NASCAR Solidifies Media Rights Package; Fox Sports Adds Remaining Cup Races

NASCAR has announced where the remaining three Sprint Cup races and 14 Nationwide series races left available in its new television rights package – which begins in 2015 – will go; to Fox Sports.

In addition, NASCAR and Fox agreed to extend their agreement two more years through 2024.

According to Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand, the new deal is worth $3.8 billion, which is $1.4 billion higher than Fox had agreed to pay through ’22. The deal pushes NASCAR’s total TV rights haul to more than $820 million a year, a roughly 46% increase from the $560 million it currently receives annually from Fox, Turner Sports and ESPN. Fox and NBC combined will pay $8.2B for NASCAR TV rights.

NASCAR and Fox have declined to officially comment on the financial terms of the agreement.

NASCAR’s media rights package for 2015 and beyond is now complete with Fox Sports holding rights to the first 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, first 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series races and entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. NBC, which last broadcast NASCAR events in 2006, will televise the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events beginning in 2015.

In total, NASCAR will have the same number of NASCAR Sprint Cup races on network television – 16 – as it does in the current television package. Fox Sports will broadcast nine races and NBC will show seven.

“Fox Sports has been an outstanding partner for NASCAR and we could not be more pleased with the additional commitment they are making to our sport and the fans,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Fox Sports has delivered for our fans a number of innovations that have changed how our sport is presented, and our entire industry has now come to expect excellence from NASCAR on Fox. We believe this new agreement underscores our shared commitment to the fans over the next decade.”

Fox Sports began broadcasting live NASCAR races in 2001 and will launch its new all-sports network, Fox Sports 1, on Aug. 17 with a live broadcast of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Michigan International Speedway as the network’s first-ever live event. NASCAR will be an anchor property for Fox Sports 1 and has been a large part of the promotional efforts to launch the new network. This new agreement marks the return of the NASCAR Nationwide Series to Fox Sports, a series it broadcast as part of its original package beginning in 2001.

“We obviously are excited to extend our relationship with FOX Sports with a good balance of racing on the FOX Network,” said NASCAR VP of Broadcasting and Productions Steve Herbst. “NASCAR on FOX has been very popular with NASCAR fans everywhere and we believe its expanded schedule will strengthen its relationship with the fans and provide the sport with many opportunities to cross-promote and grow our combined audiences.”

Summary of FOX Sports’ Exclusive Rights (2015-2024):

• First 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races of each season, including the Daytona 500
• Nine on FOX Sports and seven on FOX Sports 1
• First 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series points races of each season
• Fourteen races on FOX Sports 1
• NASCAR Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duel and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
• All NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races