FOX Sports Mulls NASCAR Marketing Shift After Indy 500 Viewership Triumph
Following a successful Indianapolis 500 broadcast, FOX Sports is reassessing its NASCAR marketing approach. This comes as the Indy 500, helmed by CEO Eric Shanks, outpaced the Daytona 500 in viewership, prompting a strategic review before the 2025 season.
Viewership Battle: Indy 500 vs. Daytona 500
The Indy 500, won by Alex Palou, attracted an impressive 7.05 million viewers, peaking at 8.4 million. In contrast, the Daytona 500 drew 6.76 million viewers, hitting a peak of 7.96 million. This marks one of the few times in three decades that the Indy 500 has surpassed its NASCAR counterpart in viewership.
FOX Sports’ president of marketing, Robert Gottlieb, hinted at potential changes to the strategy. He mentioned that the tactics employed this year may not mirror future plans.
“I wouldn’t draw any conclusions from what we did this year to market NASCAR to what next year might look like.”
—Robert Gottlieb, FOX Sports’ president of marketing
Viewership numbers for motorsports are a crucial indicator of success. In 2023, NASCAR generated $476 million in media rights fees (Statista, 2024), underscoring the financial stakes involved in attracting viewers.
Factors and Future Plans
The Daytona 500 experienced a lengthy rain delay, potentially affecting its audience. The Indy 500 also had weather-related interruptions, although shorter, thus allowing for a more consistent broadcast schedule.
Eric Shanks‘ focus on the Indy 500, an event he is passionate about, played a significant role. FOX Sports promoted it heavily, including advertisements during Super Bowl LIX. The network invested in innovative broadcasting, incorporating features like the “ghost car” graphic, and involving figures like Tom Brady and Danica Patrick.
This year, FOX Sports’ NASCAR coverage aligned with a new seven-year media rights deal, sharing broadcast duties with NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and TNT Sports. FOX broadcasts the initial 14 Cup Series events, including the Daytona 500.
Looking ahead, FOX Sports aims to build upon the success of the Indy 500 and improve its NASCAR coverage. Robert Gottlieb confirmed that the network is committed to enhancing the fan experience.
“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 year 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.”
—Robert Gottlieb, FOX Sports’ president of marketing
The network intends to evaluate this year’s performance, prepare for next season, and ensure NASCAR continues to excel.