Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to X on Monday to dispel a claim from a Reddit user as to why he made the decision to leave NBC and join Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The Reddit user claimed that NBC wanted Earnhardt to call races remotely from its Charlotte studios and that Earnhardt and the network often clashed behind the scenes over his preference to look out through the windows of the booth to call races rather than call the action from the TV monitors.
Earnhardt called the contents of the post “untrue,” and set the record straight on his exit from NBC.
“This is all untrue,” Earnhardt wrote. “NBC is not considering a remote booth and I was never scolded for anything. NBC was amazing and everyone there taught me a ton. I promise that’s the truth. Nothing but respect and love for everyone there that I came in contact with.”
Earnhardt, who served as a color commentator for NBC since 2018, is joining the streaming platform for the 2025 season, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported Thursday.
“Earnhardt is expected to take this season off and then resume his broadcasting career in 2025 when WBD Sports and Amazon begin their coverage,” Marchand wrote.
Dale Earnhardt leaving NBC after six years
Earnhardt reportedly informed NBC of his decision two weeks ago. The network released a statement on Earnhardt’s departure.
“Dale Earnhardt Jr. is beloved in the NASCAR world and has made numerous contributions to NBC Sports, from his work as an analyst on our NASCAR coverage to his experiences as a correspondent at major events like the Indianapolis 500, the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl and the Olympics. We thank Dale and we wish him the best going forward,” the statement read.
NASCAR previously announced $7.7 billion in media rights deals with FOX Sports, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon scheduled to run from 2025 through 2031. Under the current deal, FOX Sports carries 18 races, while NBC picks up the remaining 20.
Under the new layout, FOX Sports will broadcast the first 14 Cup Series races of the season. Amazon Prime Video will host the next five events. Warner Bros. Discovery will carry the following five races, which will be simulcasted on TNT and the B/R Sports tier on the Max streaming service. The final 14 races of the season will be on NBC.
It’s currently unclear who Earnhardt will work with in the booth at Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery.
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