The CW Network, the US commercial broadcaster, has acquired exclusive rights to Nascar’s second-tier Xfinity Series under a seven-year agreement.
The standalone deal will begin in 2025 and run through the 2031 season and marks a significant change in the stock car racing series’ approach to domestic media rights in the coming years.
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The CW will broadcast 33 live Xfinity Series races annually, along with practice and qualifying events each weekend.
For the first time in series history, every Xfinity Series race will be available on free, over-the-air broadcast television with additional content available through The CW’s digital platforms.
The Nascar Productions group will produce all races and ancillary content, in close collaboration with The CW Network.
At present, domestic media rights to Nascar properties are held by Fox and Comcast.
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By GlobalDataThe national media giants split rights to Nascar’s top-tier Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and third-tier Truck Series under eight-year deals that began in 2015 and run through 2024.
Fox holds exclusive rights to all major Nascar properties for the first half of the season, while Comcast does so for the latter portion of the campaign.
Nascar entered discussions with other broadcasters after Comcast and Fox’s exclusive negotiating window expired on May 1. However, it is believed that Nascar is still in talks with the duo over a renewed deal for its flagship Cup Series.
According to Nascar, Xfinity Series races draw an average of approximately 1 million viewers per race each season.
Nascar stated that the agreement with The CW “underscores recent trends in which major sports properties have prioritized broadcast television to ensure the widest reach for their fan base and industry.”
The CW stepped into the world of live sports broadcasting for the first time this year with its high-profile deal with the LIV Golf series in January.
It recently followed that up with rights to Atlantic Coast Conference college football and basketball.
Dennis Miller, president of The CW, said: “Landing the Nascar Xfinity Series is a game changer for The CW and our CW Sports division and represents another important building block in our programming strategy.
“Live sports are the most watched television content and with The CW’s national reach, moving Nascar Xfinity Series to The CW will transform and elevate the viewing experience for the series and its fans.
“With ubiquitous distribution across one of the nation’s five major broadcast networks, Nascar Xfinity Series races on The CW will deliver more access for fans and far more revenue opportunities for The CW and its affiliates.”
Brian Herbst, Nascar senior vice president of media and productions, added: “CW’s leadership shared a compelling vision for cultivating the next generation of Nascar talent by bringing the Nascar Xfinity Series exclusively to broadcast television and we are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with them.
“With more than 1 million viewers tuning in each week to see Nascar’s future stars battle some of its biggest names at our most legendary tracks, the Nascar Xfinity Series consistently delivers the moments that excite current fans and create new fans of our great sport.”
