'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The recent NASCAR Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles faced a unique situation, leading to an impact on viewership numbers. Usually taking place on Sundays and airing live on FOX, this year’s races ran on Saturday and had to be transferred to FS1 after the threat of adverse weather conditions.
Adam Stern from the Sports Business Journal shared on X (formerly Twitter) the 2024 Clash viewership numbers. He said:
"@FS1 got 1.511 million viewers for Saturday night's Busch Light Clash, down from the first two editions that were held on Sundays on @FoxTV""(2022: 4.283 million viewers | 2023: 3.647 million viewers)."
Trending
He described it as being well below the numbers of the earlier editions that took place on FOX, which had over 4 million viewers in 2022 and over 3 million viewers in 2023.
Moving the date of the race and also the channel due to the weather conditions might have greatly contributed to the reduction in numbers, as per the information shared by Adam Stern who said:
"NASCAR had to move race to Saturday due to severe weather coming in L.A."
The change of time of the race from Sunday at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) to Saturday at the same time may have taken fans by surprise, leading to a drop in the viewership numbers.
The Busch Light Clash was a non-championship pre-season race without any points to gain or lose, but all eyes would now be on the official season opener: the Daytona 500.
The 2024 Busch Light Clash was moved forward a day due to weather conditions
The official 2024 NASCAR season hasn't started yet, and challenges due to the weather are already in play.
The Busch Light Clash was considered unsafe to be held at the L.A. Coliseum on Sunday due to unstable weather conditions in L.A. So organizers had to move the race forward by one day, making it Saturday night instead of Sunday night.
The shift in this schedule also affected television broadcasts; the race was on FS1 instead of FOX, and a big drop in viewership was recorded.
Meanwhile, coming to the race itself, Denny Hamlin went on to win after starting from pole and leading for 58 laps. Kyle Busch (second) and Ryan Blaney (third) were on the podium, with Joey Logano (2022 Clash winner) and Kyle Larson finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
