“Now the Sponsors Are so Small!” Mark Martin Admits TV Money Runs NASCAR

NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin has shared his thoughts on how TV money is really running the sport over the years.

“Now the Sponsors Are so Small!” Mark Martin Admits TV Money Runs NASCAR

Mark Martin (Via @markmartin/X)

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Ahead of the 2025 season, NASCAR signed the biggest broadcasting deal in the history of the sport. The seven-year partnership will earn NASCAR $1.1 billion in revenue and after the charter lawsuit settlement, the teams are set to get a bigger share of the pie. But the fixation on the big number masks one major issue with the stock car racing financial system.

On his appearance on the Racers Unchained with Paul Tracy show, NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin exposes this issue. The veteran was talking about the current state of the sport, the evolution of it since his retirement and regime changes in the sport. In this discussion, he revealed who actually controls the sport.

The veteran admitted that the sport is run by TV money, because the real money in the sport comes from the broadcasters. In the past it was sponsorship was the major revenue source for the team, now it has become small compared to the broadcast revenue share. The teams and drivers relies too much on the TV money to have a say in the decision making.

The problem is that all the drivers are beholden to the big money. They’re beholden to the owners. The owners can’t operate without the TV money anymore. You used to could do it off the purse and your sponsors. Well, now the sponsors are so small in comparison. The only real money is the big TV money. They drive the whole sport. The television drives the whole sport.

Mark Martin said via Racers Unchained with Paul Tracy.

Mark Martin questions the legitimacy of champions under playoffs

In the same conversation, Mark Martin shared his thoughts on the playoffs debate and how the current winner takes all format is neither legitimate nor traditional enough. He alongside 50% of the race fans wasn’t the full season points back.

Mark Martin
Mark Martin (Via @markmartin/X)

How is that a legitimate championship? I mean, it’s just not traditional enough. And I’m not I’m not advocating for what I want. I’m advocating for what over 50% of the fans want. They want a full season points championship. Now, I’m not going to debate the how you award the points because that’s more complicated.

Mark Matin said.

He asserted that the majority of the racing community wants the championship to be legitimate again and asserted that the demand is the same regardless of the age of the fans. The veteran has been speaking for these set of sport fans for years.

But the thing is, they want a full season championship. That’s a legitimate champion and that’s what they want. And I know that that’s a fact. They tell me it’s only old people that want that. Bull. I am out with the fans all the time… They want they want 36 race championship or 10 race chases, not one race.

Mark Martin asserted.

The comments from the ex-Hendrick Motorsports driver are something many veterans of the sport agree with. It would be interesting to see what will be the new format that will be adopted from the 2026 season and how it is going to change the sport as a whole.

Also Read: Richard Childress Reveals His Dangerous Double Life Before NASCAR Glory