NASCAR reaches groundbreaking media rights deal that includes first-ever streaming-only races
NASCAR adds Amazon Prime Video and Warner Bros. Discovery to its media partners in a $7.7 billion deal
NASCAR announced a massive $7.7 billion media rights deal that includes Fox Sports, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon.
The new media rights deal, which was announced on Wednesday, will begin in 2025 and run through the end of the 2031 NASCAR season.
"Our goal was to secure long-term stability with an optimized mix of distribution platforms and innovative partners that would allow us to grow the sport while delivering our product to fans wherever they are — and we’ve achieved that today," NASCAR President Steve Phelps said in a statement. "NASCAR has been a cornerstone property for both new and established platforms for several decades.
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Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light #TheCrew Ford, lead the field to start the NASCAR Cup Series 63rd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2021 in Daytona Beac (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
"These agreements demonstrate the staying power of our sport and the consistent, large-scale audience it delivers. This landmark deal underscores our collective growth opportunity to drive engagement across this diverse collection of platforms — whether on broadcast, cable or direct-to-consumer. With the talented young drivers, exciting new teams and record-breaking racing we’ve seen since the Next Gen car was introduced in 2022, we’re looking forward to working with each of these partners to bring some of the best racing in the world to fans everywhere."
Sports Business Journal reports that the media rights deal will be worth $1.1 billion per year, which is up from the $820 million per year media rights deal NASCAR previously had in place. That will be expiring at the end of the 2024 season.
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The Amazon Prime Video portion of the media rights deal is particularly fascinating because it will mark the first time NASCAR had a Cup Series event exclusively streamed.
Michael McDowell, driver of the #34 Front Row Motorsports Loves Travel Stops Ford Mustang, wins the Daytona 500 on February 14, 2021 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach. Fl. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Prime Video has obviously been involved in live sports, with its most popular being the home of the NFL’s "Thursday Night Football." The first-ever NFL Black Friday game was also just streamed exclusively on Prime Video this past week.
The breakdown of the media rights deal begins with Fox Sports carrying the opening 14 races of the Cup Series each year, which includes the Daytona 500 in February. Then, Prime Video will take over five events on its platform, followed by TNT Sports getting five of its own. Finally, NBC Sports will carry the final 14 races of each season.
"These agreements not only show NASCAR’s importance to the sports and entertainment ecosystem but also the willingness of some of the world’s largest and most respected media companies to make significant investments in America’s leading motorsport," senior vice president, media and productions, NASCAR, Brian Herbst, said in a statement.
William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20, 2022 in Hampton, Georgia. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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As for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, that will be carried exclusively on CW beginning in 2025.