ESPN and TNT want out of NASCAR next year

FLRacingFan

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What a mess.

ESPN and Turner Sports are talking with NASCAR about getting out of their broadcast rights agreement a year early, a move that could allow Fox Sports and NBC Sports Group to become the sport’s broadcasters next year.

It’s unlikely that the four TV companies will be able to reach a deal, sources say. But the fact that these types of talks are occurring is precedent-setting in an industry where live sports rights are held sacred. For at least the past decade, no rights holder has exited a major media agreement with a property early.
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Such talks are exceedingly rare in sports media. Television companies that lose rights to a sport a year before their contract ends typically choose to ride out the final year of their agreement as a lame-duck rights holder. For example, Fox broadcast the BCS in 2009 and 2010 after ESPN outbid it for the rights in 2008. And ESPN is carrying the FIFA World Cup from Brazil next year, even though Fox outbid it for rights for 2018 and 2022. Later this week, CBS will broadcast the U.S. Open before the rights head over to ESPN in 2015.

NASCAR’s situation is a little different in that it will be dealing with two lame-duck partners that almost certainly will cut corners in promotion and production next season.
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http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/08/26/Media/NASCAR-TV.aspx
 
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Wow. I guess this is a sign of how much effort TNT and ESPN will put into their broadcasts next year if they can't get out.

I really hope this new deal works out well for Fox and NBC. Because if either of them get burned on it, it may be hard to find replacements when the contract is up. This time, NASCAR had the luxury of having two relatively new sports networks trying to establish themselves, but that will likely not be the case next time out. Fox should be ok, they certainly have the best part of the schedule as they don't have to compete with the NFL, as NBC will have to do for much of theirs.
 
Well ESPN are OK, they can improve on commentary and perhaps camera coverage but the rest are OK. But yes please, get rid of TNT and their parade of commercials every one and a half minutes even during white flag lap and victory burnouts.
ChexOrWrex said:
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LMAO!!
 
This is not a good deal. While it may help that Fox and NBC, but what does that say about Nascar that ESPN and TNT can't wait to drop them like flies?
 
sounds like good deal ..... all 4 networks.

fans too.......fox 1st half...nbc 2nd half.----11 yrs.
 
MRM said:
ESPN got their feelings hurt.
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maybe, maybe not. it was reported that ESPN didn't even really try to re-up their contract, but I don't really believe that. Fox holds the best part of the Nascar season and doesn't look to get rid of it. Summer and Football season parts are the lowest rated. As I have said before it may be more profitable and cheaper for ESPN to replay Sportscenter during NFL season instead of live cup racing. Also last year ESPN just signed a huge deal with the NFL to show more NFL related programming. I wonder if part of that deal is to do an all day NFL show on NFL Sunday showing replays and game time reactions. It all depends if ESPN and TNT still think they can make money off of NASCAR. If they can't, then why keep them around?
 
I told everyone several months ago that TNT was trying to get Fox Sports 1 to take the "Summer Series" off their hands.

Andy was right, again.
 
I think ESPN and TNT maxed out the commercial time and they would rather dump staff, get cash from Fox or NBC, and sell equipment than hang in there as lame ducks.
 
It’s unlikely that the four TV companies will be able to reach a deal, sources say.
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NASCAR has no choice but to intervene. It's apparent that ESPN and TNT don't want to air NASCAR. They won't put any effort in to it.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
NASCAR has no choice but to intervene. It's apparent that ESPN and TNT don't want to air NASCAR. They won't put any effort in to it.
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In theory you need all 4 to agrees, but that is only to kick in the new contract early. In Theory with Nascar's approval NBC could step up for one year take both the ESPN and TNT package with Fox staying put. Or a different network could jump in for one year. It is all up to Nascar.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
In theory you need all 4 to agrees, but that is only to kick in the new contract early. In Theory with Nascar's approval NBC could step up for one year take both the ESPN and TNT package with Fox staying put. Or a different network could jump in for one year. It is all up to Nascar.
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This is unprecedented. If Fox or NBC want NASCAR to buy back some of ESPN and TNT's contract and they'd buy off the rest, NASCAR might have to oblige this time.

TNT's been trying to pawn the Summer Series off to FS1 for a while.

The right thing has to happen here.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
This is unprecedented. If Fox or NBC want NASCAR to buy back some of ESPN and TNT's contract and they'd buy off the rest, NASCAR might have to oblige this time.

TNT's been trying to pawn the Summer Series off to FS1 for a while.

The right thing has to happen here.
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Why? Because the France family is known for giving up some cash to help the sport?:rolleyes: Dream on. If Fox or NBC don't come up with the cash to keep good coverage, Franceville sure won't.
 
I think Fox would love to have NASCAR on FS1 next year.

If this doesn't happen, I see a lot of ESPNews in NASCAR's future.
 
FenderBumper said:
Why? Because the France family is known for giving up some cash to help the sport?:rolleyes: Dream on. If Fox or NBC don't come up with the cash to keep good coverage, Franceville sure won't.
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I don't know. I think at least part of it will happen. The ESPN part, everyone has had their suspicions and opinions but nobody really knew the cold hard facts. However, everybody knows TNT wants out now. TNT didn't even attempt to let that be any secret. NASCAR won't be on TNT next year.

The ESPN **** is a mess.
 
Remember, ESPN's contract includes all of the Nationwide Series. SPEED isn't around to simulcast ESPNews telecasts anymore. ESPN won't be able to justify moving Cup races to ESPNews (maybe ESPN2 but not ESPNews). But they can justify moving Nationwide races to ESPNews.

First half of Nationwide Series season on FS1 makes sense since Fox already televises NASCAR. TNT Summer Series going to FS1 also very possible. The second half of the season, on the other hand, NBCSN would have to start from scratch. Good news is they'd still have one year to prepare.
 
sounds like espn def wants out.......def nns part 1st 1/2 ....prod costs too high....1 series only on weekend.

tnt....worst 6 race ratins in 29 yrs this summer.

both want out.

w/ amt fox-n-nbc payin after 2015.....this is bargain fer both.

all 4 waitin ta see who blinks 1st......gets best deal.

this also may be why fs1 caved on 80 cent new price ?
 
hawg dawg said:
this also may be why fs1 caved on 80 cent new price ?
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Fox Sports 1 would LOVE to add the Daytona Nationwide race and a handful of Sprint Cup races next year. I've known about the TNT stuff - but this ESPN thing has to be relatively new - because this like putting a big, juicy steak in front of a pitbull.
 
It could also be a deal where NASCAR's playing middle man and trying to figure out how to divvy everything out.

It was reported all year, leading up to the announcement of the NBC deal, that NASCAR was going to remain on ESPN and TNT.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It could also be a deal where NASCAR's playing middle man and trying to figure out how to divvy everything out.

It was reported all year, leading up to the announcement of the NBC deal, that NASCAR was going to remain on ESPN and TNT.
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thinkin divvy is already done.
fox---nns 1st 1/2....6 tnt races

nbc ----2nd 1/2

$$ is only issue now.

bet they'll also be few if any.......single series tv races/per weekend in nascar's future.
will have ta combine 2 .....cup/nns.....indy/nns....etc .....so same production crew covers both over weekend ta split production costs. ( which was espn's problem w/ 1st 1/2 nns)
 
hawg dawg said:
thinkin divvy is already done.
fox---nns 1st 1/2....6 tnt races

nbc ----2nd 1/2

$$ is only issue now.

bet they'll also be few if any.......single series tv races/per weekend in nascar's future.
will have ta combine 2 .....cup/nns.....indy/nns....etc .....so same production crew covers both over weekend ta split production costs. ( which was espn's problem w/ 1st 1/2 nns)
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I'm not so sure about that. Fox, maybe. NBC, on the other hand, doesn't give a ****. They sent their entire F1 broadcast team to Monaco for that race and aired it live on NBC - which is more than "The Motorsports Authority" EVER did.
 
I don't know how you folks keep all this straight :confused: I guess I wasn't paying enough attention from way back and am now lost. LOL
 
I don't get why everyone is excited to see ESPN go. They're the least bad of the current 3 broadcasters.

With that out of the way, I'll be thrilled if TNT is able to get out of their contract for next year. I hope they never broadcasts another race.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
NASCAR has no choice but to intervene. It's apparent that ESPN and TNT don't want to air NASCAR. They won't put any effort in to it.
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NASCAR has the choice to sit on its hands and do nothing. As long as the check clears, BZF won't care. If he did, he'd have done something about all the other broadcast issues over the last decade.
hawg dawg said:
sounds like espn def wants out.......def nns part 1st 1/2 ....prod costs too high....1 series only on weekend.
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HD, check your keyboard. Some of the keys aren't making contact, and the corresponding letters aren't getting entered. :D
 
Charlie Spencer said:
NASCAR has the choice to sit on its hands and do nothing. As long as the check clears, BZF won't care. If he did, he'd have done something about all the other broadcast issues over the last decade.
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Actually, he did step in when ESPN was moving races from ABC to ESPN2 and ESPN to ESPN Classic. So, let's quit pretending like Brian France only cares about the money.

This is unprecedented. TNT has made it no secret that they want out. It was pretty common knowledge to people who follow this stuff that they were trying to get Fox to buy out the remainder of their contract. This ESPN deal is unprecedented though. It's not unusual for their to be lame duck partners in sports. It is unprecedented for them to ask the sport's governing body and other television partners to buy out their contract. NASCAR has a serious and unprecedented problem.

I don't see what ESPN will be able to do with the Cup races. Worst case scenario - they move Cup races to ESPN2 and don't put the race on ESPN in markets where ABC stations elect to pre-empt the races. Nationwide is a different can of worms though.
 
And now it's time for me to cut through the bull****.

The reason ESPN doesn't want NASCAR: They want someone to buy their contract out so they get money from that plus what they save in production costs so they can save up for when Fox and NBC bring billions to the party during NBA contract negotiations.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
And now it's time for me to cut through the bull****.

The reason ESPN doesn't want NASCAR: They want someone to buy their contract out so they get money from that plus what they save in production costs so they can save up for when Fox and NBC bring billions to the party during NBA contract negotiations.
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So the rednecks are out, and the yo boys are in?
 
BOWTIE GUY said:
So the rednecks are out, and the yo boys are in?
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ESPN's already lost NASCAR. And NBA would be a HUGE loss for them. NBC and Fox already airs most of the games on regional channels. It'd make sense for one of them, or both of them, to get NBA from ESPN and ABC.

Also, CBS has been quiet. Too quiet. And they have a sports channel as well. I'd be willing to bet money that college hoop conference negotiations end up being a CBS coup.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
ESPN's already lost NASCAR. And NBA would be a HUGE loss for them. NBC and Fox already airs most of the games on regional channels. It'd make sense for one of them, or both of them, to get NBA from ESPN and ABC.

Also, CBS has been quiet. Too quiet. And they have a sports channel as well. I'd be willing to bet money that college hoop conference negotiations end up being a coup for CBS.
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cbs has the final four
 
Cbs sports network has nothing of value. They air the final four but not on their cable channel.
 
ESPN's scared of Fox Sports 1. That's all there is to it. They don't want to spend the money to air NASCAR because they're scared to death that they're going to lose the NBA. Fear of Fox Sports Live is the reason they brought Keith Olbermann back. And they know Fox Sports Live is going to destroy SportsCenter.

Bristol is burning baby!
 
Lazyking said:
Cbs sports network has nothing of value. They air the final four but not on their cable channel.
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Like I said, they're up to something. All this talk about Fox Sports 1, ESPN and NBCSN and CBS is just sitting back. They're saving their pennies. They're going to make a big move. And college sports - that's CBS' thing. It's the one thing ESPN does right but college hoops and college football - these are staples for CBS.
 
I don't see many major college sports rights expiring soon though. The only one I can think of is the Big Ten's ESPN/ABC agreements running through 2016. The SEC, ACC, PAC-12 agreements run pretty far out, as in 2020+. And ESPN already grabbed the new College Football Playoff.
 
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