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NASCAR unveils 4-network, $4.48 billion TV package
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
With Fox and TNT returning as partners in an eight-year, $4.5 billion television contract that goes into effect in 2007, the focus of Wednesday's teleconference formally announcing the deal fell to the return of ESPN and its corporate sister, ABC.
"It is an understatement to say that we're delighted to rekindle our relationship with NASCAR," said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports. "We say, 'Welcome home.'"
ESPN and NASCAR grew together in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the network was left at the altar when NASCAR signed its first consolidated rights package, a six-year deal that expires following the 2006 season.
The break-up got bitter and petty. For the first few years of the new contract, ESPN not only no longer had the right to show races, the network's cameras were not allowed inside most tracks.
Drivers were shuttled on golf carts to speak with ESPN reporters set up outside the track, or the network's crews caught drivers as they tried to leave after Cup races. ESPN's racing crew actually had "tour" T-shirts made up listing the parking lots, hotel roofs and helipads where they were forced to work at each track.
There were major signs of détente at the beginning of the 2005 season when, for the first time since 2001, "SportsCenter" had a live set adjacent to victory lane during Daytona's Speedweeks.
All is well now, NASCAR chairman Brian France said Wednesday.
"We're happy to welcome back a media partner that we started with," France said.
ESPN will actually air no more than six Cup races each season, since all 10 of the Chase for the Nextel Cup races plus at least one more - presumably the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - will be on ABC.
But ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will show all of the Busch Series races and will also show Cup and Busch qualifying and practice sessions as well as a daily NASCAR news and information program, pre-race shows, a reality series and other specials.
In all, Bodenheimer said, ABC/ESPN will air 52 races and more than 400 hours of programming per year. Also, he said, 18 different businesses within the ABC/ESPN umbrella will have some dealing with NASCAR content. The company will pay an average of $270 million for the rights to do that business.
Fox will pay around $205 million a year for each season's first 13 Cup races, including the 2007-2014 Daytona 500s, as well as the Bud Shootout at Daytona and two Truck Series races (not, however, the Daytona Truck race as previously reported).
Speed Channel, which is part of the same company, will get the 150-mile qualifying races during Daytona Speedweeks and the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge along with the pit crew contest that's part of all-star week activities.
TNT will pay $80 million per year for six Cup races in June and July, beginning with the season's 14th points race.
The next thing to watch will be how announcers are arrayed in the new deal.
Fox's key personnel - Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond and so on - are likely to remain in place. That team, in fact, may very well wind up doing TNT's races as well.
Bodenheimer said the only decision made so far about announcers on the ABC/ESPN team is that Jerry Punch, who stayed with ESPN after NASCAR left, would have a role.
It's also likely that Rusty Wallace, who ended his full-time driving career this season, will be an analyst for that network.
What remains to be seen is whether any of the announcers or pit road reporters from the current NBC/TNT crew find roles in the new package .
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
With Fox and TNT returning as partners in an eight-year, $4.5 billion television contract that goes into effect in 2007, the focus of Wednesday's teleconference formally announcing the deal fell to the return of ESPN and its corporate sister, ABC.
"It is an understatement to say that we're delighted to rekindle our relationship with NASCAR," said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports. "We say, 'Welcome home.'"
ESPN and NASCAR grew together in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the network was left at the altar when NASCAR signed its first consolidated rights package, a six-year deal that expires following the 2006 season.
The break-up got bitter and petty. For the first few years of the new contract, ESPN not only no longer had the right to show races, the network's cameras were not allowed inside most tracks.
Drivers were shuttled on golf carts to speak with ESPN reporters set up outside the track, or the network's crews caught drivers as they tried to leave after Cup races. ESPN's racing crew actually had "tour" T-shirts made up listing the parking lots, hotel roofs and helipads where they were forced to work at each track.
There were major signs of détente at the beginning of the 2005 season when, for the first time since 2001, "SportsCenter" had a live set adjacent to victory lane during Daytona's Speedweeks.
All is well now, NASCAR chairman Brian France said Wednesday.
"We're happy to welcome back a media partner that we started with," France said.
ESPN will actually air no more than six Cup races each season, since all 10 of the Chase for the Nextel Cup races plus at least one more - presumably the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - will be on ABC.
But ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will show all of the Busch Series races and will also show Cup and Busch qualifying and practice sessions as well as a daily NASCAR news and information program, pre-race shows, a reality series and other specials.
In all, Bodenheimer said, ABC/ESPN will air 52 races and more than 400 hours of programming per year. Also, he said, 18 different businesses within the ABC/ESPN umbrella will have some dealing with NASCAR content. The company will pay an average of $270 million for the rights to do that business.
Fox will pay around $205 million a year for each season's first 13 Cup races, including the 2007-2014 Daytona 500s, as well as the Bud Shootout at Daytona and two Truck Series races (not, however, the Daytona Truck race as previously reported).
Speed Channel, which is part of the same company, will get the 150-mile qualifying races during Daytona Speedweeks and the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge along with the pit crew contest that's part of all-star week activities.
TNT will pay $80 million per year for six Cup races in June and July, beginning with the season's 14th points race.
The next thing to watch will be how announcers are arrayed in the new deal.
Fox's key personnel - Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond and so on - are likely to remain in place. That team, in fact, may very well wind up doing TNT's races as well.
Bodenheimer said the only decision made so far about announcers on the ABC/ESPN team is that Jerry Punch, who stayed with ESPN after NASCAR left, would have a role.
It's also likely that Rusty Wallace, who ended his full-time driving career this season, will be an analyst for that network.
What remains to be seen is whether any of the announcers or pit road reporters from the current NBC/TNT crew find roles in the new package .