A new era of media distribution begins for NASCAR. After seriously considering the constantly falling viewership numbers, NASCAR has sealed the deal with a 7-year contract with Amazon, NBC, TNT Sports, and Fox Sports. The agreement sees the aforementioned platforms televise and stream NASCAR races according to their deals.

The latest media rights deal is worth $1.1 billion annually, and, over seven years, will cost around $7.7 billion. Prime Video, the premier streaming platform, is being touted to be the primary streaming window. Prime Video’s Vice President and Global Head of Sports, Jay Marine, believes that NASCAR had to take this step due to the change in media trends and the increase of younger fans in the sport. Speaking at an official press conference, he also emphasizes the amount of competition among media companies currently.

Jay Marine feels Prime Video’s arrival was the need of the hour

NASCAR’s previous media rights deal ends in 2025. The existing contract sees NASCAR pay $820 million annually to broadcast NASCAR races and content. The latest agreement has been divided within the companies under the contract. Amazon Prime will stream five exclusive races after the first 14 races of the season, which FOX Sports will televise.

This is the first time NASCAR has opted for the Cup Series to be exclusively streamed on any media channel. The popularity of newer platforms like Prime Video and Netflix has appealed to the younger generations. That is also one of the advantages of the deal. Making the races available on Prime Video will help them attract younger fans to NASCAR and improve the viewership in return.

Jay Marine highlighted the same: “I think part of it is you have to be where the consumer is and so we were just talking about this with someone else, but my kids don’t know what a linear TV guide is. They just don’t know.”

“That’s the world we live in and also, there’s so many entertainment choices now, right? So you’re not only competing just against each other, you’re competing against TikTok and any other entertainment choices that are out there. So it’s not just NASCAR, every company and every sport and league needs to get younger, that is your future. It’s really important, but for us, it starts with distributing in a way, that’s how they watch content.” In saying so, Marine seems to have snubbed NASCAR’s core audience, which has kept the sport alive till now and can’t really be categorized as young. 

NASCAR has been optimistic about the results of this deal. Over the past few years, it has searched high and low for a solution to help balance the declining viewership. The Prime Video and TNT Sports could make or break NASCAR’s media rights. Considering NASCAR’s affinity towards helping certain content suppliers create documentaries, this deal could pay dividends.

Read More: NASCAR Grants Media Rights to Amazon & Warner Bros., Garners 40% Increase Over Current $820 Million Annual Package 

A look at NASCAR’s new media rights deals

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Amazon Prime’s involvement is wider than five races in a 38-race season. Barring the first three races, Prime will showcase the first 19 practice sessions and qualifyings in the Cup Series. Warner Brothers will take over the practice and qualifying race duties from thereon, and the television broadcast will shift to truTV.

The Xfinity Series will begin its partnership with CW in 2025, with FOX Sports reserving its contract again in the Truck Series. TNT Sports will also be the broadcast partner for five weekends after Prime Video. The Bleacher Report Sports tier will also cast the race on Max Streaming Service to support it. NBC has taken the rest of the 14 races.

NASCAR Senior VP for Media and Productions, Brian Herbst was elated by the deal’s completion. Speaking about the historic deal, he stated, “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,”

How the younger public will respond to this effort from NASCAR remains to be seen. It could be a deterrent for fans who have preferred linear TV broadcasts for a long time now. But as we advanced, some changes were also necessary.

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