The 2025 NASCAR season is shaping up to be a landmark year for the sport. This year NASCAR will make its first international appearance with a race in Mexico City. NASCAR also made some interesting changes in the rule book, including the changes in the playoff waiver system and the number of allowed cars in a race.

However, the biggest change comes with the NASCAR’s latest media deal. In a historic deal, NASCAR inked a seven-year contract with four broadcasting partners. Apart from NBC and Fox Sports streaming platforms, Amazon Prime Video and WBD’s TNT Sports signed a whooping deal worth $7.7 billion dollars. Now, the series is taking another significant step by securing a multi-year broadcasting deal with Dutch media powerhouse, Ziggo Sport.

NASCAR continues to extend its International presence

NASCAR has renewed its Dutch broadcast rights with Ziggo Sport. The dominant player in the Sports broadcasting unit will retain exclusive rights to NASCAR races in the Netherlands for the next five years. This deal will allow Dutch fans to access premier NASCAR events, including the prestigious Daytona 500, starting February 2, 2025.

Notably, this deal comes under Ziggo’s bid to secure the trio of American racing with themselves. Apart from NASCAR, they also inked extension contracts with IndyCar and IMSA, cementing its role as the go-to channel for motorsports in the Netherlands. The IndyCar deal spans five seasons, while the IMSA agreement covers three years. This will allow racing enthusiasts in the Netherlands to access races like the Indy 500, Daytona 500, and Rolex 24 in one place.

It’s worth noting that Ziggo Sport is not an ordinary broadcaster. The channel already holds exclusive rights to other prominent motorsport series, such as Formula E, MotoGP, and DTM. It also airs major football tournaments, including the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Apart from these, it also has exclusive rights to the Diamond League, golf’s PGA Tour, and tennis’ Wimbledon Grand Slam.

However, Ziggo’s biggest miss is Formula 1. Despite the dominance of the Dutch driver and four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen, Ziggo has failed to secure a deal with Formula 1. A rival OTT platform Viaplay has inked a multi-year deal with Liberty Media after breaking viewership records in Dutch lands.

Notably, Ziggo Sport’s partnership comes on the heels of NASCAR’s historic $7.7 billion media rights deal. This deal is a significant upgrade from the previous $820 million-per-season agreement with Fox and NBC. From 2025 onwards, all four media partners NBC, Fox, Amazon, and WBD will split races between themselves to maximize reach.

Fox will air 14 NASCAR Cup Series events annually, including the iconic Daytona 500. Another traditional media house, NBC, retains the rights to the postseason, including the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Meanwhile, the newcomers, Amazon, and WBD, will bring their unique streaming expertise. Notably, Prime Video will exclusively stream five races and all qualifying and practice sessions from the first half of the cup season. WBD’s TNT Sports will also broadcast five races, with additional coverage on its Max streaming service.

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A win for the Sport amid declining viewership

The latest media deal has established NASCAR as one of the most promising sports properties on the American continent. Despite a five percent drop in viewership in 2023, NASCAR’s ability to negotiate a 40 percent increase in media rights fees is a testament to its enduring appeal. The 2023 season averaged 2.86 million viewers, down from 3.03 million the previous year. Yet, the series continues to attract a dedicated fanbase.

So how did NASCAR secure such a lucrative deal amid declining numbers? The answer lies in the growing media landscape. As pay-tv subscriptions dwindle, top-tier live sports have become increasingly valuable to advertisers. NASCAR’s inclusion of streaming platforms like Amazon and WBD has broadened its reach.

Additionally, NASCAR remains a dominant force in American motorsports. While Formula 1 has gained traction in the United States, NASCAR still boasts the largest audience. Its ability to adapt to changing consumer habits and diversify its media partnerships has paid off handsomely. With such a great number of media deals, NASCAR hopes to add viewers, especially young audiences, in the upcoming years.