ESPN To Use Picture-In-Picture Ad Format For NASCAR Races

ESPN today unveiled a new picture-in-picture advertising format for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series broadcasts that will allow it to stay with race coverage later this season. The format, which is known as "NASCAR NonStop," will be used during NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup races on ESPN. Rather than go to a traditional commercial break, ESPN will go to a split screen that shows the race in a small screen in the right corner of the TV, a commercial in a larger screen on the left side of the TV and an advertiser's logo in the bottom right corner of the screen.

The format will be used beginning after the midway point of a race. It will debut Sept. 18 for the Chicagoland Speedway race. ESPN Exec VP/Content John Skipper said in a release, “Since we returned to NASCAR racing in 2007, one of the most common questions from our fans has been ‘why don’t you do the commercials side-by-side?’"