NBC turns to Earnhardt for ratings boost
Beloved fan favorite to debut as analyst
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been pretty busy for a retired guy: Wife Amy gave birth to their first child, he hit the slopes in South Korea and raced scooters against Jimmy Fallon.
Junior Nation can keep tabs on Earnhardt’s active lifestyle — from home restorations to Super Bowl sound bites — through his own podcast.
NBC Sports has banked on that fervent fan base to flock to its NASCAR broadcasts when Earnhardt makes his season debut Sunday at Chicagoland.
Earnhardt is ready to trade a firesuit for a suit and tie in the booth.
“There’s so much to learn and absorb, and this is going to be an incredible 21 weeks of education for me,” Earnhardt said.
NBC picks up its half of the NASCAR schedule at a time when ratings and attendance have cratered, and nothing — from stage racing to a revamped championship format to a force-feeding of underachieving 20-somethings — has revived a sport Earnhardt’s late father helped usher into the national spotlight in the 1990s.
Junior, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, retired after last season and earned his 15th straight most popular driver award. Hilarious and heartfelt, his folksy charm endeared him to the millions that comprised his “nation” of fans and even made Earnhardt a household name to the casual fan who recognized him simply as NASCAR’S top pitchman.
“Mr. Popularity himself,” said Sam Flood, executive producer for NBC’S NASCAR telecasts.
NBC, in the fourth season of a $4.4 billion, 10-year deal, can only hope Earnhardt’s star power will attract viewers curious to listen to how NASCAR’S favorite son tackles each race.
The Sports Business Journal reported broadcaster partner Fox and FS1 averaged 2.54 million viewers for Cup Series races this season, down 23 percent from last year
(3.31 million). Martin Truex Jr’s win Sunday at Sonoma was seen by 2.3 million viewers on FS1 — down from 3.2 million last year and 3.9 million in 2016.
Earnhardt will be paired with his former crew chief, analyst Steve Letarte. Rick Allen returns as the play-by-play announcer, and analyst Jeff Burton also will be in the fourman booth.
“Who would you rather share a beer with and watch the race,” Flood asked.