Mark Martin rips NASCAR broadcast partners over preference for playoffs: ‘They don’t understand racing’

Mark Martin calls out NASCAR broadcast partners

“Now, for the first time, I’ve seen a couple of active drivers hint that they wouldn’t mind seeing that [full-season points format]. You can’t expect them to tell the truth, because that’s how they make their living,” Martin said. “But everyone that you get your information from is beholden to the TV money. A lot of the fans want to fault NASCAR — yeah, maybe, but I fault the owners, too. They’re addicted to the money. They wanna see whatever the broadcast partners want.

“Obviously, I haven’t told a lot of the details I know. But the broadcast network is one of those that wants the playoffs. They don’t understand racing. All they know is stick and ball sports. It makes it easy for a broadcaster, it makes it easy for a journalist or anyone that covers the sport — they have a ready-made talking point every damn race because we have the playoffs, win and you’re in the playoffs — you’ve got something to talk about. Unfortunately, that’s what they talk about and typically, the winner gets lost. They only focus that he goes into the playoffs.”

Martin has been banging this drum for a long time that NASCAR doesn’t need a postseason. The 66-year-old said earlier this week on the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast that he knows the truth as to why the playoff format exists, but he wants NASCAR to admit it publicly. Until then, he’ll continue being vocal and standing up for the fans.

Martin is “beholden” to the fans and not the TV networks or NASCAR, he told Frontstretch. He laments every race not being treated as a big deal, saying “it’s cheapened now” because of the playoffs.

Mark Martin: ‘Race fans are who I’m beholden to’

“This week, I saw it a little bit different. With Bubba [Wallace] winning, the world seemed to say, ‘That’s a big deal.’ Dude, every race is a big deal. But it’s not, it’s cheapened now because all they talk about is ‘Oh, you’re in the playoffs now.’ I would like to see the focus on you are a bad MOFO if you win a race — period. It’s a big deal,” Martin said. “… I have taken it on myself because I’m out with the fans; I don’t live in the bubble. I’m not beholden to the TV money or to NASCAR or anyone. The race fans are who I’m beholden to.

“They kept me in the business forever, and they still support me beyond belief. I love the race fans, and I know for a fact that the majority of race fans wants 36 races. That doesn’t mean it’ll be more exciting than the playoffs with the eliminations and all that. … It might be a runaway but embrace that, too, because someone that runs away with it is a badass. I’m speaking for the fans, and I know we’re not going to get 36 races. But I’m gonna stand up for the people that have stood behind me and loved the sport. I’m their voice.”

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic is a member of the playoff committee. He said on “The Teardown” podcast that while those in the room are in favor of change, TV’s opinion is that they want a playoff and eliminations. NASCAR’s media rights deal is worth $7.7 billion from 2025-31, so they are writing some massive checks and perhaps have the most say.

Gluck said that a few weeks ago, he thought there was a “90 to 95% chance that the one-race playoff was dead next year.” Now, Gluck feels it’s unlikely anything changes as NASCAR is under pressure to release the 2026 schedule as soon as possible.