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Nascar has agreed an extension with decade-long premier partner Xfinity, but the Comcast-owned telecommunications company will exit as title sponsor of the second-tier national series at the end of this season.
Xfinity will continue as a premier partner on a multi-year deal and the contract includes a one-year extension for the naming rights to the Xfinity Series, but this is set to not be extended beyond 2025. The series has been title sponsored by Xfinity since 2015.
Xfinity is one of the founding members of Nascar’s premier partner model, which was introduced in 2020. Busch Light and Coca-Cola also remain attached to the series, but Geico departed at the end of last season.
Comcast is expanding its pact with Nascar to include more of its brands. Xfinity Mobile becomes the official wireless partner of Nascar and Xumo, a streaming joint venture between Comcast and Charter, becomes the series’ official video and streaming partner.
Also new for 2025 is the ‘Xfinity Fastest Lap’, where an extra point will be awarded to the eligible driver with the fastest single lap in each race. This programme will be rolled out across the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series.
It appears Xfinity will continue to title sponsor the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway as part of the deal, a position it has held since 2020.
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“Nascar is incredibly appreciative of Comcast’s continued partnership and their commitment to innovation and fan engagement within our sport,” said Michelle Byron, executive vice president and chief partnership and licensing officer at Nascar.
“Their contributions over the past decade, from enhancing the fan experience to supporting community initiatives, have been invaluable. We look forward to building on the success of our partnership during the 2025 season and beyond.”
Matt Lederer, vice president of brand partnership and engagement at Comcast, added: “We’re not just entering year 11 of our partnership, we’re embarking on year one of a renewed relationship with Nascasr filled with fresh energy and exciting opportunities to enhance the competition on the track in a way that has never been done before, and continue to connect with fans in new and engaging ways.”
Meanwhile, Nascar’s preseason Clash event on 2nd February averaged 3.1 million viewers on Fox, with a peak of 3.4 million viewers. Last year’s race only averaged 1.5 million viewers after it was moved to Saturday due to inclement weather.
The last direct comparison would be the 2023 race, which averaged 3.65 million viewers, representing a 15 per cent audience drop.
BlackBook says…
This is a much-needed contract extension for Nascar, especially in the context of Geico exiting the series at the end of the 2024 campaign.
Losing another major sponsor for the 2025 season would not have been a good look for a series entering unknown territory with a new TV deal against the backdrop of an ongoing court case with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.
This year sees the introduction of streaming platforms to Nascar’s domestic broadcast portfolio, with Amazon’s Prime Video and TNT Sports’ Max taking a package of five races each. But the drastic reduction in races on commercial television – nine in 2025 compared to 20 last season – and the continued legal wrangling with teams has meant a feeling of apprehension in some Nascar circles about the year to come.
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