NASCAR is rolling out the hard launch of a new partnership with digital video company DeskSite, becoming the first league to launch on the platform. DeskSite’s product is based around the notion of “DVR for the Internet,” as it allows users to automatically download content onto computer desktops, tablets and connected TVs that can then be watched in HD whether connected to the Internet or not. With NASCAR, DeskSite will offer news, interviews and driver spotlights. It also will have highlights of races, though they will only go up after a certain period of time after a race, usually the day after. NASCAR Senior Dir of Content Rights & Partnerships Sarah Davis said that is in accordance with NASCAR’s media-rights deals with Fox and NBC. NASCAR had a soft launch of the product in November that was not promoted, and Davis said NASCAR learned that “people were intrigued by the product and utilized the product,” though she declined to provide metrics. DeskSite, whose backers include prominent NFL agent Leigh Steinberg, has numerous team deals in the NFL, MLS and NHL. However, NASCAR is the first partnership with a league, and Davis said that this “speaks volumes that they were willing to dive in with us first.” DeskSite does have ads and typically operates on revenue-sharing agreements, according to previous reports. The company was featured in a ’15 story in SportsBusiness Journal about using technology to connect with fans.
