NBC counts on Junior Nation to flock to NASCAR broadcast
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 — though 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 — have revived a sport Earnhardt’s late father helped usher into the national spotlight in the 1990s. Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, retired at the end of 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.
But is Earnhardt’s popularity enough to halt the ratings slide of a sport in danger of returning to its niche roots?
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.
Earnhardt will be paired again 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 that Flood said will have a different presentation each week.
“Who would you rather share a beer with and watch the race,” Flood asked.
The only thing chillier than a few cold ones in the cooler is NASCAR’S weekly ratings report.