Yahoo Finance Reports: NBC Sports Network shutting down. What that means for NASCAR
NASCAR will be among the sports impacted by network and programming changes at NBC. NBCUniversal plans to shut down NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) at the end of the year and migrate its NASCAR broadcasts to NBC-owned cable channel USA Network.
NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua announced the changes in a memo to staff Friday and sports leagues impacted by the changes were informed this week, according to reports by Sports Business Journal and the Wall Street Journal. In addition to NASCAR, NBCSN broadcasts races for a number of motorsports series, including IMSA, IndyCar and NHRA, as well as games for the NHL and English Premier League.
NBC signed a 10-year deal with NASCAR through 2024 to broadcast events during the second half of the season, with many of those races airing on NBCSN. Fox and its affiliate FS1 channel broadcast the first half of the season for the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series.
“We are committed to ensuring that NASCAR and IMSA races are carried and distributed smartly to our broad and loyal fan base,” a statement from NASCAR said. “NBC is a best-in-class partner and we will work together to ensure continued high quality delivery of our events now and in the future.”
NBC is pitching the move as beneficial to partner leagues, given the greater reach of USA Network, while also boosting the entertainment channel’s audience by adding live sports. USA Network is in 86.2 million homes, per SBJ, while NBCSN reaches 80.6 million homes.
“This will make USA Network an extraordinarily powerful platform in the media marketplace,” the memo from Bevacqua said.
In addition to USA Network, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, was cited as a possible destination for NBCSN’s programming in 2022 as the company emphasizes its “long-term strategy.”
NBC released its 2021 NASCAR broadcast schedule mid-December, with 26 of NBC’s 39 races airing on NBCSN between the Cup and Xfinity Series. NASCAR fans can prepare for those channel names to look different in 2022.
NBC SPORTS 2021 NASCAR CUP SERIES SCHEDULE
Date | Location | Network | Time (ET) |
Sun., June 20 | Nashville Superspeedway | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. |
Sat., June 26 | Pocono Raceway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sun., June 27 | Pocono Raceway | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. |
Sun., July 4 | Road America | NBC | 2:30 p.m. |
Sun., July 11 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. |
Sun., July 18 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sun., Aug. 8 | Watkins Glen International | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sun., Aug. 15 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course | NBC | 1 p.m. |
Sun., Aug. 22 | Michigan International Speedway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sat., Aug. 28 | Daytona International Speedway | NBC | 7 p.m. |
Sun., Sept. 5 | Darlington Raceway | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
Sat., Sept. 11 | Richmond Raceway | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Sat., Sept. 18 | Bristol Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Sun., Sept. 26 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
Sun., Oct. 3 | Talladega Superspeedway | NBC | 2 p.m. |
Sun., Oct. 10 | Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | NBC | 2 p.m. |
Sun., Oct. 17 | Texas Motor Speedway | NBC | 2 p.m. |
Sun., Oct. 24 | Kansas Speedway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sun., Oct. 31 | Martinsville Speedway | NBC | 2 p.m. |
Sun., Nov. 7 | Phoenix International Raceway | NBC | 3 p.m. |
NBC SPORTS 2021 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES SCHEDULE
Date | Location | Network | Time (ET) |
Sat., June 19 | Nashville Superspeedway | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. |
Sun., June 27 | Pocono Raceway | NBCSN | 12 p.m. |
Sat., July 3 | Road America | NBC | 2:30 p.m. |
Sat., July 10 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sat., July 17 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Sat., Aug. 7 | Watkins Glen International | CNBC | 4 p.m. |
Sat., Aug. 14 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course | NBCSN | 4 p.m. |
Sat., Aug. 21 | Michigan International Speedway | NBCSN | 3 p.m. |
Fri., Aug. 27 | Daytona International Speedway | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Sat., Sept. 4 | Darlington Raceway | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. |
Sat., Sept. 11 | Richmond Raceway | NBCSN | 2:30 p.m. |
Fri., Sept. 17 | Bristol Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Sat., Sept. 25 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Sat., Oct. 2 | Talladega Superspeedway | NBCSN | 4:30 p.m. |
Sat., Oct. 9 | Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | NBC | 3 p.m. |
Sat., Oct. 16 | Texas Motor Speedway | NBC | 3 p.m. |
Sat., Oct. 23 | Kansas Speedway | NBC | 3 p.m. |
Sat., Oct. 30 | Martinsville Speedway | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
Sat., Nov. 6 | Phoenix International Raceway | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. |
