If there’s one thing that best describes NBC Sports’ 2024 in motorsports, it is change; not a whole lot in motorsports is the same now for NBC Sports as compared to 2023.
Those changes started before the season even began. In the first regular episode of The Dale Jr. Download for 2024 in February, Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that his deal with NBC expired at the end of 2023, making him a free agent. At the time, he wanted to remain at NBC Sports and had had conversations in order to do that. At the same time, he’d had discussions with other media partners.
The situation was more than just where Earnhardt might be in the booth. Remember that he has his own production company, Hammerhead Entertainment. The Dale Jr. Download had episodes on Peacock, in addition to the two seasons of Lost Speedways. Those shows on the streaming service technically hung in the balance as well.
As you know by now, Earnhardt was unable to come to a deal to stay with NBC for 2024. Instead, he signed a deal to join both Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery for 2025. As a result, he spent the year out of the booth.
As of this writing, The Dale Jr. Download episodes are no longer available for viewing on Peacock. Lost Speedways, which is billed as a Peacock original, is still available.
Earnhardt’s departure resulted in NBC returning to a three-man booth of Rick Allen, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte, which it used from 2015-2017 before Earnhardt retired. It seemed like that was going to be it for the changes.
Not so. Last year, NASCAR signed a deal with Nexstar Media Group that will result in the full NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule to air live on The CW starting in 2025.
With NBC being a lame duck with the Xfinity Series, there were discussions about it joining forces with The CW to allow it to get a head start on its relationship with the Xfinity Series. At the same time, NBC lost rights to the NTT IndyCar Series starting in 2025 to FOX Sports.
A plan was instituted to shake up its on-air personalities knowing that some of those involved with the IndyCar broadcasts would be leaving the company at the end of the year. After months of rumors, NBC announced a new plan for its broadcast booth in August.
Leigh Diffey, who had previously served as NBC Sports’ play-by-play commentator for the IndyCar Series in addition to his work on Olympic broadcasts, would move to NASCAR starting with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International…
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