NASCAR TV Blackout Averted, NBC to Relaunch Sports Network

What’s Happening?

YouTube TV and NBCUniversal have announced a long-term distribution agreement that will prevent NASCAR fans using YouTube TV from missing key NASCAR races this season, alongside the relaunch of NBC Sports Network.

• The previous agreement that carried NBC and NBC Networks, such as USA, was reportedly set to expire at Midnight on October 1. If this had happened, NASCAR viewers who use YouTube TV would have been at risk of missing the final five races of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on USA and NBC.
• Throughout this past Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, which was broadcast on USA, a message flashed across the top of the screen warning users about the potential blackout. On Wednesday, the deadline passed without interruption for users, and on Thursday afternoon, the two parties announced their new long-term agreement.
• Perhaps most notable in the joint press release is the confirmation that NBC Sports Network, the sports-only cable TV Network operated by NBCUniversal from 2012 to 2021, will return later this year. When NBSCN shut down after the 2021 season, some sports covered by NBC, including NASCAR, have seen their cable dates moved to USA, a non-traditional sports network.
• The press release states, “NBCSN will complement the prominent sports properties presented year-round on the NBC broadcast network.” NASCAR, with its new TV deal that features ten of the 14 NBC races on cable, could be featured on the network; however, NBCUniversal has yet to announce such a shift in programming.

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