A big deal is going down in the world of NASCAR starting this weekend, folks. Get ready to watch Cup Series races through streaming, because that’s how they’re delivering the goods now. Prime Video is stepping up to the plate by carrying the next five races, all the way up until late June. And guess what? The first one is none other than the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, one of the sport’s most prestigious events. They’re also throwing in the first-ever race in Mexico City for good measure.
Brian Herbst, the big shot at NASCAR who’s in charge of media and revenue, spilled the beans to RACER about how they’ve been prepping for this moment for years. Apparently, when they were putting together the media rights deals back in 2023, they wanted to cover all bases by including broadcast TV, cable TV, and a digital streaming option. It was all about keeping up with the changing trends in content consumption, you know? Younger audiences were ditching cable in favor of services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, so NASCAR had to make sure they stayed relevant on those platforms. And that’s how they ended up partnering with a streaming giant like Amazon.
Now, Amazon is going all out with the marketing for these races, especially for the Coca-Cola 600. But what’s really got NASCAR pumped is the fact that Amazon is also creating original content around the sport, like the new show ‘Earnhardt’. It’s all part of the plan they cooked up back in 2023 when they were finalizing the live rights agreement. And let me tell you, they’re stoked to see it all coming together.
So, why is this such a big deal, you ask? Well, apparently, NASCAR fans are already big on Amazon Prime, whether it’s for getting their hands on paper towels faster or binge-watching ‘Reacher’. And now that the races are on Prime Video, it’s just a matter of firing up the app on Sunday to catch all the action. They’re even offering a 30-day free trial for those who want to dip their toes in the water. NASCAR is hoping this move will help ease the transition for fans as they embrace the new era of streaming.
Now, let’s talk numbers for a sec. FOX Sports kicked things off with the first batch of races, and NASCAR was pretty pleased with the viewership numbers. They’re hoping to build on that momentum with Prime Video taking the baton for the next five races. The goal is to keep growing the audience with each race and make the most of this new partnership. And who knows, maybe they’ll see a similar trajectory to the NFL when they started streaming games on Prime Video. It’s all about setting that baseline and then watching it grow over time.
As NASCAR dives headfirst into this new era of streaming, they’re keeping a close eye on the ratings. The hope is that fans will realize they already have access to the races through Prime, or they’ll sign up specifically to catch the action. Either way, NASCAR is optimistic about the future and excited to see where this new venture takes them. And hey, if FOX Sports and NBC Sports are on board, then they must be doing something right, right?
One thing’s for sure, NASCAR is in it for the long haul with Prime Video, and they’re ready to ride this wave of change all the way to the finish line. So, buckle up, folks, because it’s going to be one heck of a ride.
