Post by dalejrfan on Oct 29, 2005 0:47:18 GMT -5
HAMPTON, Ga. - The shape of NASCAR's television future continues to emerge, with TNT as the "third partner" Brian France spoke about during an interview at Kansas Speedway three weeks ago.
It appears TNT will air at least six mid-season Nextel Cup races in the new contract, which will begin with the 2007 season.
Three of those - June races at Pocono, Michigan and Sonoma - would come from the portion of the schedule Fox now airs. The other three, at Daytona, Chicagoland and New Hampshire in July, would come from the package now shared by NBC and TNT.
It is possible the second Pocono race in July also could be part of the TNT deal, giving it a seventh race. That would make the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis the first race each year for ABC/ESPN, which is expected to get the final portion of each season - including the Chase for the Nextel Cup races - in the new contract.
NBC pulled out of negotiations for the contract that will begin in 2007 - after the current six-year deal expires.
France indirectly suggested that NASCAR still wanted TNT in the picture in that interview at Kansas.
"You want the powerhouse of Time Warner so you're on CNN and they're promoting you to high heavens," he said. "You like that."
A three-way deal with Fox, TNT and ABC/ESPN would put NASCAR in the television business with three of the country's largest media conglomerates - Fox Sports is owned by News Corp., TNT by Time Warner and ABC/ESPN by Disney.
Published reports have said ABC/ESPN will pay an average of $280 million per year for its portion of the new NASCAR contract.
That would include rights to the entire Busch Series schedule, which would air its races on ESPN2. France said in the interview that NASCAR would like to see the Busch Series have its own "broadcast identity" in the new contract.
Even if Fox pays the same average of $200 million per year it did in the current deal, whatever amount TNT pays would only add to an increase in NASCAR's total rights fees over the $400 million per year average in the deal that ends next year.
It appears TNT will air at least six mid-season Nextel Cup races in the new contract, which will begin with the 2007 season.
Three of those - June races at Pocono, Michigan and Sonoma - would come from the portion of the schedule Fox now airs. The other three, at Daytona, Chicagoland and New Hampshire in July, would come from the package now shared by NBC and TNT.
It is possible the second Pocono race in July also could be part of the TNT deal, giving it a seventh race. That would make the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis the first race each year for ABC/ESPN, which is expected to get the final portion of each season - including the Chase for the Nextel Cup races - in the new contract.
NBC pulled out of negotiations for the contract that will begin in 2007 - after the current six-year deal expires.
France indirectly suggested that NASCAR still wanted TNT in the picture in that interview at Kansas.
"You want the powerhouse of Time Warner so you're on CNN and they're promoting you to high heavens," he said. "You like that."
A three-way deal with Fox, TNT and ABC/ESPN would put NASCAR in the television business with three of the country's largest media conglomerates - Fox Sports is owned by News Corp., TNT by Time Warner and ABC/ESPN by Disney.
Published reports have said ABC/ESPN will pay an average of $280 million per year for its portion of the new NASCAR contract.
That would include rights to the entire Busch Series schedule, which would air its races on ESPN2. France said in the interview that NASCAR would like to see the Busch Series have its own "broadcast identity" in the new contract.
Even if Fox pays the same average of $200 million per year it did in the current deal, whatever amount TNT pays would only add to an increase in NASCAR's total rights fees over the $400 million per year average in the deal that ends next year.