NBC returns to NASCAR in deal that runs through 2024

NASCAR reportedly won't renew its deal with ESPN when it expires after next season. (Photo: Andrew P. Scott, USA TODAY sports)

NASCAR apparently has finalized the other half of its next long-term TV contract with NBC and severed future broadcast ties with ESPN and Turner Sports, according to the Sports Business Daily.

The website reported Tuesday morning that NBC and Fox will share rights to the Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2015 season. The report says Sprint Cup races could air Sunday afternoons on NBC as a lead-in to Sunday Night Football, and that Fox and NBC likely would share TV rights to the Nationwide Series, which has aired on ESPN since 2007 ABC and ESPN began a NASCAR deal in place of NBC.

The new deal would return NASCAR's race broadcast landscape to a structure similar to 2001-06 when the first national TV deal in the sport's history resulted in Fox and NBC splitting the season. But it also is likely that Fox and NBC will broadcast some content on their fledgling all-sports networks Fox Sports 1 and NBC Sports Network.

NASCAR officials said they would have no comment until later this afternoon but scheduled a 3:30 p.m. conference call with the news media to discuss a "major announcement."

In a statement Tuesday, Turner Broadcasting president of sales, distribution and sports David Levy said, "Turner Sports is proud of the partnership we've built with NASCAR over the past 31 years and the role our company has played in helping to grow the sport. We think NASCAR is an attractive property but we are disciplined in our approach to negotiating sports rights and could not come up with a business model that was financially prudent for our company."

There was no immediate comment from ESPN, whose current eight-year deal with NASCAR also will conclude after 2014.

Fox Sports announced an eight-year contract extension with NASCAR last fall that runs from 2015-22. The $2.4 billion deal, which was a 36% increase over the current eight-year contract that expires next year, included the Daytona 500, 12 other Cup races, the Camping World Truck Series and practices and qualifying sessions.

NBC has been seeking additional live sports content since rebranding its NBC Sports Network last year. It has the NHL and added Formula One and English Premier League soccer this year.