Formula 1 boss Chase Carey is pushing all the right buttons.
Latest numbers released by FOM (Formula One Management), and reported by ESPN.com, shows TV ratings are up year over year for the iconic European racing brand. That has to make Brian France cringe.
F1 ratings increased more than 6% in 2017, with the largest growth in Brazil, Germany, Italy and the UK. While NASCAR is primarily an American experience, F1 is more of a world traveler and captures a broader audience. Think soccer and the NFL. While the NFL dwarfs soccer's ratings here in the U.S., it's a much different story factoring in countries around the world.
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NASCAR has been in a steady decline for more than a decade, in ratings and in attendance. Nielsen reports NASCAR viewership has fallen off by more than 40% since 2005. That translates roughly from 9 million viewers per race to less than 5 million. Attendance for Formula 1 races climbed by 8% in 2017. NASCAR...well, you know.
"We are encouraged by the growth in audience numbers across linear and digital platforms during the 2017 season," F1 managing director Sean Bratches said in a statement. "Central to our efforts last season was to improve the fan experience across our platforms and it is encouraging to see the engagement that fans around the world have with Formula One media.
Formula 1 and owner Liberty Media made it known they were going after fans hard in social media and is it paying off in a big way. F1 is the fastest growing sports brand on social media, ahead of the likes of the NFL, Formula E, Premier League, Nike, Adidas, and Puma. They show a growth of nearly 55% over 2016.