Report: ESPN, Turner out of NASCAR after next season; Fox, NBC all in
Huge broadcast news for NASCAR: Sports Business Journal is reporting that ESPN and Turner will be out of NASCAR after next season, while Fox and NBC will split the entire schedule.
Financial terms have not yet been disclosed. NBC had long been courting NASCAR to use races as a lead-in to its Sunday night NFL game. NBC will also reportedly gain rights to the second half of the Nationwide season. Both Fox and NBC have new all-sports channels which could benefit from NASCAR: Fox Sports 1, debuting in August, and the NBC Sports Network, already on air.
Of concern to NASCAR fans now: how much time will ESPN devote to NASCAR now that it no longer holds the rights? NHL fans have long complained that the network virtually ignores hockey since surrendering the rights.
NASCAR will be offering more information Tuesday afternoon. We will update the story as events warrant.
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