Prime Video and TNT Sports only carried five NASCAR Cup Series races each during the first season of the sport’s new television deal. As it turns out, both broadcasters would have liked more.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell revealed this week that Amazon’s Prime Video and TNT Sports each hoped to secure a larger share of the Cup Series schedule before the sanctioning body finalized its current media rights agreement. While NASCAR remains locked into the existing deal through the 2031 season, O’Donnell’s comments offer a glimpse behind the scenes at just how valuable the series has become to its newest broadcast partners.
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The revelation comes after Prime Video completed its inaugural five-race stretch earlier this summer and TNT Sports wrapped up its own five-race slate at Chicagoland Speedway.
NASCAR’s newest TV partners wanted a bigger piece of the schedule
Speaking with Sports Business Journal, O’Donnell was asked whether NASCAR’s television landscape could change before the current media rights agreement expires in 2031.
He made it clear that NASCAR is committed to its existing contracts, but acknowledged there was no shortage of interest when the rights package was negotiated.
“We’ve got contractual obligations obviously, but what I can say, I don’t think I’m giving away any trade secrets, is if you talk to Prime, they wish they would have bought more,” O’Donnell said. “If you talk to Turner, they wish they would have bought more. That’s a good thing. That’s great for us.”
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The current media rights agreement divides the Cup Series schedule among FOX Sports, Prime Video, TNT Sports and NBC Sports. Prime Video aired five consecutive races beginning with the Coca-Cola 600, while TNT Sports followed with its own five-race stretch that concluded at Chicagoland Speedway.
NASCAR sees momentum under its new media rights deal
O’Donnell also said NASCAR has received positive feedback from all of its broadcast partners during the first season of the new agreement, which began in 2026.
“I’ve talked to Eric Shanks at Fox, I’ve talked with folks at Amazon, I’ve talked with Turner, and all of them are really happy with what’s going on right now and feel the momentum in the sport,” O’Donnell said. “Our job now is to really show that growth.”
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The comments reflect what NASCAR has seen throughout the first year of the new television package. Prime Video earned praise from many fans for its production and coverage, while TNT Sports introduced new studio programming and personalities during its portion of the schedule.
Although fans shouldn’t expect any changes before the current agreement expires after the 2031 season, O’Donnell’s comments underscore the demand that existed behind the scenes. Rather than struggling to attract broadcast interest, NASCAR found itself with multiple partners eager to carry more Cup Series races than the schedule allowed.
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