He-Man
Registered Trader
Nascar has reached separate, eight-year TV rights deals with ABC Sports/ESPN, and Turner Broadcasting, under which ABC/ESPN would pay $270 million per year and Turner's TNT would pay $80 million per year. The terms of the deal were first reported by SportsBusiness Journal and confirmed by Mediaweek through its independent sources.
Nascar has not officially announced the deal, apparently wanting to wait until it finalizes a deal with Fox for the remainder of the race telecasts. A Fox official said the network is continuing to negotiate and expects to reach an agreement with Nascar, but said nothing has been finalized.
Under the new deal, ABC/ESPN will televise 17 Nextel Cup races during the second half of the season [previously part of the NBC/TNT combined package] and all of the Busch Series races [which were previously part of the previous Fox package]. Among those 17 will be 10 "Chase for the Cup" races, which will all air on ABC. Most of the Busch Series races will air on ESPN2.
Turner's TNT will air six Nextel Cup races, three from the previous Fox package and three from the previous NBC/TNT package. Those races will air between the first half package, expected to be Fox's, and the new ABC/ESPN package.
Under the previous TV rights packages, which expired after this just-completed Nascar season, NBC/TNT combined paid $200 million per year for the second half of the Nascar season, and no Busch races. NBC and Fox split airing of the Daytona 500 in alternating years under the previous pact. Under the new agreement with Fox, which is still in discussion, Fox would air the Daytona 500, which opens the Nascar season, every year. Fox would also air 13 races to start the season.
ESPN and Turner/TNT officials would not comment on the deals, and Nascar officials could not be reached for comment.
Nascar has not officially announced the deal, apparently wanting to wait until it finalizes a deal with Fox for the remainder of the race telecasts. A Fox official said the network is continuing to negotiate and expects to reach an agreement with Nascar, but said nothing has been finalized.
Under the new deal, ABC/ESPN will televise 17 Nextel Cup races during the second half of the season [previously part of the NBC/TNT combined package] and all of the Busch Series races [which were previously part of the previous Fox package]. Among those 17 will be 10 "Chase for the Cup" races, which will all air on ABC. Most of the Busch Series races will air on ESPN2.
Turner's TNT will air six Nextel Cup races, three from the previous Fox package and three from the previous NBC/TNT package. Those races will air between the first half package, expected to be Fox's, and the new ABC/ESPN package.
Under the previous TV rights packages, which expired after this just-completed Nascar season, NBC/TNT combined paid $200 million per year for the second half of the Nascar season, and no Busch races. NBC and Fox split airing of the Daytona 500 in alternating years under the previous pact. Under the new agreement with Fox, which is still in discussion, Fox would air the Daytona 500, which opens the Nascar season, every year. Fox would also air 13 races to start the season.
ESPN and Turner/TNT officials would not comment on the deals, and Nascar officials could not be reached for comment.
