“Massive yikes and waste of money”- Fans outraged as NASCAR unveils $7.7 billion streaming deal

Prime Video is set to stream 5 races of the 2025 NASCAR season.

“Massive yikes and waste of money”- Fans outraged as NASCAR unveils $7.7 billion streaming deal

2023 Chicago Street Race (Via IMAGO)

NASCAR has embarked on a groundbreaking media rights venture, sealing a transformative deal with industry giants Amazon Prime Video, Warner Bros. Discovery, and other key partners. Commencing in 2025, the broadcasting landscape will witness the continued collaboration of Fox and NBC, jointly overseeing the presentation of races. 

Fox will handle five races, while NBC will showcase four, with the remaining events finding their way onto FS1 and the USA Network. A pivotal shift in NASCAR’s history will occur as Amazon Prime Video takes the reins for the exclusive streaming rights to the subsequent five Cup races following the Fox segment. Prime Video is set to be NASCAR’s first-ever direct-to-consumer partner. NASCAR embracing their exclusive streaming marks a historic paradigm shift.

YouTube video

Warner Bros. Discovery will also be playing a significant role, presenting the following five races, simultaneously broadcasted on TNT and streamed through their Max service. The deal extends beyond race day, as both Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery secure exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for the entire Cup Series schedule until 2031.

FS Video

The magnitude of this groundbreaking collaboration is reflected in the substantial financial commitment, with the deal valued at an impressive $7.7 billion, slated to extend through the culmination of the 2031 season. This strategic alliance not only reshapes the media landscape for NASCAR but also heralds a new era in the presentation and consumption of motorsport content for fans worldwide.

Fans lash out at NASCAR for making the schedules unnecessarily complicated

This announcement resonated across NASCAR’s official social media platforms, eliciting a spectrum of emotions within the passionate fandom. While some eagerly welcomed the expansion of NASCAR’s reach, a prevailing sentiment of ire dominated the majority of reactions, reflecting widespread discontent with the decision.

Empty grandstands at the 2007 Brickyard 400
Empty grandstands at the 2007 Brickyard 400 (Credits: The New York Times)

The fan base retaliated vehemently, criticizing NASCAR for perceived complexity and questioning the inclusion of Prime Video in the agreement. A significant portion expressed discontent, pointing out the potential difficulty in accessing the five races designated for Prime streaming due to the presumed limited availability of Prime Video subscriptions among the audience.

Another faction of fans voiced apprehensions about an anticipated decline in NASCAR’s viewership, calling the decision as detrimental to the sport. Some outright rejected the new arrangement, asserting a preference for resorting to pirate streaming websites rather than navigating the perceived confusion of the revised schedules. A few claimed that this schedule is the worst and is a huge waste of all the money spent.

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