NASCAR and its next television package, which is expected to debut in 2025, has been a hot topic of conversation throughout the recent 2023 season. The latest news is that Fox and BNC will continue to broadcast the races under the new contract.
However, one notable change will take place as NASCAR officials look to expand the proposed midseason package to include more races, which will reduce the number of races broadcast on both networks. This is good news for a certain segment of fans.
NASCAR seeks to expand mid-season package
For years, NASCAR fans have tuned in to watch Cup Series races on Fox during the first half of the season and on NBC in the second half. According to Sports Affairs JournalThese two networks will continue to broadcast the races when the next TV deal begins in 2025.
The deal, which was reportedly finalized months ago, has not been officially announced, but rumors indicate it could take place at the upcoming NASCAR awards ceremony in Nashville.
What remains unclear is who will carry a 10-race midseason package, an increase from the six-race package officials were previously trying to sell. Turner and Amazon would still be in the lead, according to SBJ.
Less racing on Fox is good news for some fans
Taking 10 races off the networks will be seen as good news by a certain group of fans who have been critical of Fox and its coverage. The network has been plagued with problems for years, and 2023 was no different.
It all started at the Daytona 500, which some jokingly called the Commercial 500, with numerous commercials at the start of the race, interrupting the action mid-race. Then, inexplicable graphical errors appeared throughout the season, including a particularly egregious error identifying JJ Yeley as the 2009 Formula One world champion during testing at Martinsville.
However, the biggest problem, and unfortunately the most common, was that the network cameras failed to track and show the action on the track as described by the broadcasters and, more importantly, what the fans were watching.
Denny Hamlin discussed Fox’s lackluster camera work on his Harmful actions podcast earlier in the year.
“One thing I saw in (Bristol) last week or when I watched it back, the announcers were talking about a side-by-side battle, and the camera wasn’t on it,” Hamlin said. “So you didn’t know: what are they talking about? Let me see this battle.
“I also noticed that as soon as the action started to heat up in a side-by-side battle, they would move up to 12th place. You see the guy in second place working on the guy in first place like right on his ass and about to make a move and they closed in for 12th place. It’s like, fuck it, let’s stay in the battle that’s about to dictate who’s going to lead this race. I definitely think from a production standpoint we could make some improvements.
Hamlin closed out his final episode of 2023 by suggesting the new Kevin Harvick retired joining Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer in the Fox broadcast booth will improve the network’s overall production quality.
That may be true, but from 2025 onwards it doesn’t matter if the production has become good or bad, because it will be seen even less due to the new TV deal.
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