The present TV landscape for NASCAR is going to be coming up on a big change soon and I'm not sure everyone is aware of it. For one thing, SPEED is getting rebranded by FOX, since their attempt at making SPEED TV an all NASCAR channel seems to have soundly floundered.
In place of SPEED will be Fox Sports 1.
But then, as pointed out at The Daly Planet, once FOX locked up NASCAR with the SPEED channel set up, we didn't always get NASCAR. That is, if you count the reality TV programming Monday through Thursday.
The reported hopes are that SPEED ala Fox Sports 1 can capitalize on the established subscriber base to SPEED to instantly start competing with other "all sport" networks like ABC's ESPN.
But I don't know if they're counting on it or it doesn't matter, but If there are enough NASCAR fans though, I have to wonder how many cable subscribers will quit paying for that "extra tier" in their cable package. NASCAR fans won't be needing it. And I'm not sure they'll miss the glitzed up broadcasts where the good looking gender has been injected across the board, but what I find to be especially noticeable at SPEED.
Plus, with SPEED going away, I have to wonder what will become of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series? Will SPEED, I mean FOX SPORTS 1 cover those races still?
But NASCAR is wrangling TV deals right now. Fox is reported to be finalizing their part of the TV season. But ESPN and TNT won't be doing any early negotiating until they have their ball sports contracts wrapped up. And if anyone has ever taken note, almost anything on ESPN seems to have preemptive weight over NASCAR, including little league games.
ESPN and TNT are in year 6 of their 8-year agreements. But NBC & CBS sports might also be getting in on the fray. So NASCAR could be looking at having themselves a bidding war. But will that work?
NBC may want in. Could CBS want a piece of the pie? TNT wants more than their 6 summer races. And NASCAR is sitting pretty trying to decide if they'll spread the wealth around and keep it mixed up, or possibly stay with one network. The early negotiations with FOX could set the tone for the other TV contracts if the other nets aren't careful.
But as the question is posed by The Daly Planet, if or once Fox has a NASCAR contract locked up, what's their incentive to create great, compelling content? And I ask, where does the Truck Series end up?
As it is, some of the FOX coverage already seems to irk fans to no end. If FOX locks up more races, what will happen then? I've heard enough grumblings about some of the coverage or personality staffing.
Yet the landscape of TV coverage is always something of a mixed bag. On one hand, folks are pretty quick to grumble about what can be done better during and after a telecast. Yet if you remember back to the early days, NASCAR TV coverage is fairly non-existent. You have to pick and choose your battles!
The 2 links below have some great content on the issue, with TDP talking about the "rebranding of SPEED" and the SN has a bit on the contracts.
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The Daly Planet
sportingnews
It was NASCAR that built ESPN. It was a fledgling network with a lot of minor sports, sports highlights shows and infomercials. It was the NASCAR broadcast that grew ESPN into a major network. The only thing wrong with SPEED right now is they do not show enough racing. TNN, TNT and TBS all went from regional stations to the national scene for the most part due to NASCAR. The biggest loser could be some of the lesser known series that produce some great on track racing. The Continental Tire Series comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? So we are going to completely loose coverage of all the other motorsports like open wheel, sprint cars, Monster Trucks, dirt truck races, motorcycle racing,,,etc.????? How are the drivers in these sports supposed to get sponsors when they aren't going to get television coverage? Who cares what they call the channel, keep racing on a racing channel and other "contact sports" on another channel. For years race fans have known to go to Speed for anything speed related and other channels for other sports. Really...it's not broken, why to they think they need to change it.
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