NBC in, ESPN and TNT out in 2015

NASCAR AND NBC SPORTS GROUP REACH LANDMARK MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Ten-Year Agreement Returns NASCAR to NBC Family of Networks Beginning in 2015, Further Underscores Strength of NASCAR’s Live Racing Product

And Positions Industry for Continued Growth

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. and NEW YORK (July 23, 2013) – NASCAR and NBC Sports Group announced today they have reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015. Financial terms of the agreement, which runs through the 2024 season, were not disclosed.

With this partnership, NBC’s 20 Sprint Cup race schedule includes becoming the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR’s final 10 races of the season, including its season-ending championship event which will return to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN). Four of NBC Sports Group’s 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.

“NBC is known for being an exceptional partner and delivering outstanding production quality and presentation of live sports, as well as its broad portfolio of broadcast and digital properties so we are thrilled with the commitment they have made to NASCAR and its future,” said NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brian France. “We know this partnership will yield great value to our entire industry, provide a premium experience to our most important stakeholders, the fans, and help us achieve a number of strategic growth objectives. Our new partnership with NBC and the recent extension by FOX validate the strength of our fan base and the many bold steps we have taken the last several years to provide fans with better, more accessible racing.”

In addition to rights to NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races, NBC has also obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC’s national series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to broadcast the NASCAR K&N Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR’s season-ending banquets. Further, NBC has been granted Spanish-language rights, certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events.

“Acquiring the rights and bringing NASCAR back to NBC comes at an important point in time for NBC Sports Network, NBC, and all of our distributors and affiliates,” said NBC Sports Group Chairman, Mark Lazarus. “We look forward to working with Brian and his management team, who have brought a renewed focus to NASCAR’s intersection of sports and technology.”

“We are excited about the cross-promotional opportunities NBC provides, especially in the timeframes right before NBC’s NASCAR schedule and during the Chase,” said NASCAR VP of Broadcasting and Productions, Steve Herbst. “We’re confident NBC will utilize its powerful Championship Season lineup, including the NHL Playoffs, Premier League, the French Open, the Kentucky Derby and other events, to build interest and excitement for NASCAR. Those opportunities, combined with the opportunity to lead into the number one show on television – NBC’s Sunday Night Football – for select Chase races, were both very attractive prospects when considering this partnership.”

Summary of key NBC Sports Group Exclusive Rights – 2015-2024:

Final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (7 on NBC, 13 on NBCSN)
Final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races (4 on NBC, 15 on NBCSN)
NASCAR K&N Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events
NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series events
NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and season-ending banquets
‘TV Everywhere’ live-streaming rights for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series
Spanish-language broadcast rights on Telemundo and Mun2 for national series events and NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series
 
Jeffrey00 said:
I also remember that it wasn't very good for the average fan as many didn't get FX until a few seasons into the deal. Also just because NBCSN has Nascar doesn't me the cable companies will bite right now. Astros and Rocket fans in Houston and surrounding area have not been able to watch their teams play for while entire seasons because NBC can't make a simple deal with the local cable companies for CSN. Fans will suffer. I won't as I already have NBCSN, unless my cable company decides to move it to a sports package or something.
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FX miracled it's way on to basic cable quicker than you remember. I remember missing one race in 2001 (Rockingham) because of FX. By the time the next FX race came around, our cable company miracled it on to basic cable and the DEFAULT customer service response was "this is Comcast Charles County. If you're calling about. FX, it's on channel 47."
 
Hockey, which has been NBC's staple, isn't popular. It's just not. In a country of 300 million people, 3 million (MAX) watch hockey and that's during the playoffs. It's usually more like 200,000 people nationwide in regular season. It's a miracle NBCSN is in as many homes as it is.
 
They all seem to be converging on the same model.

Broadcast: ABC, Fox, NBC
Cable: ESPN, Fox Sports 1, NBCSports
Regional Networks: Fox Sports Networks, Comcast SportsNet (ie NBC Sports Regional Networks)
Radio: ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, NBC Sports Radio
Web: ESPN.com, foxsports.com, nbcsports.com
Spanish language: ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, Telemundo

Fox and NBC tried the regional sports network route and now have decided to just copy the ESPN model. And both are playing catch up on the national syndicated radio market.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
FX miracled it's way on to basic cable quicker than you remember. I remember missing one race in 2001 (Rockingham) because of FX. By the time the next FX race came around, our cable company miracled it on to basic cable and the DEFAULT customer service response was "this is Comcast Charles County. If you're calling about. FX, it's on channel 47."
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I guarantee you it won't be that quick anymore. Back in 2001 many cable companies didn't have cable boxes that offered many tiered packages like today. Trust me most Nascar fans will have to purchase a new tier or sports package to get NBCSN.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
I guarantee you it won't be that quick anymore. Back in 2001 many cable companies didn't have cable boxes that offered many tiered packages like today. Trust me most Nascar fans will have to purchase a new tier or sports package to get NBCSN.
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NASCAR gets ratings. Even in this slump, NASCAR is one of the highest rated programs on television. If you put NASCAR racing on TV on a Monday night in the summer, it would get more viewers than FOX News Channel on it's best night and USA Network COMBINED. The cable companies would find the carriage fees reasonable if their customers start bolting to DirecTV.

NBC Sports Network is already in 70 million homes. And their highest rated program is the NHL which gets fewer viewers than Al Sharpton's nightly MSNBC program.
 
I just want to know what I will need to see the races. I have been waiting to see who is covering what prior to changing services to cable, Dish, or staying with DirectTv. Having to buy other crap when I am only wanting to buy race coverage sucks.
 
What does this mean for IndyCar on NBCSN? Aren't some of their races run at the same time as Cup and Nationwide?
 
StandOnIt said:
Good news for some of us. That has been pretty much my harp, attendance at the track is pretty much a drop in the bucket for the Nascar owned tracks. Reducing seating at the flagship track is an indicator of that. Don't know if track owners not in the ISC get a take of the TV money, Bruton Smith doing flip flops to try to bring in fans to his tracks might be because he doesn't get a cut and makes his money by attendance. But if nothing else, the doomsayers who whine about the lack of attendance, the so called bad ratings and predict the end of Nascar will be not believing this news anyway despite the facts that say different. The glass is always half empty for those folks.
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I agree. Track attendence is down because it's easier to sit on the couch and watch. By removing/reducing the convenience, attendance might go up.
 
It'll be interesting to see what they do with the Whelen Modifieds. I've long thought that could be good TV racing. I know there's less surface area for sponsors and no showroom model to sell, but it's good racing and has a cool look.
 
Mojo said:
What does this mean for IndyCar on NBCSN? Aren't some of their races run at the same time as Cup and Nationwide?
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Obviously, NASCAR will get preferential treatment because nobody watches IndyCar. IndyCar screwed themselves by letting ESPN dictate the terms of NBC television. Maybe ABC will air the IndyCar races that conflict with NASCAR on NBC.

When all else fails, NBC can push events over to CNBC and MSNBC.
 
Three Cup races and 14 Nationwide races still up for grabs, likely going to FOX. Both networks have rights to ARCA Racing as well.
 
This is awesome news.

But Fox its still slightly worse than ESPN coverage.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
NASCAR gets ratings. Even in this slump, NASCAR is one of the highest rated programs on television. If you put NASCAR racing on TV on a Monday night in the summer, it would get more viewers than FOX News Channel on it's best night and USA Network COMBINED. The cable companies would find the carriage fees reasonable if their customers start bolting to DirecTV.

NBC Sports Network is already in 70 million homes. And their highest rated program is the NHL which gets fewer viewers than Al Sharpton's nightly MSNBC program.
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You really think it will be that easy don't you. I don't, look at the struggles that the NFL had. Even putting exclusive NFL games on their network didn't help them like they hoped.

Don't get me wrong I do think this is a big boost for NBCSN, but I also know many Nascar fans will suffer financially or not even get to watch the races at all.
 
This deal really hurts the teams and tracks. Both hurting financially, but not Nascar. I would like to see Nascar take some of the burden off the tracks and put some of that TV deal into the race purses.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
You really think it will be that easy don't you. I don't, look at the struggles that the NFL had. Even putting exclusive NFL games on their network didn't help them like they hoped.

Don't get me wrong I do think this is a big boost for NBCSN, but I also know many Nascar fans will suffer financially or not even get to watch the races at all.
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Hard to get a TV network like NFL Network on basic cable when people only watch it 15 days a year in a 365 day year. Some people watch it around the clock. I love football too but not that much. I care about one team and ESPN and NFL Net ignore that team anyways. I don't watch MLB Network because I only care about one baseball team and that team has it's own channel.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
This deal really hurts the teams and tracks. Both hurting financially, but not Nascar. I would like to see Nascar take some of the burden off the tracks and put some of that TV deal into the race purses.
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I think 10% of it goes to the purse and 30% to the track. Or vice versa, I forget exactly.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Hard to get a TV network like NFL Network on basic cable when people only watch it 15 days a year in a 365 day year. Some people watch it around the clock. I love football too but not that much. I care about one team and ESPN and NFL Net ignore that team anyways. I don't watch MLB Network because I only care about one baseball team and that team has it's own channel.
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A network that shows one NFL Game a week opposed to one Nascar race a week?

I understand NBCSN also has hockey and other sporting content too, but NFL has college games, CFL, and arena league. So I wouldn't say they are way different on content.

Edit: "Thursday Night Football finished with a record-high per game average audience of 7.3 million viewers in 2012"
Looks like Nascar is averaging 4.5 million viewers for a cup race this year. That means football on NFL Network does almost double the viewers that Nascar does. I am willing to bet that if you compare the ratings for the rest of the content each network airs it is close. To me that would make NFL Network more attractive. So if the NFL Network had a tough time with cable companies then expect the same for NBCSN. Although that depends on if NBC demands for basic cable or is okay with a tier package offering of their network.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
A network that shows one NFL Game a week opposed to one Nascar race a week?

I understand NBCSN also has hockey and other sporting content too, but NFL has college games, CFL, and arena league. So I wouldn't say they are way different on content.
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NFL Network lost both the Arena League and the CFL in the past year. The only college games they show are the senior games for draft prospects.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
A network that shows one NFL Game a week opposed to one Nascar race a week?

I understand NBCSN also has hockey and other sporting content too, but NFL has college games, CFL, and arena league. So I wouldn't say they are way different on content.
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The college games people care about are on ESPN and CBS already. CFL and AFL? Yawn.

One other key component to NBCSN you forget about. The Olympics. Pretty big deal there. USWNT gold medal match on NBCSN last year still stands as the network's most watched telecast ever. Plus, NBC's getting Premier League soccer soon which will get solid ratings. One of the Euro 2012 games on ESPN a few weeks ago landed over four million viewers.

(and here come the soccer jokes)
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
The college games people care about are on ESPN and CBS already. CFL and AFL? Yawn.

One other key component to NBCSN you forget about. The Olympics. Pretty big deal there. USWNT gold medal match on NBCSN last year still stands as the network's most watched telecast ever.
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There Olympics that are every 2 years and even then NBC will show the popular sporting events on NBC and the second tier sports on NBCSN.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
Edit: "Thursday Night Football finished with a record-high per game average audience of 7.3 million viewers in 2012"
Looks like Nascar is averaging 4.5 million viewers for a cup race this year. That means football on NFL Network does almost double the viewers that Nascar does. I am willing to bet that if you compare the ratings for the rest of the content each network airs it is close. To me that would make NFL Network more attractive. So if the NFL Network had a tough time with cable companies then expect the same for NBCSN. Although that depends on if NBC demands for basic cable or is okay with a tier package offering of their network.
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My edit from above incase you missed it.

http://nflcommunications.com/2012/1...ts-rating-viewership-records-for-nfl-network/

http://www.jayski.com/news/pages/story/_/page/NASCAR-Televison-Ratings-2013
 
The benefit of having DirecTV: I get to watch every single NFL football game. Every single one. Yay for Sunday Ticket. I park my happy ass in front of the TV and watch the Jaguars games every Sunday.
 
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Money aside, NASCAR goes from having 3 races out of the final 17 on network to 7 out of 20 on network TV, which is certainly a good thing. The downside is that NBCSN isn't in nearly as many homes as ESPN.

13 Cup races on NBCSN? I fail to see how that is good for NASCAR.
 
carolinabuff said:
Money aside, NASCAR goes from having 3 races out of the final 17 on network to 7 out of 20 on network TV, which is certainly a good thing. The downside is that NBCSN isn't in nearly as many homes as ESPN.

13 Cup races on NBCSN? I fail to see how that is good for NASCAR.
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On the flipside, Nationwide on NBCSN is better than Nationwide on ESPNews.
 
I dont care what network carries the races. I want to know what knuckleheads are calling the races.
 
There are hardly any desirable games on NFL Network. One out of 12-16 games per week with the biggest games almost always on SNF, MNF, and/or the 4:25 PM E time slot. Even when there was a truly important game on NFL (Giants-Patriots in '07) the NFL simulcast the game on its main partner networks. Not having that channel is easier to stomach when you're missing only a very small portion of the total schedule. Meanwhile, NASCAR and its fans aren't going to stand for having a majority of the races on a channel with 70% of the distribution of ESPN. Ultimately it will be hard for NBCSN not to be found in homes once the contract goes into effect.
 
FLRacingFan said:
There are hardly any desirable games on NFL Network. One out of 12-16 games per week with the biggest games almost always on SNF, MNF, and/or the 4:25 PM E time slot. Even when there was a truly important game on NFL (Giants-Patriots in '07) the NFL simulcast the game on its main partner networks. Not having that channel is easier to stomach when you're missing only a very small portion of the total schedule. Meanwhile, NASCAR and its fans aren't going to stand for having a majority of the races on a channel with 70% of the distribution of ESPN. Ultimately it will be hard for NBCSN not to be found in homes once the contract goes into effect.
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Not too sure. Do I think it will help the network gain cable access? Yes, sure, but I think there will be major hurdles to over come with the bigger companies. Especially if NBC starts asking for more $$. One thing that will help is that they converted a channel(outdoor channel) that was already on most cable companies in some fashion. That is how I got NBCSN, the outdoor channel was already offered on basic cable through my carrier.
 
Not sure how I feel about some races been broadcasted on NBCSN.

That channel is obscure, not sure many people get it. This could be a risky move by NASCAR.

I dont see people paying 10 bucks a month just so they can watch a NASCAR race. Heck I'm not even sure I get that channel. If I dont I'm sure as hell not going to pay extra to watch these races.

Like I said, risky move putting races on that channel.
 
good for nascar to get all that money. I don't care what channel the race is on as long as it part of my cable when I want to watch it.
 
reck said:
Not sure how I feel about some races been broadcasted on NBCSN.

That channel is obscure, not sure many people get it. This could be a risky move by NASCAR.

I dont see people paying 10 bucks a month just so they can watch a NASCAR race. Heck I'm not even sure I get that channel. If I dont I'm sure as hell not going to pay extra to watch these races.

Like I said, risky move putting races on that channel.
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If it not part of the cable I get now i'm not paying any more to see the race.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
On the flipside, Nationwide on NBCSN is better than Nationwide on ESPNews.
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But are there that many Nationwide races on ESPNews? I don't recall many if any being on ESPNews, seems like they are all or mostly on ESPN or ESPN2.

As for NFL Network, don't forget that for the 2 teams playing in the Thursday games on NFLN, the local network affiliates of both of the teams playing can air the game in their home markets. So even people who don't have NFLN won't miss a game on NFLN if it involves their market team. Of course this is an apples-to-oranges comparison when it comes to NASCAR.
 
carolinabuff said:
But are there that many Nationwide races on ESPNews? I don't recall many if any being on ESPNews, seems like they are all or mostly on ESPN or ESPN2.

As for NFL Network, don't forget that for the 2 teams playing in the Thursday games on NFLN, the local network affiliates of both of the teams playing can air the game in their home markets. So even people who don't have NFLN won't miss a game on NFLN if it involves their market team. Of course this is an apples-to-oranges comparison when it comes to NASCAR.
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The thing to remember, ESPN didn't want Nationwide. All they wanted was the Chase. If they had to swallow the whole pill, what would they do? What do they do now with things they don't care about?
 
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