research.
NBCs exclusive coverage of the EA Sports 500 from Talladega on Sunday (1:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET) generated a 4.6 rating/10 share, marking a five percent increase over last years race (4.4/10). Additionally, NBCs pre-race show, Discover Card Countdown to Green logged an impressive 3.3/8 from 12:30 – 1:15 p.m. ET, outperforming CBS NFL Today, which earned a 2.5/5 from noon – 1 p.m. ET.
With six races remaining (five on NBC and the Nov. 3 Rockingham race on TNT), only 147 points separate first and fifth place, making this the closest race for the championship since the current points system was created in 1975. Yesterday at Talladega, a pace lap collision between Mark Martin and the season points leader Jimmie Johnson cost Johnson his lead. Johnson dropped to third behind Martin, who now moved into second with Tony Stewart in the lead for the first time in his four-year career.
NASCAR Winston Cup racing on NBC continues next weekend at the Lowes Motor Speedway with exclusive coverage of the UAW-GM Quality 500, on Sunday, Oct. 13. The afternoon gets underway with the Discover Card Countdown to Green pre-race show at noon ET, followed by green flag racing at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Notre Dame-Stanford Game Coverage Boasts 36 Percent Increase
On Saturday (2:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET), NBCs coverage of Notre Dames 31-7 victory over Stanford produced a 3.0/7 in the overnights, an impressive 36 percent increase over last years comparable game against West Virginia (2.2/5). The Fighting Irish, led by new head coach Tyrone Willingham (who for the past seven years coached Stanford), extended Notre Dames record to 5-0, marking their best start since 1993. Saturdays coverage also marked the third consecutive Notre Dame game on NBC to post a year-over-year increase.
NBCs Notre Dame coverage continues this weekend when they face 5-1 Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct.12 at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Fighting Irish go into that game ranked eighth in both polls.
