In the ever-evolving landscape of sports broadcasting, few motorsports have navigated as sharp a turn as NASCAR in recent years. Once the domain of loud V8s and even louder primetime slots on Sunday afternoon, NASCAR’s media journey has shifted dramatically, from consistent decades-long coverage on broadcast TV to a more fragmented, multi-platform reality. As early as the mid-2000s, FOX established itself as a powerhouse for the Cup Series, crafting its own motorsports identity around Daytona openers and marquee summer showdowns. But with changing consumption habits, FOX’s near-monopoly was gradually challenged, not by rival networks but by streaming giants angling for live sports real estate.

When NASCAR inked its $7.7 billion media rights deal, Amazon Prime became one of the most buzzworthy additions to the sport’s distribution family. Amazon was set to broadcast 5 key Cup Series races in 2025, all exclusive to Prime Video. The transition marked more than just a logistical shift; it was a cultural one. But such a seismic shift hasn’t come without tension. Behind the scenes, there has been an undercurrent of strategic misalignment between legacy broadcasters like FOX Sports and NASCAR leadership. While FOX remains NASCAR’s longest-standing partner and still hosts major events like the Daytona 500, its reduced race load in 2025, with just 14 races split between FOX and FS1, has changed the tone of collaboration. Meanwhile, Prime’s data-driven algorithm has reshaped promotional playbooks, placing NASCAR races in front of Prime shoppers in a way that cable networks simply can’t, and many insiders have had problems regarding this change.

FOX’s NASCAR legacy faces a Prime challenge

Amazon Prime Video, now a headline-making player in NASCAR’s media strategy, aired five exclusive races in the 2025 Cup Series season, including the iconic Coca-Cola 600. NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, in an interview with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan, praised its early results, but the numbers are telling a more complex story, especially when viewed through a demographic lens.

“I’ve been very happy with them. I think if you look at the Coke 600, I think it was average 2.7 million over four and a half hours,” said Phelps. “It’s a long race. They’re averaging a million viewers on average per minute in their post-race, which is on Amazon Prime, which those numbers are unheard of. And I think they brought their own flair to it, which we knew they would. And I think they have both the fan as well as the garage reaction to Amazon Prime has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Yet beneath the surface of optimism lies an increasingly debated trade-off: audience age vs. audience size. According to Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal, while NASCAR saw a notable viewership growth among younger audiences, it came at a cost of a 40% decline in the 55+ age bracket, and a 21% overall drop in total viewership for races streamed exclusively on Prime Video. The flagship Coca-Cola 600 gained 147,000 viewers aged 18-54, but lost a staggering 730,000 aged 55+. Critics argue that the sport may be sacrificing a loyal fan base in pursuit of streaming relevance.

Still, NASCAR’s media strategy appears built for long-term transformation rather than short-term returns. The current seven-year, $7.7 billion deal spans a diverse mix of partners like FOX, NBC, Amazon, and Warner Bros. Discovery, each offering a different avenue to reach fans across broadcast, cable, and digital ecosystems. However, there were many who underestimated Amazon Prime’s viewership, subtly aimed at internal industry skepticism. Although Phelps refused to name the entity, it can be speculated to be Michael Mulvihill, from FOX’s PR team. “So there were lots of people who doubted that the numbers would be as good as they are,” Phelps joked. “I mean, there’s a pundit who thought the numbers, and I won’t say who it is, because it’s a current partner. The research person thought Amazon Prime would do 1.2 million average viewers for the Coke 600. It was over 2 million. 2.7. Yeah. So he missed by just a smidge.”

Although this “blended universe” has sparked some concerns around viewer confusion and fragmentation, as with the NFL and other sports, fans are increasingly left wondering where and how to watch races. Brian Sullivan also mentioned, “I have to say the first race, I forgot that it was on Amazon, right? I was like, oh, no, I’m lucky. I have all the services.” That kind of disorientation could drive down casual viewership in favor of only the most die-hard, tech-savvy fans.

“If you go on Amazon and buy something this Sunday, and the races, the Pocono race, it will say that the Pocono race is there,” explained Phelps. “We are up on the top of that screen, which is tremendous. And they have plugged in different places for us. So was there a fear about dilution around distribution? Yeah, there was a fear. But for us, we thought it was really important to test a streamer, right?” Phelps resolved what many insiders and even veterans feared: that streaming may not yet be seamless enough to be the sole home of major racing content, especially for core NASCAR fans who have been used to cable platforms rather than digitized ones.

Back in May, a tweet pointed out Prime Video’s median age gap for Coke 600 to be around 6 years younger (56 vs. 62) compared to the Cup Series on linear TV networks, which is a gap similar to Prime vs. NFL on linear last season. Replying to this, Michael Mulvihill wrote:

“This has become predictable spin anytime an event moves to a streamer. It’s easy to look younger when you lose 5 older people for every 1 younger viewer you gain.

Coke 600 Year-Year
18-54: Gained 147k viewers
55+: Lost 730k”

But amidst all this is the persistent question of how NASCAR sustains momentum while juggling older loyalists and the elusive young viewer. “We have been able to hold our numbers,” said Phelps. “In fact, our numbers are actually up 6% on cable, despite the fact that the universe continues to go down. So if you think about it, if the universe was 90, 95, 100 million per cable, and now it’s 60, 62, 65, whatever it is, the fact that there’s been a 40% drop in the universe and we haven’t dropped at all. In fact, we’re growing, I think, says a lot about our fans and our fans’ ability to find those races.” If cord-cutting accelerates as expected, platforms like Hulu, Peacock, and Amazon will become primary, not supplementary.

NASCAR has a head start, but also the heavy burden of being a test case for what happens when a traditional sport chases the digital age. While streaming presents undeniable audience shifts, it also unlocks fresh opportunities for growth. As legacy networks and new-age platforms converge, how NASCAR navigates this blend will define its broadcast future.

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Steve Phelps weighs in on San Diego street race possibility

As NASCAR continues to reshape its national footprint, street racing in urban centers has emerged as a strategic lever to expand its fan base. Following the high-profile debut of the Chicago Street Race in 2023, speculation now swirls around San Diego, potentially hosting NASCAR’s urban spectacle. Although a report from The Athletic suggested a deal is near, Steve Phelps emphasized that nothing is final yet.

“We’re in discussion with a lot of different cities,” Phelps told Brian Sullivan. “The great news about where NASCAR is, we’ve proven we can race on the streets. We’ve proven that we can race in a stadium. It’s an open canvas for us now to determine where we’re going to race, and what we’re trying to do is open new eyes.”

Phelps also revealed that NASCAR’s recent ventures into non-traditional venues, like the Chicago Loop and Los Angeles Coliseum, have succeeded in drawing in new audiences, with up to 80% attendees being first-time racegoers. While he didn’t confirm a San Diego race, Phelps left the door open, saying, “San Diego is not a no. It’s not a yes. But it’s not a no.”

That’s quite an answer. But do you think that San Diego would be the right choice? Let us know in the comments.