The CW has inked a seven-year deal with NASCAR to begin airing Xfinity Series races beginning in 2025, further expanding its sports content.
The broadcast network, which is owned by Nexstar, will provide the full Xfinity Series slate for free on television for the very first time. NASCAR Productions will produce the telecasts “in close collaboration” with the network.
As part of its push to grow its sports portfolio, the CW recently signed deals with LIV Golf and the Atlantic Coast Conference to air live events as well as Inside the NFL, which will begin airing in September.
“Landing the NASCAR Xfinity Series is a game changer for The CW and our CW Sports division and represents another important building block in our programming strategy,” network president Dennis Miller said in a statement. “Live sports are the most watched television content and with The CW’s national reach, moving NASCAR Xfinity Series to The CW will transform and elevate the viewing experience for the series and its fans.”
Miller also mentioned that The CW will be airing live sports programming on 48 weekends per year once NASCAR coverage begins in 2025.
“CW’s leadership shared a compelling vision for cultivating the next generation of NASCAR talent by bringing the NASCAR Xfinity Series exclusively to broadcast television, and we are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with them,” said Brian Herbst, Senior VP of Media and Productions at NASCAR. “With more than one million viewers tuning in each week to see NASCAR’s future stars battle some of its biggest names at our most legendary tracks, NASCAR Xfinity Series consistently delivers the moments that excite current fans and create new fans of our great sport.”
Fox and NBC currently share the rights to NASCAR’s Cup Series, however, that contract is set to expire after the 2024 season.