The current NASCAR TV contract expires at the end of the 2014 season. The featured networks since that agreement began in 2007 are FOX, ESPN, TNT and SPEED.
The Daly Planet has learned that a new potential player may emerge and seek to participate in the sport's TV package. 2014 might seem distant, but NASCAR intends to get the new contract completed by 2013. That allows for a season of planning, budgeting and logistics.
What this means is that 2012 will be a year of negotiating. The current TV package has been both a blessing and a curse. The blessing came in the form of 4.5 billion dollars from the NASCAR TV partners. Back in 2005, when the deal was done, NASCAR was the toast of the town.
The curse came in the form of TV influence affecting everything from race start times to critical issues within the sport. At times, viewers have been seemingly driven away by the race coverage of the very networks who rely on TV ratings to pay the NASCAR bills.
What NASCAR has and TV networks really want is content. The sport runs actively for ten months of the year. The two month break comes conveniently during the winter holiday season. NASCAR has no collective bargaining, no unions and no player reps. A TV network is buying a product totally controlled by the sanctioning body.
Currently, the Sprint Cup Series TV is sliced into three pieces that do not match. FOX is an over-the-air broadcast network. Trying to distribute long-form national sports programming through local TV stations is not a future model for professional sports.
TNT is a cable TV entertainment network. The six summer races produced by the network serve as a platform for promotion of the network's entertainment series. Neither FOX or TNT carry any additional NASCAR programming other than the pre-race show and races. That is also not a model for the future.
ESPN originally aired most of its races on ABC, but ran into the same issues with logistics and local stations. Now, 14 of the network's 17 races are on cable TV. While ESPN may promote itself as NASCAR friendly, the tensions have been rising between NASCAR and the network for the last several years.
ESPN also handles the Nationwide Series while SPEED produces the Camping World Truck Series telecasts. There are little twists in the current deal. SPEED gets Daytona's twin races and the All-Star race. In return, SPEED pays to have the NASCAR Media Group produce non-racing shows from the tracks like RaceDay.
The potential player on the horizon is a household brand. In a world where some TV networks seem more like conduits of endlessly themed programming, this player is different. It brings a nicely balanced global media perspective that may open a door beyond the US. One desire of NASCAR continues to be better worldwide distribution.
There are only a handful of media companies who can play at the high-roller table of TV rights negotiations. When the dollar conversation moves from millions to billions it quickly separates the men from the boys. This potential player has a long history of success in exactly that type of game.
Maybe the hardest part of entering into an extensive new programming agreement is having the TV infrastructure in place behind the scenes to go to work and get the job done. This player can produce and distribute an almost limitless amount of live and edited content.
While NASCAR has a history with many broadcast and cable TV networks, there is no history with the new potential player. Rarely in the media marketplace does an opportunity come along to begin a fresh relationship with a clean slate and get the same results. This situation has that dynamic.
The final clue in this riddle is simple. You already enjoy many hours of programming created by this company. Bringing an established media brand to a new TV contract is going to be key for NASCAR. The sanctioning body must know that the integrity of the new partner is solid.
As things move forward, it should be interesting to see when the new potenial player emerges and announces it has arrived. In the meantime, have fun guessing who might show-up and change the entire landscape of NASCAR TV as we currently know it.
We welcome your comments on this topic. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
131 comments:
Sweet! I always wanted to see NASCAR on PBS!
Hopefully iTunes, Netflix or YouTube.
Because when live sporting events make it there, I will finally be able to cut the cable that is more like a handcuff behind my television set.
But beware of YouTube; they got interested in Formula One and couldn't make it work (see US F1 team disaster.)
Could it be SPEED channel turning into the NASCAR Channel? Maybe Nascar Media Group setting things up for SPEED to become the Nascar Channel? I really don't know and that's just a guess.
Oh come on! You're worse than Ryan Seacrest!
Why not just name who you are talking about? There is no reason to make this a game...spill it!
I like riddles, but I also like the answers.... Speed sounds great to me!
Viacom?
HBO Presents: Game of Thrones and the Southern 500.
Seriously, Versus would be a new player and a Nascar deal would force cable companies to include it on more basic tiers.
Comedy Central here we come
Comedy Central here we come.
NASCAR on CW!!
how about OWN? :)
seriously...international presence--that would eliminate a lot of networks, which are not as popular globally. Versus is NBC which is not a new player. And yet someone who JD is certain we all watch & with a big wallet & resources? Scripps is inventing a sports channel? Or Discovery?
I can't see an online only being a possibility...it certainly should *not* be. But if such a company were to launch a cable/sat network....
HarpAmy and Haus14, JD said "...there is no history with the new potential player." That rules out Speed.
I'm with Brad Ford. Versus has had pretty good reviews here for their IRL coverage. My Dish package doesn't carry them, so I don't know.
Frankly, I'd like to see Joe's idea.
"Alan Bestwick here. You know, it takes a lot of money to broadcast these races. Why not call the number below to donate before this practice session starts? We have some special guests answering the phones this hour: Jack Roush and his Roushketeers!
"We've offering some special premiums during this drive. Every pledge over $150 will receive a pair of Bristol Nationwide tickets. Pledges over $300 will ensure your name appears on the hood of a 'start and park' car at the race of your choice. Pledge at the $600 level and Steven Wallace will personally put you in the wall.
"Remember, Rick Hendrick will match all pledges during Happy Hour!"
Im thinking Discovery Channel. Wasnt there talk of them producing some sort of show about NASCAR a few yrs ago?
what I don't get with the ESPN deal, is why not broadcast the events on OTA side channels. Everyone that wants OTA broadcast has a digital tuner box / or Digital Ready TV. Why not put the races on OTA on a side band. Its not like it would hurt anything and you gain more viewers that you lock out from being on cable. I haven't had cable in over 20 years.
Same goes with live streaming, you still get your eye balls and that is what the advertiser want, that helps sell imho
-R
Great comments so far, keep them coming! Love the Comedy Channel idea!
I am thinking spike tv, they have plenty of room for nascar
Perhaps the answer would be easy to Google? ;-)
I would assume from your earlier post this year about discovery changing one of their channels it would be the parent company of discovery.
Nice photograph, John. You've finally come out of the shadows into the light of day.
I'm guessing Sony
KoHoSo,
Follow the money, not the search engine! Not on Google.
Anon 7:14PM,
Decided early on that it's not about me, took a lesson from Jayski to keep it about the sport.
JD
Spike makes sense, formerly TNN and carried races.
How about TBS? Outdoor Channel? Travel Channel?
Hah, PBS... with Huell Howser as a pit reporter, That's Amazing!
Come on! I'm lobbying for the WWE!
Could it be that new Velocity channel?
M-I-C... K-E-Y...
Goodbye Digger, Hello Mickey Mouse!
Disney was/is involved with IndyCar, right? Maybe they're looking for a larger audience...
QVC or HSN - a sponsor's dream!! Sell all the merchandise, free shipping and easypay!!
7:14 here again. In all seriousness, the only players that fit all the criteria laid out in the post is DCI-Discovery Communication, Inc. and Viacom. Scripps Networks Interactive could also be in the running, but revenue and earnings figure to support that statement weren't readily available after just a few minutes research.
QVC would be awesome! Flex pay for all merchandise!
Whatever it is I really hope its not exclusive to the internet. Nascar will alienate half their fan base if races arent available on TV. That sounds so far fetched but based on the "clues" thats all I got out of it. Not big on treasure hunts. Would really like to know.
One reporter said the Velocity press release sounded like "The Man Show" becomes a network.
50% all NASCAR fans are female.
I'm thinking Discovery's HD Theater. It already kind of covers T.O.R.C. and is the only "player" that I can think of that hasn't had a prior relationship with NASCAR and is able too.
Versus is owned by NBC. Spike is the old TNN, which means it's out. A&E has Parking Wars? Maybe they want to up the anty.
QVC already has a relationship with NASCAR. They sell a ton of merch.
Duke, you seen all the other "stuff" that ESPN has been buying lately? They need another network...or two.
My guess is Discovery Channel.
Hope its not History channel. How they can take Top Gear best car show ever, do shot for shot remakes of TG UK and make it suck is beyond me. I can see it now all Rutledge all the time. (paging David Poole)
Not Google, huh? Let me look again at the article...
a nicely balanced global media perspective that may open a door beyond the US
Looking at that...well, I don't think al Jazeera would go down well with most of the NASCAR fan base... :-D ...so my next guess would be somebody like...the BBC? (how could they afford it?)
Wait...maybe it's not necessarily one that will be broadcasting to the US, or at least the US as most of us here would think about it. Univision?
This is gonna drive me nuts all night now. :-p
It will be interesting to see who thinks they can save Nascar.
I think by 2015 there won't be much of Nascar left to even show on Tv.
I can't see Nascar rebounding in the next few years with the setup they have now.
CNBC....MSNBC......something about the follow the money...comment makes me think..besides they dont have alot to show on weekends with the markets closed...either that or the Weather Channel...Im used to them going away every 8 minutes....
FACEBOOK Sports TV
Their Video Messaging Announcement last week was just a launch for a Total Video Content Destination.
Anon 7:14PM, got a bunch of other players out there! Keep typing!
Well I already pay for Discover HD Theater to watch WRC (even if it is delayed) and Isle of Man TT.
Don't know how broad their coverage is?
I don't think it will b Disney, Doesn't the same company that owns Disney, also own ESPN and ABC??
All one needs to look at is IRL and hockey to know that Versus is not the way to go. Unless of course Comcast decides to go big with sports. NBC has Sunday night football which NASCAR would be a good lead-in. USA network is the biggest cable network I believe so you've got big promotional opportunities thru cable and NBC. That will help draw in the casual fan (especially if Danica moves in).
I really don't know any other big player.
I'm thinking TBS. Not much baseball anymore and a basic cable channel.
BBC or Oprah
Both rather global
Yes, MortonGroveDon, it has to be The Weather Channel: Racing On The Eights! Ha! NASCAR has hit the gold!
Sony?
Racing on the 8's! Yer killin me!
While it's easy to guess Speed, I don't see them (or Versus) as a major media brand since they are not in every home. I'm not sure that they are considered basic cable channels and seem to only be available with the premium cable package or satellite in a lot of places. Discovery makes sense as do ABC and NBC. I like MortonGroveDon's idea of CNBC and MSNBC. Definitely global but, again, not in every household like the major networks. Then we do have Netflix like some mentioned and that seems a logical choice, too. Just to be different, I'm going to go out on a limb and throw Oprah into the mix. I can't see her dabbling with racing at all but the brand and they money are there.
I am thinking out side of the box on my prediction and and will say Bloomberg TV, they are global and has aired road races early Sunday Mornings in the past.
got a few guesses.
VS. ad to their growing sports coverage.
CBS may want back in.
SpikeTV. What else are they going to show? More 1,000 ways to die repeats? Also they where TNN.
TBS could want to come back as well. Also its part of Turner Broadcasting just like TNT.
I hope that whoever gets these races understands what the fans are looking for - honestly I'd rather it was anyone BUT ESPN since I'm tired of them mocking my favorite sport and although Fox did a great job in 2001, they have been a failure since the new contract took hold.
I think having another player in this could be really good for the fans - I'm ready for someone to broadcast it without bias.
JD, what about the online rights? Are they also due for renegotiation in 2014? I forget the timeline.
How about MTV? They seem to air anything and everything BUT music these days.
I'm thinking CMT
Nick Sports....when a driver wins he gets slimed........
Everyone!
It's Facebook!
Go back and read the article..
Global, Lots of Cash, On-Line Dominance...
Dont think CMT is Global
How about Mizlou or SETN, Showtime PPV even.
who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of NASCAR? The shadow knows!
Love that pic, JD.
I never thought about CMT and MTV. Those are good suggestions. Weird how some cable networks are so very different than what they started out to be.
JD
Walking thru the big media players:
- Comcast/NBC U - Prior player, could use non-Hockey content for Versus. Has UHD HD network that has distribution.
- Disney - Owns ESPN
- Viacom - CBS Network, MTV, Comedy Central. CBS has a sports network now, but focused on college. Has HD only network Palladia that had distribution.
- Fox - Fox and Speed
- Discovery - History, Science, OWN, has HD Theater HD only network that has distribution.
- Scrips - Travel, HGTV, Food - Really not in their wheelhouse but could use something more male.
- MSG/Rainbow - Interesting one, sports experience, key New York Market, A&E and a couple of other areas.
- Turner - TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon
Next level would be the superstations, WGN, etc. If I had to guess based on the clues, I'd go MSG/Rainbow.
I'm sort of on board with Palmetto's idea -- still laughing over "rick hendrick will match all donations".
Sounds like there is a possibility of the NASCAR Channel again. It didn't work with SPEED, maybe this new media organization may be willing to make it happen. It would certainly change the nature of the broadcast contract and provide NASCAR with everything it needs.
Just my guess based off the above.
Mizlou! Bless you for remembering the Schwing dynasty.
Facebook has a TV network? That's a new one.
CNN: "I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in victory lane at Darlington!"
Let's go down to Nancy Grace on pit road with Kyle Busch!
Don't really see that happening...
JD
Who's schwing
comcast?
I thought the best answer was HBO. Even though through TimeWarner they share an affiliation with TNT, HBO is quite independant but maybe the TNT relationship would allow RaceBuddy all the time. HBO is (IMHO) the best of the pay networks and has done an excellent job with their NASCAR related specials.
I guess I'll just keep reading DalyPlanet and wait to see the answer.
Why can't you tell us? My guess was maybe the USA network?
thought about MSG...but a lot of these have no global involvement, or are very regional.
Guess what Nancy's talking about tonight? Not much of a riddle there (I was only channel flipping, I swear.) Bai Ling was walking around the roof on Celebrity rehab, and they're grilling on the Cooking channel. It's a slow night...
oh, and there's no weather on the Weather Channel, as usual.
Roger Schwing was the guy who ran MizLou for Claude and Vic Piano.
It was so shady they used to pay us in cash from the trunk of a rental car. No receipt or 10-99's!
Love those days!
Besides the fact that I don't agree with the 13 - 6 - 17 stretch we have already, I don't understand why we didn't have 12 - 12 - 12 to begin with. The entire Chase would still be with ESPN, FOX would lose one race, and TNT would gain 6. was it money that got ESPN 17?
Honestly, I need to get Versus, but if it is, here is my response:
"Hi everybody and welcome to Darlington. I am Bob Jenkins along with x color commentator and y color commentator."
Hearing those words alone would make me drool buckets to get Versus.
Hey folks, I'm off to family life for tonight. Will moderate all the comments early in the AM. Leave a good one tonight and it will be posted by breakfast.
Thanks again, you guys are the best!
One of the chief honchos at Discovery *is* a racer.
What I would LIKE to see won't happen... a complete online-only package complete with Race Buddy-like functionality. Basic version is free with some form of sponsors and add-ons are chargeable. Available on pcs, tablets, phones and every connected device. Like I said. it won't happen.
IMO... the first major sport that moves exclusively online will change everything. It will happen. I just don't know when.
Richard (formerly Tripp formerly in NH)
Either Discovery Channel or Fremantle Media.
"Next season: Survivor: Kentucky Speedway. Challenges like: go ask Smoke a redundant question, ask Jr. about tires, hit a Busch Brother and see if you don't get hit back, make fun of Delana's firesuit, and do a legends race with Stephen Wallace and try not to get hit. Winner gets a helicopter ride out, the losers sit in traffic. Survivor:Kentucky this fall on a channel near you."
Seriously I wouldn't count out Fremantle producing all NASCAR content for distribution in North America and the world.
MSNBC... hah! They're rethinking their weekend strategy?
"I'm Alex Witt with a quick check of the headlines. 37 people were injured in an earthquake in China and a man led police through a chase in Houston. Now, we go to NASCAR on MSNBC!"
"Ed Schultz here welcoming you to NASCAR on MSNBC, here's what has me fired up right now!"
"Now we go to pit road where Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Matthews and Al Sharpton will have the call of all the action on pit road."
"Sarah Palin today said she would like to run for President in 2016, Paul Ryan is also considering a 2016 run. By the way, Carl Edwards won the race off pit road followed by Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch."
I have no clue. Lol. I have Directv with hundreds of channels. Probably use maybe 15 at most. Whatever it is hope I can cut our satellite bill.
Oh and whoever it is if they telecast the races like FOX or ESPN who cares!!
Well,we know it won't be Glenn Beck!
Tough one. I think most of the cable channels are bad fits. Why?
They've branded themselves into a corner. The exceptions to this rule just don't have the kind of capital or viewer following they'd need.
It's not in the demographics, aside from perhaps Spike...and I think they're one of the few networks (on basic cable) that could leverage the brand and at least break even.
JD, got to disagree with you on local stations, and OTA broadcast channels being a bad fit. Just got home from a buddy's house - Detroit market.
He has a converter box, watches local stations. No cable, no internet, elusive 20-something, and two young kids.
For someone like my friend, between interweb-stuff and just *basic* cable is a $60/mo addition to their bills.
Not worth it. He doesn't worry about seeing racing, he goes to the beach, barbecues, the same stuff everyone used to.
I think with the more effort it will take just to watch a race, you'll see a trend towards people saying it's not worth it.
Sport wasn't built on the web-offerings, it wasn't built on cable...it was, however, built on people going "what the heck is this?" and watching.
Without paying a premium. Good ol' sit around Sunday, barbecue, and over time..."Hey, the race oughta be on by now, put on channel 4!" or whatever.
Last point - if the race coverage wasn't abhorrent, insulting, biased, and designed to dump commercials in people's heads...you wouldn't be looking at niche networks and things like Race Buddy.
Lastest point - rather than comparing minutes of commercial versus racing/broadcast time...JD, take a look at just how many they threw in there. I found *that* pretty interesting, though I had a couple cold ones in me.
Averages out to a number where you realize that no one can realistically keep up with what's going on, minutes being totally ignored as a criterion.
I wouldn't be surprised to see TNT and CBS join together for a deal against ESPN. The CBS/TNT alliance is used in college basketball and obviously CBS and TNT would love to make The CW (CBS and Time Warner joint venture) a larger network, and the co-branded CBS/TNT NASCAR would work on The CW during The Chase, with The CW earning most of the races and CBS having Charlotte, Indianapolis, Bristol, and likely Atlanta, plus other selected races.
Follow the money. Comcast is the one with the deep pockets and it has NBC. Only makes sense to me. Everybody wins and you don't have it on a cable only network. I may be all wet because there doesn't seem to be a lot of common sense or logic applied these days, just the money. I still like Comcast. Air the races on NBC. Practice and qualifying on VS or USA. Lotsa $$$$$. Develop their own Race Buddy with live streaming from the track. It will be interesting I'm sure.
Internet only is totally unfeasible. The infrastructure isn't robust enough. Some of the largest NASCAR demographics are in rural areas. New York and L.A. will never give a crap. My internet was off for almost 9 hours today. CenturyLink's buying up the country. We're all doomed with them. And look at what a burping baby Racebuddy has been, although if it worked we wouldn't have the post-race placemat ripped from beneath us. We just got used to HD coverage and "Crank It Up" surround sound. Is the internet going to give us that? The step back would be too great. It'd be like watching the sport go third-world overnight before our bloodshot beer-goggly eyes.
I'm not paying a dime more for NASCAR. We already pay dearly every week, and that's not counting the price of satellite/cable.
The sport is sinking due to the weakened economic base. Sponsor dough is down. Start ‘n parks are up, but then, I always thought they had at least 5-8 too many cars out there, but maybe they’re out there to get in the way and artificially trip up the well-heeled part of the herd.
A portal channel with sub-channels makes sense if someone's a big enough conglomerate that they can get NASCAR, F1, MotoGP, Rally, IndyCar etc. – talk about diverse demographics - and leave all the trucker shows and rich old white guy car auctions somewhere else, like on basic cable with the likes of Hell’s Kitchen and Swamp People. Who can pull off all those business deals? We’re talking dinero majora. Racing sanctioning bodies are expensive mistresses and really picky about what they control. Is Bruton gonna open up the racing portal where too much traffic is a good thing?
BTW, I'd love to see Rupert and Bernie, Bruton and Brian going tie to tie to tie to tie. Hmmm, another sub-channel? Pay per view weasel fighting?
You’re enjoying this WAY too much.
Either Current TV where A. Gore will mandate the field run Chevy Volts & the Prius, or MSNBC with Chris Matthews, where he will get a "tingle up his leg" everytime the green is waved.
LOL @Weekend! Well Jon Stewart *did* have John Hodgman do a NASCAR segment before & we all know the "famous" NASCAR South Park Episode :p
JD--LOL! They use to for years have the Race Fans Only on QVC why not! I always felt bad for Dan when there was a race on up against the show. There have been several occasions where they had a "name" on & it was up against a race. I'd tune in time to time or record it & it seemed when there was a race he didn't have as many folks calling in as when there was no race to compete against. A shame that canceled it, always enjoyed it. It was the best when Smoke would drop by, he was always hilarious. I don't think he ever got his pizza maker thingie :(.
What is MizLou?
Who ever it is, they need to include online in their negotiations. And fork over the money for RaceBuddy! What would really be awesome are the side by sides so if they could work that out. I don't know enough about these other networks to know how they might do as far as growing an audience & new fans. Whatever it is, it will have to be available to the majority of folks without having to pay $18 bazillion extra to upgrade for the one channel they want.
HBO
It make sense that Comcast/NBC is the merger that needs programming now.
Cartoon Network. Fox has already shown the great growth potential in this area by using an animated gopher to draw in younger viewers. Besides, it's Brian France's favorite channel. Maybe now Brian will actually watch a NASCAR race on TV and see what the rest of us have to endure.
19 entertainment. each week simon will tell a driver how horrible he drove. then in the chase, we will vote to see who gets eliminated.
jr nation shall rejoice....12-time champion dale jr.
has to be HD Net
Comedy Central makes sense since BZF has turned NASCAR into a joke.
Disney Channel makes sense also because BZF has turned NASCAR into a Mickey Mouse operation.
Seriously? Comcast has the potential with their ownership of Versus & the NBC brand.
Gotta be a pay cable network-HBO,Showtime etc--with no commercials.
Re: red said...
CNN: "I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in victory lane at Darlington!"
(James Earle Jones narrating) "This is CNN... sports"
Keep in mind that JD never identifies the new player as a "network."
To have an online presence as well as an international one, leaves out all the domestic players. Or at least as we know them today.
Dont think the BBC is that strong online at this point. Does Goggle want to get into the broadcast side of the business?
Curious, but if it is that secretive, theres reason to question whether its gone past the "what if" stage.
Im thinking Comcast and they will put the races on NBC and USA Network and hopefully NOT on VS. We have seen how thats affected Indycar.
And actually....races on CNBC isn't far fetched. Not sure if anyone remembers but during the final year of the contract with NASCAR on NBC they would always send post-race coverage to CNBC.
How about a combo deal with NBC-Comcast-Versus (soon to be renamed)? They act as though they want to become a big player in sports.
Madman, your post is priceless!!
If they go to comcast/NBC what happens to those of us who have other providers like FIOS?
I know there are some sports channels that you only get on comcast and personally I don't want to switch back to them since Comcast was the only game in town for years and charged people through the nose for their service.
Thought there was going to be an answer by Breakfast?
NBC Universal Sports, although on January 18, 2011 the Federal Communications Commission approved Comcast’s take-over of a majority share of NBC-Universal from General Electric. However, General Electric still has a 49% ownership stake in NBC-Universal.
It's going to be G4.
Aside from Daytona, Talledega, Fontana, and Kentucky, they'll be able to market it as "Races that don't suck!" Alongside their movie series of similar name.
Telemundo!
Todo Juan Pablo, todo el dia!
I just read that VERSUS is changing their name within a couple weeks. Maybe this name change will signal that this is NASCAR's new partner?
you guys aren't reading the clues. Can't be a previous partner, that rules out NBC/Comcast, ABC, CBS, FOX, and their networks or networks to be, and TNN (Spike) I would presume from the wording. Has to be an 'established' media company (not necessarily a TV network) who has created programming that most of us have seen in some fashion (ruling out the more obscure G4, TBS, BBCA.) Has to have deep pockets, global involvement and the ability to show 'limitless' programming. I'm stumped, but apparently we need to think outside the box "other players". I'm thinking not PPV because NASCAR would never go for that, and many of us have not paid extra for their programming.
Anon, no PPV and the new partner is a TV network and media company based in the US.
I just had another thought. JD said that it has to be one that already has the distribution set up. This company has it.
NETFLIX.
Am I close JD?
If it's Viacom, beware,. They own MTV, and guess what happened to the "M" in the MTV? JD said earlier, 'This player has no history here." To paraphrase... History? Me thinks that might be the case....
Amy, the Cup races have to be on a broadcast or cable TV network with 90+ million homes.
I just can't find anything that fits all of the clues unless the connection to past NASCAR broadcasting is so weak that JD is not counting it. I think I only have one more guess in me...
Liberty Media.
How about Syfy: Imagine Greater. NBCUniversal could come up with the cash and isn't "Imagining a Greater NASCAR" on everyone's mind?
It has to be DIY, with Trace Adkins singing the theme song, "Hell, I can do that."
"I was flippin' through the channels
A lazy Sunday afternoon
Caught the race in Talladega
Comin' 'round lap twenty-two
When the fella in the blue car
Gave the red car a little tap
Then a rainbow of colors
Went flippin' down the track
In what the announcer called a spectacular crash
(And I thought)
Well hell, I can do that
What's the big deal
Hit a wall in a ball of fire requires no skill
A hundred thousand fans
Screamin' in the stands
He gets a bag full of cash
To drive in circles and crash
Hell, I can do that..."
:)
We can immediately eliminate Time Warner (TNT), News Corp (Fox) and Disney (ABC/ESPN). The "past history" clue eliminates Viacom (parent of MTV Networks/TNN/Spike) and Comcast (NBC's new owners) as well as CBS Corporation.
That leaves us with a pretty small pool of options: Discovery Communications, Scripps Networks Interactive and... man, that's about it. History's out because it's owned by A&E, which is a Universal/Disney co-owned venture.
Thing is, I don't know that I'd characterize either of those as global.
NASCAR Media Group. The facility has four floors of studio and production space in Charlotte and a digital archive that would allow NASCAR to start its own network
C-Span!
QVC!
JD,
I'm going to guess it's Comcast etal. I think I mentioned this to you before. When will we know?
IMO, I think the Food channel could do a better job than the current TV partners. LOL
Dot, the reason I offered this now is because the TV contract discussions will be cranking-up shortly.
Once things get rolling, I will be able to offer comments during the contract negotiation about the parties involved and perhaps what NASCAR is hoping to accomplish in this new deal.
I will say one thing, some readers offering comments in this post were right on the money!
That should clear things up, right?
JD
So, some people got the answer right but we won't know who until later? This just goes to prove what a true television professional JD is...keep stringing them along so they keep watching. :-D
Pretty sure someone might have mentioned it in here....
Will update it ASAP once I get the green light.
This entire X billion dollar contract negotiation is going to be key to the future of the entire sport.
JD, realistically, when do you think you will get the green light to tell us? If we have to wait for all this to start, that could be a while right? Are we talking weeks, months, or years?
The anticipation is killing me!
And Guess what JD that key to the future is in BZF's hands he will decide whether it will be about the money or the fans. If it's about the money then we will then know the real Brian France. Up Close and Personal.
I appreciated being told about the situation, but as far as a timetable I have not gotten one yet.
What we do know is that things are fixing to get underway very soon.
I will absolutely cover this from every angle as the new contract moves forward.
It's either Youtube or Facebook.
The answer to tbe riddle is tne fact that both are global and "household brands". Both can command a contract in tbe billions and while youtube has 2nd hand nascar content, the decider is that "they have no history with them" ... Hence its probably Facebook.
Either way, it's totally and completely genihs and an absolute game changer.
HDNET
Don't think there's a lot of possibilities. JD said not a prior player, and said it had to be a major broadcaster, not cable-only or online outlet. The first rules out the big 4 (Fox, CBS, ABC, NBC) and their subdiaries and affiliates (Speed, ESPN, MTV, etc). It also rules out TNN/TNT. JD also said it's a US company, which rules out the BBC or BSkyB or any other Euro-based company.
So there's only one big US based broadcaster left: it has to be Univision. Headquartered in Miami, available as broadcast channel in most major metros, available on basic cable almost everywhere, fairly often has higher Neilsen's than the big 4 - it the obvious answer.
I just hope they do an English commentary on SAP.
Well if anything I would say NBC would want back in. Plus they could put races on USA, I mean after a while you seen all the NCIS and Law & Order SVU episodes.
I would take NBC/USA replacing ESPN/ABC, just don't know who they would use for coverage since most of the old NBC guys are either at TNT/ESPN/FOX.
I'm thinking Mark Cuban and his HD Net. He's got the bucks and is always looking to get into new sporting adventures.
With all the money Comcast has flowing, I'm thinking they may be a player. Look at it this way. Comcast paid the Pac 10 a huge amount to broadcast their football games. It's pretty well known that Comcast is salivating for more sports coverage, so Nascar might be something they will look at.
JD, if you're talking about this new Discovery network called Velocity, well I dunno.
From the descriptions I've been hearing, it's an "automotive lifestyle" channel like SPEED is turning into.
hd network
J.D.,
The wild card here which leads me to agree with others that it's NBC Universal/Comcast is Dick Ebersol. Last Spring, he was unceremoniously innformed his contract would not be renewed, he resigned in May effective at the end of June. He'd been Chairman of NBC Sports and Olympics since 1998 and he masterminded their Olympics coverage since 1992, after learning at the feet of ABC's Roone Arledge at the tragic 1972 Munich Olympics.
However, last week New York Times TV industry maven Bill Carter (author of two terrific books about the wars Leno-Letterman and Leno-O'Brien fought for late night) and Times sports media guru Richard Sandomir reported that Ebersol is returning as a "Senior Consultant."
Ebersol is the ubermeister of the HUMONGOUS deal. He not only negotiated but also executive produced NBC's Summer and Winter Olympics coverage and was responsible for bringing back the NFL with the Sunday Night Game, wresting the national prime-time broadcast package from ABC/ESPN Sports.
The received wisdom is the suits at Comcast who were awaiting Justice Department final approval of their NBC purchase were not thrilled that Ebersol's Winter Olympics package sustained about a $200 milllion loss.
NBC has traditionally used the Summer and Winter Olympics as platforms to promote their regular season prime-time programming. Whether anyone can drink enough Kool-Aid* to buy into the idea that it's worth $200 million in cash loss, is an open question. (Incidentally, that's a widely propagated misnomer. Cult leader Jim Jones forced his brain-dead followers to drink cyanide-laced Flav-R-Aid in Guyana, not Kool-Aid.)
Hmmmm... Although it's not a sure thing, if I were in charge of NBC Universal/Comcast I'd want Ebersol in my corner (or at the very least not in someone else's) when faced with such a momentous negotiation.
I hope once you can go on record with all this, that in addition to reporting, you'll consider writing about what you would do if you were in charge of NASCAR programming for that network.
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
a few good guesses are NICK A&E TRuTV
nick and A&E would be good because they are considered a basic cable channel. A&E and trutv have that reality/drama marketing practice. So i think NASCAR ON A&E would fit now how about we go down to the pits with barry weiss and darell sheets.HAHAHAHA
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