The CW Network Dives Further into Sports With NASCAR Xfinity Series Rights Deal

The CW Network Dives Further into Sports With NASCAR Xfinity Series Rights Deal By SVG Staff

Monday, July 31, 2023 - 11:17 am

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The CW Network will become the exclusive home to the NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning in 2025 and extending through the 2031 racing season. The CW will broadcast 33 live NASCAR Xfinity Series races annually, along with practice and qualifying events each weekend. According to SportsBusiness Journal, The CW will pay around $115 million per year for the rights.

Starting in 2025, for the first time in series history, every NASCAR Xfinity Series race will be available on free, over-the-air broadcast television with additional content available through The CW's digital platforms. All NASCAR Xfinity Series races and ancillary content will be fully produced by the Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Productions group, in close collaboration with The CW Network.

Comprised primarily of NASCAR's younger, up-and-coming drivers, the NASCAR Xfinity Series features the sport's future stars often competing side-by-side against NASCAR's biggest names - many of whom earned their stripes and won championships in the Xfinity Series. NASCAR Xfinity Series races in some of the nation's largest markets-from Chicago to Los Angeles to Miami-and at the sport's most iconic tracks, including the Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and the series championship at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR Xfinity Series races draw an average of approximately 1 million viewers per race each season, historically airing on a combination of cable and broadcast television, but will now be entirely and exclusively distributed on broadcast television. The NASCAR Xfinity Series agreement with The CW underscores recent trends in which major sports properties have prioritized broadcast television to ensure the widest reach for their fan base and industry.

Landing the NASCAR Xfinity Series is a game changer for The CW and our CW Sports division and represents another important building block in our programming strategy, says Dennis Miller, President of The CW. Live sports are the most watched television content and with The CW's national reach, moving NASCAR Xfinity Series to The CW will transform and elevate the viewing experience for the series and its fans. The CW has quickly become a destination for sports, as the NASCAR Xfinity Series joins our growing slate of sports programming, including INSIDE THE NFL, ACC college football and basketball, LIV Golf, and the motorsports documentary series 100 DAYS TO INDY. Beginning in 2025, The CW will have 48 weekends per year of live sports programming. With ubiquitous distribution across one of the nation's five major broadcast networks, NASCAR Xfinity Series races on The CW will deliver more access for fans and far more revenue opportunities for The CW and its affiliates.

Brian Herbst, Senior Vice President, Media and Productions for NASCAR comments, CW's leadership shared a compelling vision for cultivating the next generation of NASCAR talent by bringing the NASCAR Xfinity Series exclusively to broadcast television and we are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with them. With more than one million viewers tuning in each week to see NASCAR's future stars battle some of its biggest names at our most legendary tracks, NASCAR Xfinity Series consistently delivers the moments that excite current fans and create new fans of our great sport.

Miller adds, Live sports are key to expanding broadcast audiences and are valuable to our network affiliates and cable, satellite, telco and streaming distribution partners as well as The CW and its parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. Nexstar's owned and operated stations and The CW's nationwide affiliate network will allow us to create local excitement for the Xfinity Series as we expand its reach and drive viewership growth. This will deliver a larger audience for NASCAR Xfinity Series competitions, its major sponsors and CW advertisers looking for national brand awareness and local activation. In addition, by creating a singular home for NASCAR Xfinity Series races, fans will be able to quickly find their favorite racing entertainment each weekend. Ultimately, bringing NASCAR Xfinity Series racing to The CW is a win-win for everyone fans, drivers, teams, sponsors and affiliates. We can't wait for the green flag to begin flying on The CW in 2025.

Andy Alford, President of Nexstar's Broadcasting Division says, Nexstar is already NASCAR's third-largest broadcast partner, carrying NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races across its FOX and NBC affiliates and has a deep understanding of NASCAR's value. NASCAR's loyal and passionate fan base and adrenaline-fueled races will provide CW stations with highly valuable live sports content that can deliver big audiences. These exciting events resonate in our local markets and with a local Nexstar station within driving distance of each and every NASCAR market, we are uniquely suited to drive attendance, viewership and revenues through local coverage, fan engagement, promotion and value-added marketing solutions for advertisers and brands.

2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights

NXS has produced 11 different winners this season - tied for the fifth-most through 18 races (all-time: 1982-Present)

The average age of the 11 winners this season is 29.

6 of the 11 different winners are 30 years old or under. The youngest being is 18-years old.

6 of the last 11 NASCAR Cup Series championships have been won by former NASCAR Xfinity Series champions

Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Busch (2019, 2015), Martin Truex Jr. (2017), Kevin Harvick (2014) and Brad Keselowski (2012).

13 former NASCAR Xfinity Series champions are currently active in the NASCAR Cup Series

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/07/31/the-nascar-xfinity-series-will-...
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