CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR hopes it will get more than a big check when Xfinity steps in as the title sponsor of its top developmental series starting in 2015.
Xfinity, the cable and internet provider division of Comcast, will replace Nationwide as the sponsor for what will be known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the next 10 years.
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NASCAR Chairman Brian France declined to comment on financial details of the deal, which was reported by the SportsBusiness Journal as being worth close to $200 million over 10 years. The deal would average $10 million a year to NASCAR, which includes a hefty amount to the season point fund.
The deal also includes a marketing spend at an average of $10 million a year, but that likely will be counted against Comcast’s marketing commitment as part of its television deal with NASCAR. Comcast’s NBC and NBC Sports Network will televise the final 20 Sprint Cup races and the final 19 Xfinity Series races each season from 2015-2024 at an average rights fee of $440 million a year. France would not confirm that aspect of the deal.
The deal, NASCAR hopes, will help spur innovation as far as what Comcast can provide fans, including through its mobile sports app. It’s live sports app could carry the races it telecasts live.
“We’re trying to embrace technology and innovation wherever we can to either lower costs or make the experience for our fans a better one,” France said.
As far as specifics to what those innovations could be, NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Brett Dewar said “stay tuned.”
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Many tracks already are working on improving connectivity so people can use phones and tablets at the racetrack and some already have struck deals.
“There are categories and there are missions that we’ll have to be respectful of along the way, but I think this is a big plus to complement the things that we’ve been trying to do throughout the industry,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said.
Xfinity will have exclusivity in the series (but not in Sprint Cup or the Camping World Truck Series) as far as video and broadband providers. Dewar said that any conflicts and sponsors that are grandfathered in will be announced at a later date. When Nationwide entered the series in 2008, Geico was given one final year before being forced out.
Nationwide, which reportedly was spending $10-12 million a year on the series sponsorship, will sponsor Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Cup next season.
One quirk in the deal is that Xfinity doesn’t have a deal to carry Fox Sports 2 on its cable systems. Although the first 14 Nationwide races each year will be on Fox or Fox Sports 1, it is expected that some practices or qualifying sessions will be on Fox Sports 2.
There was no guarantee that Comcast would have FS2 by the time the Xfinity sponsorship begins.
“I would just say we’re looking at programming relationships all the time,” Comcast senior vice president of marketing communications Peter Intermaggio said. “That’s something we’re continuing to study.”