On the latest episode of the Dale Jr Download, former NBC broadcaster Rick Allen opened up about his departure from the network and a chance encounter with Michael Jordan shortly after his exit from the broadcast booth.
Rick Allen served as the lead play-by-play broadcaster for NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series action from 2015 to August 2024. At Daytona last fall, NBC replaced the long-time broadcaster with former IndyCar play-by-play man Leigh Diffey.
While Allen stuck around to finish out the Xfinity portion of the season on both NBC and the CW, NASCAR fans found out in late November that Allen would not return to the NASCAR broadcast booth in any capacity for 2025.
On this episode Allen did not list an exact reason for his sudden departure, other than being told in January 2024 that the network was replacing him with a Diffey and that his contract would not be renewed. The also mentioned that a deal just didn’t come together with one of NASCAR’s new partners.
Interestingly enough, Allen did mention that he and Earnhardt had been told prior to that meeting that they were going to get long-term deals with NBC. “A couple of months earlier, you were in the bus with me when we were told by an executive [at NBC] that we were going to have a long-term deal,” Allen said.
Allen and NBC were mostly radio silent on the matter, minus a statement on X, but he opened up about his exit on the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download. Allen told his former NBC colleague, “I was crushed” when he found out about the swap the day before the Jan. 19, 2024, NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The 55-year-old veteran commentator’s radio silence stirred NASCAR fans for most of the 2024 season, with many wondering why NBC was moving on from Allen. These questions were raised not only by NASCAR fans but also by industry members and team owners; according to Allen, this extended to NBA Legend and co-owner of 23XI Racing, Michael Jordan.
Allen explained to Earnhardt that following his departure from NBC, he was golfing at Jordan’s golf course when he ran into the Basketball Hall of Famer. While the first time meeting a legendary icon like Jordan can be shocking and even awkward, Allen claimed the following interaction with Jordan “hit me like a ton of bricks.”
“The first thing he [Jordan] said to me was, ‘What did you do, man?’ And I looked at him, and I was kind of thinking, I don’t know what he’s talking about here. And he goes, ‘How come you aren’t announcing the races? You’re NASCAR. Why aren’t you announcing races anymore? What’d you do?'” — Rick Allen
Allen went on to explain how this one interaction made him realize the tone set by his sudden yet quiet exit from his long-time role. “He thought I had done something wrong, and that’s why they put Diffey in,” Allen said.
Jordan’s questions made Allen realize the quiet nature of his departure could lead to misinformed reasoning as to why NBC moved on from him. “I was crushed and I thought, here’s the most famous athlete on the planet, I think one of the greatest athletes ever, and [he] knows me, but is like, ‘what’d you do?'”
Allen closed by saying that he wished he had been more public about the reason he was leaving NBC. “By me not saying anything, and the way NBC did it, where they didn’t make any announcements, they didn’t say why or whatever, I think it looked like that I had done something wrong… and so I would have been more vocal,” Allen said.
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