NASCAR’s Xfinity Series Headed to The CW, Expanding the Channel’s Live Sports Portfolio
When Nexstar acquired a 75% stake in The CW in August 2022, very few onlookers foresaw the amount of live sports that the network would start pursuing. But that’s exactly what the channel has done, as it has struck agreements with the controversial LIV Golf league, and more recently the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in a deal that will see college football and basketball games head to The CW.
The expansion into live sports is continuing at an impressive rate for The CW, as this week NASCAR has announced that the channel will become the exclusive home of its Xfinity Series from beginning in 2025 and running until the end of the 2031 season. The Xfinity Series is one level below NASCAR’s top level of competition — the Cup Series — and this is the first time in its history that it will be available on a free, over-the-air broadcast network.
“Landing the NASCAR Xfinity Series is a game changer for The CW and our CW Sports division and represents another important building block in our programming strategy,” The CW president Dennis Miller said. “Live sports are the most watched television content and with The CW’s national reach, moving NASCAR Xfinity Series to The CW will transform and elevate the viewing experience for the series and its fans.”
The CW will air 33 live races every season, as well as practice and qualifying each weekend. The deal officially takes hold starting in 2025; Fox and NBC Universal hold NASCAR’s broadcast rights through the end of 2024, and the Xfinity Series primarily airs on FS1 and USA Network currently, with races also being shown on Fox and NBC.
“CW’s leadership shared a compelling vision for cultivating the next generation of NASCAR talent by bringing the NASCAR Xfinity Series exclusively to broadcast television and we are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with them,” NASCAR SVP Brian Herbst said. “With more than 1 million viewers tuning in each week to see NASCAR’s future stars battle some of its biggest names at our most legendary tracks, the NASCAR Xfinity Series consistently delivers the moments that excite current fans and create new fans of our great sport.”
It’s fortunate that NASCAR was able to find such a willing partner in The CW, as its other options for airing the Xfinity Series appeared to be waning. It was reported this spring that the racing league wanted to send the Xfinity Series exclusively to a streaming platform, and that Prime Video was in talks to host the races. But Amazon’s desire to bid on a package of NBA games may have sapped its NASCAR budget, and the Xfinity Series moved on from Prime Video.
It’s not clear if NASCAR is still hoping to partner with a streamer for a package of its Cup Series races, or if it has abandoned that notion. Users will be able to find the Xfinity Series on The CW in 2025 which can currently be streamed on one of three live TV streaming services. Cord cutters will also be able to download The CW app to stream Xfinity Series races, with no login credentials required — meaning any fan with a broadband connection can access it.