NBC faces financial setbacks after new NASCAR broadcast deal

NBC is gearing up to take the reins for the rest of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, but there’s a notable absence that fans will surely miss. The first-ever NASCAR Cup Series in-season tournament this year featured a thrilling 32-driver bracket over five action-packed weekends, starting off at Atlanta Motor Speedway in late June and wrapping up with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway just this past weekend.

Dubbed the “In-Season Challenge”, this five-race tournament marked a new addition to this year’s broadcast schedule, bringing fresh excitement to fans tuning in. The 2025 season is significant as it kicks off a brand-new seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal, welcoming Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports alongside existing partners Fox and NBC.

Transitioning from the fast lane, Amazon Prime Video’s initial five-race stretch concluded with the Pocono Raceway event in June, taking over from Fox’s previous coverage at the Coca-Cola 600 in late May. Fox and NBC each saw their lineup trimmed down from 18 to 14 races and from 20 to 14 races, respectively, to make way for the new partners. However, this reshuffling wasn’t without its losses.

NBC, in particular, bid farewell to the Chicago Street Race (aka the Grant Park 165) and the Brickyard 400, two major races that drew sizable crowds in past seasons. The Chicago Street Race, notably a crowd favorite in 2023 and 2024, saw a dip in viewership to 2.1 million this year compared to 4.6 million and 3.9 million in previous years, largely attributed to its move from NBC to TNT Sports.

The Brickyard 400 also took a hit in viewership, dropping from 3.63 million last year to 2.449 million this year now that it’s showcased on TNT Sports. Despite these changes, NBC’s segment of this year’s schedule still encompasses the thrilling four-round, 10-race playoffs, albeit with only the final four regular season races airing on NBC and the rest on USA Network.

Kicking off this Sunday, August 3, at Iowa Speedway, NBC’s lineup promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats. And don’t forget to catch the live broadcast on USA Network to watch the Iowa Corn 350 action unfold. Whether you’re a die-hard NASCAR fan or a casual viewer, there’s something for everyone in store as NBC takes the wheel for the rest of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.