IMSA and NBC agree multi-year rights extension

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) SportsCar Championship has agreed a multi-year media rights extension with NBC.

Contract:

• 17 hours of coverage will be made available on the NBC broadcast network annually, a 50 per cent increase on last year
• All IMSA SportsCar Championship races will air on streaming platform Peacock
• Media rights deal also covers all other IMSA-sanctioned series

Context:

With an IndyCar-sized hole in its motorsport offering from next season, NBC has opted to expand its coverage of IMSA. The broadcaster initially partnered with the endurance racing series in 2019, predominantly airing the championship on cable via NBCSN and USA Network.

Since the contract began, IMSA viewership has grown 37 per cent on NBC and 2023 was the most-watched season to date, delivering a 13 per cent year-over-year increase across NBC and USA Network. Total minutes streamed on Peacock has also risen by around 60 per cent compared to last year. Increasing the series’ visibility via the NBC broadcast network can only positively impact IMSA moving forward.

Comment:

“Our partnership with NBC Sports has produced viewership increases for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship every year from our first year in 2019 through last season,” said IMSA president John Doonan.

“We also have managed to deliver impressive audience growth on Peacock, which is an especially valuable platform for delivering live, flag-to-flag coverage of endurance races to our domestic race fans. We are thrilled to confirm not only an extension of our relationship with NBC Sports, but nearly a 50 percent increase in the number of hours on the NBC broadcast network beginning next year.”

Coming next:

The 2024 IMSA season returns with the Chevrolet Grand Prix at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on 14th July.

Go deeper:

• Soaring viewership, a global calendar, and blue-chip manufacturers: WEC’s CEO on the ‘golden era of endurance racing’
• IMSA and Bosch sign five-year technical partnership