Regardless of fans’ opinions on the topic, it seems like only a matter of time before NASCAR makes a move towards streaming, likely for the next TV deal. If NASCAR moves to streaming, what are the options NASCAR has? How much do they cost, and what do these services offer?
Well, we at the Daily Downforce combined all of the possible streaming partners for NASCAR.
Cost: $14.99 per month OR $139 per year (Special Student Price of $6.49 per month OR $69 per year)
Sports Programming Offered: NFL Thursday Night Football; 17 exclusive WNBA games
Breakdown: Amazon Prime is the favorite to land NASCAR rights per John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. With almost 150 million subscribers (More than double that of cable TV), NASCAR can reach a wide audience with this. Amazon’s student deal too should help NASCAR in the coveted 18-49 demographic as well. It is also worth noting that subscribing to Amazon Prime means access to Prime Video and all Amazon delivery benefits.
Cost: $4.99 a month OR $49.99 per year
Sports Programming Offered: English Premier League, MLB Sunday Leadoff, 1 exclusive IndyCar race, 2 exclusive Notre Dame Football games, 1 exclusive NFL playoff game
Breakdown: NASCAR already simulcasts its’ races on Peacock. Typically, NBC will air pre and post race programming exclusively on Peacock as well. With NBC banging the table for sporting events exclusively on their new streamer, I would be shocked to see NASCAR not have at least one or two races on Peacock exclusively for the next TV deal.
Cost: $6.99 per month OR $69 per year
Sports Programming Offered: MLB Friday Night Baseball; MLS Season Pass
Breakdown: Apple TV+ is newer to the streaming game, so this is seen by some as the higher risk move. Add to that Apple TV+’s first season of MLB’s Friday Night Baseball and the first days of the MLS Season Pass had less than stellar reviews. Apple TV+ is definitely a player in the streaming market, but it’s not the favorite to bag anything NASCAR related.
Cost: FREE (YouTube TV is $72.99 per month)
Sports Programming Offered: NFL Sunday Ticket
Breakdown: Google/YouTube does not have typical streaming services like these others, but, bagging NFL Sunday Ticket means that they are looking to be serious contenders in the sports market. It has also broadcasted live streams of MLB games before on YouTube itself. YouTube does offer a YouTube Premium Service where you can watch YouTube with some benefits for $11.99 per month of $119 per year.
If they do go to NASCAR, it will be interesting to see how it works out considering that YouTube TV offers a cable alternative with broadcast TV. Could they offer it as a YouTube Premium Exclusive, or go the NFL Sunday Ticket route and offer a NASCAR streaming package with a discount for YouTube TV subscribers?
Cost: $9.99 per month OR $99.99 per year; Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ Bundle $13.99 per month
Sports Programming Offered: College Football, MMA, ESPN Programming such as 30 for 30s, and everything else sports related you can think of.
Breakdown: For the Disney conglomerate, NASCAR would likely go to ESPN+. ESPN+ offers pretty much every sports program under the sun, but Disney has hesitated to take their live sports programming normally on its’ main channels to the streamer.
Add to that Formula 1, NASCAR’s chief ratings rival, is on the platform, and NASCAR going back to ESPN seems like an unlikely option. Plus with NASCAR already seemingly going back to FOX and NBC for the next TV deal, ESPN will likely not want to pony up NASCAR just to exclusively run on their streamer.
Cost: $4.99 per month OR $49.99 per year
Sports Programming Offered: UEFA Champions League; La Liga
Breakdown: CBS has not been in the NASCAR TV market for over 20 years, but the recent SRX contract means that there is some interest in auto racing for CBS. CBS has not gone as far as others when streaming live sports, as most of their live streamed sports programming is international soccer. Could NASCAR be their foray into it?
However, it runs into a similar problem as ESPN. Getting less Fox and NBC by putting programming on a streamer that would normally be on linear TV. It’s possible, but unlikely.
NASCAR going to streaming is a sign of the times. They certainly have a wealth of options, and, with NASCAR’s ratings continuing to go up, these companies will want NASCAR on their platforms. Who knows where NASCAR could go?
