NASCAR's current TV rights deals run through '14, but Fox Sports Media Group Chair David Hill said that the net "will begin its negotiations on an extension this season," according to Mark Long of the AP. Hill said, "You never stop negotiating. But, it will start to get hot in the next three or four months." NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France last month indicated that the series "is happy with its current television partners," which also include TNT and ABC/ESPN. Hill said that he will "never publicly discuss negotiations but insisted his passion for NASCAR ... has not waned and the sport is good product for the network." He also alluded to last year's "improved ratings as proof Fox and NASCAR are a good fit." The '11 Sprint Cup season on Fox averaged 8.6 million viewers, up 9% from '10. It marked the "largest one-year audience increase in the 11-year history of NASCAR on Fox." The net airs 13 points races annually (AP, 2/26).
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: Fox earned a 4.5 overnight rating yesterday from 1:30-5:15pm ET for what was supposed to be its live coverage of the Daytona 500. The race was postponed due to rain and is scheduled to be run tonight at 7:00pm on Fox (THE DAILY). USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand writes driver Danica Patrick "was a star on Fox" yesterday. Fox' John Roberts announced the postponement of the race yesterday by stating that "history was supposed to be made today when Danica Patrick started her first Daytona 500." Meanwhile, Fox' Darrell Waltrip in a taped interview told Patrick she had "become the face of NASCAR." Fox' Michael Waltrip, making his debut as a studio analyst for the net, said Patrick has "a pretty good face." Hiestand notes Fox "isn't likely to overlook Patrick's historical significance" during today's coverage (USA TODAY, 2/27). In Tampa, Tom Jones writes Fox' coverage "remained enthusiastic, entertaining and enthralling" despite being nothing more than a five-hour rain delay. The net "showed a bit of taped coverage from last weekend's Budweiser Shootout, but most of the five hours was filled with original programming" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/27).
AVOIDING THE RAIN: ESPN earned a 2.7 overnight for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300 on Saturday, up 29% from a 2.1 overnight last year. When final numbers come out later this week, the telecast will likely be the most-viewed Nationwide Series race ever on cable TV (THE DAILY).
