FOX defends way it marketed, televised NASCAR amid fans questioning priority

FOX Sports is defending its coverage of NASCAR after Prime Video made its coverage debut this past weekend. Robert Gottlieb, the president of marketing for FOX Sports, talked about how they handle NASCAR coverage each year.

“Every season is different – the challenges and opportunities each year are different,” Gottlieb said, per Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal. “We’ve just finished this week, so we have not yet begun to look back, evaluate and kind of game-plan for moving forward – so that’s still to come.

“We’ll have to figure out next year. I will say the performance, ratings and racing we had, it was another great season. We’re proud to be the flagship partner of NASCAR, and next will be an even greater season, and of course, we’ll do everything we can to let folks know how great NASCAR is as well.”

Gottlieb’s comments came as NASCAR fans have criticized FOX Sports for its coverage. One fan responded, “We DON’T want Fox back ever again. It’s not just this year that the coverage was abysmal it’s been like this for years. Prime showed how to truly cover the sport.”

Another fan added, “If you didn’t put your best product out there for NASCAR, this season or any other, why would someone want to stick with you? It appears Prime has done their homework, listened to what is (important) to the fans, sponsors and broadcast and in one week, nailed it.

FOX Sports covered the first 12 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season races and the All-Star Race this season. Prime Video will stream the next four races before handing it over to TNT, which will air the races scheduled from June 28 – July 27. NBC and USA will air the rest of the races for the 2025 season.

In November 2023, NASCAR reached a seven-year media rights deal with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Prime Video and TNT Sports. The deal will run through the 2031 season, and FOX Sports will air 14 NASCAR events per year.

“We are proud to begin the next chapter of what will soon be a three-decade relationship with our friends at NASCAR,” FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks said at the time. “As the continued home of the DAYTONA 500, we look forward to getting every season off to a roaring start.”