NBC Sports, Fox Sports Join Forces In New Era of NASCAR Television

On the heels of one of the most exciting NASCAR seasons in recent memory, the award-winning marketing teams at FOX Sports and NBC Sports have co-created an adrenaline-charged on-air promotion that is set to unfold on multiple network platforms. The announcement was made today as part of a panel featuring NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus and FOX Sports President, COO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks at the 2014 Sports Business Journal Motorsports Marketing Forum in Las Vegas.

Overseen by NBC Sports Group’s CMO John Miller and Robert Gottlieb, EVP of Marketing, FOX Sports, the collaboration is designed to promote the 2015 season and further the momentum NASCAR has been enjoying since the thrilling conclusion of the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.  In February, the green flag waves over a new 10-year broadcasting partnership in which FOX Sports and FOX Sports 1 handle the Daytona 500 and first half of the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series seasons, before turning over the keys to NBC and NBCSN for the seasons’ second half and the reinvigorated Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

“It’s no secret that we compete rather fiercely in most other areas of our business, but given all of the excitement surrounding the sport, we felt the time was right to come together and celebrate our new broadcast partnership,” said Miller. “Our collective competitive spirit yielded a piece that turned out extremely well, and we’re looking forward to future collaborations as we build on NASCAR’s momentum.”

“This approach simply makes sense,” Gottlieb added. “The new distribution of NASCAR programming across FOX and NBC lends itself to a co-branded effort. We’re excited to tell NASCAR Nation about how great the 2015 season is going to be. Having FOX carry the first half, and having NBC carry the second half, is a clean and simple schedule that lets fans know where to go each weekend to get the NASCAR action they love.”

“As we crown a first-time Champion and celebrate what has been an exciting year for NASCAR in 2014, it’s great to see that NBC and FOX have already created a spirit of collaboration and synergy that will propel the sport forward,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR’s chief operating officer. “Two of the world’s largest media companies collaborating on NASCAR-themed creative months before a new season begins demonstrates the level of commitment the industry and our fans can expect from NASCAR and our television broadcast partners in 2015 and beyond.”

On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015.