NASCAR announced in late 2023 a record seven-year media rights pact (2025–2031) with four major partners – Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports – worth about $1.1 billion per year (roughly $7.7 billion total). Under the agreement, the Cup Series schedule is divided among those platforms. Fox retains the first 14 races of each season (five on the FOX broadcast network and nine on FS1), including the Clash, Daytona 500 and All-Star events, and will continue to air all Truck Series races.
NBC will handle the final 14 events (the playoffs and Championship Race) across NBC, USA Network and Peacock. New partners Amazon Prime Video and TNT/Max split the 10 midseason races evenly: Prime Video will exclusively stream five Cup races (June–July), and TNT (on TNT and the Bleacher Report Add-On for Max) will carry the other five. Meanwhile, all 33 Xfinity Series races will air live on The CW broadcast network (with NASCAR Productions producing), with additional streaming on the CW’s app.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps said the league sought “long-term stability with an optimized mix of distribution platforms” so it can “deliver our product to fans wherever they are.” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella added that NBC is “thrilled” its platforms will continue to crown NASCAR’s champion for years to come. Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks said Fox is “proud” to keep the Daytona 500 as the season opener, noting he wants to “keep pushing and making it bigger and better.”
Amazon’s Jay Marine (VP of sports at Prime Video) said, “NASCAR is the most popular motorsport in the country, and we can’t wait to deliver Cup Series racing to Prime members in the U.S. for the first time.” Warner Bros. Discovery Sports chief Luis Silberwasser likewise said he is “thrilled to welcome NASCAR back to TNT Sports” and plans to use the company’s resources to create “new opportunities for compelling storytelling” for fans.
Broadcast Partners and Schedule
Fox Sports (FOX/FS1): Will air the first 14 Cup races each year (Feb–May), including the Busch Light Clash, DAYTONA 500 and the All-Star Race. Five of these will be on the FOX broadcast network (Clash, Daytona 500, Atlanta, COTA, Talladega) and the rest on FS1. Fox also retains the entire Craftsman Truck Series on FS1. Fox’s portion matches past schedules through mid-May, then hands off to Prime Video.
Amazon Prime Video: Will exclusively stream five Cup races immediately after Fox’s run (roughly mid-June to early July). These include the Coke 600 and four other events (e.g. Pocono, Nashville). Prime Video will also carry all Cup practice and qualifying sessions for that first half of the season (through Pocono) – except the Clash, Daytona 500 and All-Star (which stay on Fox). This marks NASCAR’s first-ever streaming-only broadcast of Cup events.
TNT Sports (TNT and Max): Will air the next five Cup races (mid-summer) on TNT, with simultaneous streaming on the Bleacher Report Add-On on Max (formerly HBO Max). These races include events like the Chicago Street Race, Sonoma, Dover and Indianapolis. Warner Bros. Discovery will also stream all remaining practice and qualifying sessions (for the second half of the season) on its Max platform and air them on truTV. Notably, WBD plans to debut a “NASCAR Driver Cam” on Max – live in-car camera video and audio from every Cup car during races. (This feature is aimed at younger, tech-savvy fans who enjoy immersive streams.)
NBC Sports (NBC/USA/Peacock): Will conclude each year with the final 14 Cup races (Aug–Nov), including the four-race playoffs and the Championship. Four of those will air on NBC (with Peacock simulcasting the Daytona summer race and the final three playoff races: Talladega, Martinsville and Phoenix); the other 10 will air on USA Network. Rick Cordella says NBC will use all its platforms to present the “dramatic conclusion to every NASCAR season.”
The CW (CW Network and CW App): Will broadcast all 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races from 2025 through 2031. Races air live on The CW broadcast channel, with each weekend’s practice and qualifying also carried live. The CW App will offer additional content: during Xfinity races it will stream live in-car camera feeds from the cars on track, and it will provide next-day replays of each race. (The CW deal makes that network the exclusive home of Xfinity racing in this era.)
Fans can watch 28 of the 38 Cup races on traditional TV (Fox, FS1, TNT, NBC, USA) as before, while five will be exclusive to Prime Video. All practice/qualifying sessions also move to the new mix of networks and streams. NASCAR says this setup balances old and new media: five races on linear broadcast for each of Fox and NBC (as before), supplemented by cable and streaming to fill out the schedule.
Fan Viewing Experience and Streaming Features
The 2025 model gives fans many ways to watch – but it also means juggling multiple services. NASCAR’s pitch is that the mix provides flexibility and fresh features. Brian Herbst, NASCAR’s SVP of media, said the lineup gives fans “uninterrupted access on the established platforms that they are already using” while also positioning the sport “for growth across different mediums.” Steve Phelps likewise noted it was important to add the “direct-to-consumer streaming element” to grow the sport and attract new fans. Key fan-facing features include live and on-demand streaming, plus specialty content:
In-Car Camera Feeds: WBD’s Max streaming service will launch “NASCAR Driver Cam”, showing live video and audio from the cockpit of all Cup cars during races. Similarly, The CW App will carry live in-car cameras for the entire Xfinity field during Xfinity races. These multi-angle views are aimed at enhancing the at-home experience for digital viewers.
Multi-Platform Live Viewing: All Cup races on NBC (and USA) will be simulcast on Peacock for the marquee events, and all TNT races stream on Max. Prime Video subscribers can stream its five exclusive races live (and get on-demand replays after). Fans can also watch the FS1 cable channel coverage or watch replays on various services. In short, any given race might be on network TV, cable TV, and/or streaming.
Race Replays and Extras: Streaming partners will offer replays. For example, The CW App provides next-day replay of each Xfinity race. NASCAR has also said that Prime Video will carry its Cup races, qualifying and practices on demand for U.S. members, so those events won’t be lost to fans without live access.
This media mix seeks to reach younger and broader audiences who increasingly watch sports on devices. Some longtime fans may grumble at having to subscribe to multiple services (Prime Video for midseason races, Max for summer races, etc.). But NASCAR insists the familiar events are still on TV while streaming adds value. As Herbst put it, the new partners allow NASCAR to “promote and deliver content around our sport” in more ways than ever.
Business Impact and Outlook
The business side of NASCAR is also set to benefit from the richer deal. At roughly 40% higher annual value than the outgoing package, the new rights fees will boost NASCAR’s revenues. A larger media rights pot means more money can flow to charter teams, tracks and the sanctioning body. (Under the previous deal, NASCAR had guaranteed teams about 25% of TV revenue via the purse; that share is expected to rise with the bigger overall take.) Steve Phelps noted that with the broadcast terms now locked in, NASCAR can resume talks on a new charter agreement with teams, offering them “long-term stability” and a clearer picture of future income.
Team owners and industry observers were upbeat. RFK Racing president Steve Newmark said there’s “general excitement” about the deal, and he praised having “four media conglomerates of this size” involved as a win for the sport. NASCAR emphasized that even after 20+ years as a broadcast staple, the sport remains attractive to new investors – hence Amazon and WBD’s entry. As Herbst explained, big networks investing at this level “demonstrate the staying power of our sport” and the opportunity to drive engagement.
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NASCAR has sold its soul to corporate devils that have ruined the sport… the next corporate demand will be electric race cars that will be the final nail in the coffin.