NASCAR recently inked groundbreaking seven-year media rights deals with four major partners, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series from 2025 to 2031. The quartet includes FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Prime Video by Amazon, and TNT Sports, a branch of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Monetary details remain undisclosed, but the deal will reportedly eclipse $1.1 billion per year, far surpassing the league’s previous media rights deal total of $820 million.
Under the new agreements, FOX Sports and NBC Sports will retain their roles as primary broadcasters, each airing 14 races annually. FOX will kickstart the season with marquee events like The Busch Light Clash and the storied DAYTONA 500, also adding live coverage of the entire NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season. NBC, on the other hand, will close out the season with coverage of the playoffs and the championship race. Both networks will mix broadcast and cable events, offering nine races annually on traditional broadcast channels.
Prime Video and TNT Sports are joining the broadcast fray, sharing coverage of 10 midseason races. Prime Video’s debut marks NASCAR’s first foray into direct-to-consumer streaming, offering live practice and qualifying sessions for the first half of the season. TNT Sports will pick up the baton with five midseason races, streaming concurrently on its platform and truTV. Additionally, both platforms have snagged exclusive rights to all practice and qualifying sessions for the entirety of the Cup Series schedule.
NASCAR’s President, Steve Phelps, hailed the deals as a pivotal step towards expanding the sport’s reach across various platforms, highlighting the sport’s growth potential amidst an evolving media landscape. Brian Herbst, the league’s senior vice president of media and productions, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of aligning with esteemed media giants to cater to diverse fan preferences.
FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks expressed pride in the network’s longstanding relationship with NASCAR, while NBC Sports President Rick Cordella reiterated their commitment to delivering the sport’s thrilling moments across various platforms. Prime Video’s Jay Marine similarly underscored the importance of bringing NASCAR Cup Series racing to the streaming giant’s U.S. audience for the first time, promising to enhance fan engagement through innovative content offerings.
Meanwhile, TNT Sports, with its rich history in NASCAR, anticipates an immersive return to the racing scene, leveraging its multi-platform approach to elevate the viewing experience for fans.
In addition to these major partnerships, The CW Network will exclusively host the NASCAR Xfinity Series, further bolstering NASCAR’s presence on leading airwaves.
With these landmark agreements in place, NASCAR is set to captivate audiences across traditional television, streaming platforms, and digital channels, ushering in a new era of accessibility and excitement for fans of the high-octane sport.
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