NASCAR Announces In-Season Tournament For 2025

Jarrodon May 14, 2024
NASCAR Announces In-Season Tournament For 2025
NASCAR Announces In-Season Tournament For 2025

NASCAR is set to introduce a groundbreaking in-season tournament in the 2025 Cup Series, blending traditional racing with a dynamic bracket-style competition that promises to heighten the mid-season excitement. This innovative format, announced by NASCAR today, marks a significant evolution in the sport’s competitive calendar and aims to enhance fan engagement across various platforms.

The tournament will be integrated into the NASCAR Cup Series’ existing schedule, featuring a head-to-head knockout-style event spanning five races. These races are part of a new collaboration with TNT Sports and will be highlighted during the network’s coverage. The launch aligns with NASCAR’s new media rights partnerships, particularly with TNT Sports and Prime Video, which will share the coverage of midseason races starting in 2025.

Tournament Details and Structure

All registered drivers will have a chance to qualify for the tournament during the last three races of Prime Video’s coverage. The top 32 drivers based on their performances in these races will be seeded into a tournament bracket. The competition format will see drivers go head-to-head, with the winner of each match-up advancing to the next round, culminating in a grand finale where the tournament champion will be crowned.

The seeding for the tournament will be determined by the drivers’ best finishes in the qualifying races, with tiebreakers decided by subsequent best finishes and overall season points standings. This format ensures that every race leading up to the tournament influences the competition, keeping the stakes high throughout the season.

Broadcasting and Fan Engagement

The tournament will be broadcast live on TNT and will also feature comprehensive digital coverage across Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, enhancing the interaction with NASCAR’s diverse fan base. Brian Herbst, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Media and Productions, highlighted the potential of this new format to innovate how the sport is presented to fans. “The idea of an in-season tournament has been discussed within the NASCAR industry, and as we started to focus on adding promotional elements that drive interest throughout the season, we were excited by the opportunity.”

“Having head-to-head driver matchups for each one of TNT’s NASCAR Cup Series races will add a compelling fan engagement element across media platforms like TNT, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, and NASCAR digital platforms,” said Herbst.

Craig Barry, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer at TNT Sports, shared his enthusiasm for the project, noting that the tournament format fits perfectly with TNT’s tradition of creativity and innovation in sports broadcasting. “It’s never been a better time to be a fan of motorsports, and this new first-ever in-season tournament will bring a new competitive dynamic to NASCAR’s summer race weekends. TNT Sports has always been at the forefront of creativity and innovation, and NASCAR is a perfect partner to bring this vision to life across our networks and platforms.” Barry commented.

Partnership with Prime Video

In addition to the tournament, the partnership with Prime Video brings another layer of innovation to NASCAR broadcasting. Prime Video will handle the streaming of practice and qualifying sessions for the first half of the season, including exclusive coverage of several pivotal races. Charlie Neiman, Head of Sports Partnerships at Prime Video, expressed excitement about this collaboration, which is set to showcase NASCAR’s commitment to adopting new technologies and formats to engage with its audience. “We’re excited to be part of NASCAR’s first in-season tournament next season. This tournament will showcase the league’s ability to drive innovation and engage fans with increased competition during a key part of the NASCAR schedule,” Neiman concluded.

As the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series approaches, these developments promise to transform the racing landscape, offering fans a more interactive and immersive experience. The combination of strategic media partnerships and innovative competition formats like the in-season tournament is poised to elevate the excitement of NASCAR racing and bring it to a broader audience than ever before.

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NASCAR has evolved so much in the 21st century. The passing of Dale Earnhardt in 2001 was a wake-up call for the sport to adapt to the times. Only some people are fans of change, but the organization has made bold decisions to address the pressing issues plaguing stock car auto racing and expand its fan base. However, has NASCAR’s efforts yielded positive results? In this article, we’ll explore the changes in NASCAR fan demographics, what the organization has done to appeal to younger audiences and how stock car racing aficionados can pass the torch to the next generation. A Detailed Explanation Perceived Aging Die-Hards The media thinks NASCAR has an aging fan base. To an extent, that’s true, but quantifying just how much the age is trending upwards is difficult. Studies have listed the average NASCAR fan as anywhere from 42 years old to 58 years old. The difference between these figures is a generation, suggesting both older millennials and Gen Xers typically tune into the races. A legion of baby boomers still follow NASCAR events as well. Their numbers may be dwindling, but they still have pull, according to NASCAR data. A New Breed of Fans The boomers no longer represent the majority of sports fans. More of them enter retirement over time and aren’t financially supporting their favorite professional athletes as they used to. All sports organizations know this and are bent on appealing to the millennials and Gen Zers. NASCAR is no exception. However, the two youngest generational cohorts can vastly differ from the motorsport’s traditional fan base. Younger millennials and Zoomers care deeply about sustainability, social justice and mental health but notably aren’t as crazy about motoring as their elders. Conversely, NASCAR’s traditional fan base covers the Southeastern United States. The sport has cultural significance in the region, especially in North Carolina and Virginia. Racing is a source of pride and a symbol of Southern identity. There’s a disconnect between the traditional demographics of motorsports fans and the profiles of the nation’s dominant generations. NASCAR leadership recognizes this and understands the need to market its product heavily to grow its popularity for the years to come. Policy Changes NASCAR has implemented various reforms over 20 years to improve safety, competition, image and business reach. The governing body has invested heavily in research and development to make the sport more scientific, leading to requiring Head and Neck Support devices and adding foam barriers to tracks. Moreover, this era also gave birth to generations 5, 6 and 7 cars. Also known as the Car of Tomorrow, the fifth-generation Cup car featured sizable rear wings, a higher windshield and a boxier, thicker bumper to increase drag and minimize aerodynamics intentionally. The driver’s seat also became four inches closer to the center for safety reasons. The Gen 6 car introduced more safety enhancements and mimicked the look of their unmodified counterparts in dealer showrooms more closely. The latest generation of NASCAR racecars boasts a fuel-injected V8 engine capable of producing 670 horsepower, a 5-speed transaxle and a center-looking wheel nut. Marketed as the Next Gen cars, the Toyota Camrys, Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros used in the Cup Series are rear-wheel drive cars. NASCAR has revised its points system to make the tail end of its season more exciting for fans and grab more eyeballs as it competes with sports. Regarding its brand image, the organization has taken vital steps to make the sport more popular in other regions without necessarily neglecting the Southland. Virginia, Florida and Tennessee collectively hosted 10 races in 2023. It’s teamed up with new sponsors and promoted a new crop of drivers — such as Danica Patrick and Bubba Wallace — to diversify its driver field. NASCAR’s official fuel has 15% bioethanol content to appeal to the sensibilities of younger audiences. Business-wise, NASCAR broke ground on new tracks in blue-chip markets in Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas and Miami. NASCAR's Youth Movement So far, the 21st century has seen two waves of young drivers, peaking in 2007 and 2020. Such a phenomenon occurred only once in the previous century — in 1985. The influxes of younger professional racers didn’t happen by chance. In 2007, NASCAR decreased the minimum age for regional competitions from 18 to 16 years old. The organization reduced another time in 2020 to 15. This opportunity has encouraged more teenagers to pursue motorsports more seriously. Those who have been go-karting all their lives can take it to the next level and begin a career in stock car auto racing early. More racing academies set up shop to meet the growing demand, driving the cost of education down. This virtuous cycle allows NASCAR to have fresh prospects younger fans can relate and look up to. How Do Young People Watch NASCAR? Live Events Children can attend NASCAR events in more than 40 locations across the U.S. and Canada. However, the organization recommends covering the ears of little spectators with noise-canceling headphones, for race action can be as loud as 100 decibels — 15 more than the maximum rate of audio exposure. Traditional Media Radio stations consider NASCAR fans lucrative advertising targets. About nine out of 10 motorsports fans follow stock car auto racing and nearly 51% are in the coveted demo of 25–54 years old. Just about every radio format attracts a large chunk of NASCAR’s fan base. Regarding TV, ratings have peaks and valleys. However, NASCAR’s latest media rights deal for its Cup Series is proof of its enduring popularity. The organization will earn $1.1 billion a year from 2025 to 2031 — a 34% jump from its previous deal of $820 million annually. TNT Sports will join NBC Sports and Fox Sports as NASCAR’s TV distribution partners. The CW will carry the Xfinity Series for more than $115 million a year in a separate deal. Having a broad presence in network TV and cable allows NASCAR to reach the 28% of Gen Zers who watch live sports. Social Media The organization’s followings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram totaled about 10.5 million in 2022. NASCAR-related hashtags have exceeded 8.5 billion views on TikTok. These figures are enormous because 65% of millennials and 74% of centennials consume sports on various social media platforms. Streaming Platforms NASCAR has joined forces with Amazon Prime as part of its new media rights deal. Its content is also available on Peacock and YouTube TV. Drivers of Fan Loyalty Early Introduction to Racing Stock car auto racing fanhood starts young. Many fans — and even professional racers — get their first taste of the thrill at go-kart parks. World-class Formula 1 racers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen got their start on the go-kart track and developed those skills into internationally recognized careers. Similarly encouraging a child’s need for speed is an easy way to get them excited for NASCAR in the long run. Parental Influence NASCAR has a ton of exposure to kids from the South because watching races is part of the family tradition. Many of today’s parents refrain from pressuring their children to like what they love, but sharing your passions with your little ones is essential to forming a stronger bond. After all, youth sports build character and confidence. Do Young People Still Want to Watch NASCAR? The demographics of NASCAR fans are changing, but it doesn’t mean stock car auto racing die-hards are dying out. Many young people are interested in the sport and the rapidly changing media landscape should continue to make waves in how the NASCAR is received in the coming years. Are Young People Still Interested in NASCAR? — FAQ What Is the Average Age of NASCAR Fans? The answer varies depending on the source. Some say it’s in the early 40s, while others believe it’s reached the late 50s. Why Are NASCAR Drivers Getting Younger? NASCAR has allowed regional competition participants to be as young as 15 years old. This policy encourages many teenagers to get into motorsports earlier than before. How Does NASCAR Do to Appeal to Younger Audiences? NASCAR has adopted a more sustainable racing fuel, increased its presence on social media and begun streaming content to attract younger eyes. How Do Young People Watch NASCAR? Millennials and Gen Zers don’t stick to a single platform to watch live sports. Some go to tracks while others watch at home on TV while checking social media. How Can Young People Be Lifelong NASCAR Fans? Parents can take their kids to live NASCAR events and encourage them to do go-karting to experience motorsports early. Author Bio With an extensive background in automotive journalism, Jack Shaw brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the table. As a contributing writer for Offroad Xtreme, Ford Muscle, Engine Labs and other leading publications, his articles provide readers with expert insights and captivating stories from the world of racing.

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