NASCAR AND COMCAST REACH 10-YEAR SERIES ENTITLEMENT AGREEMENT; MATCHES LONGEST SINGLE SERIES TITLE SPONSORSHIP PACT
IN THE SPORT’S HISTORY
Comcast’s XFINITY Brand to Become
Only Third Title Sponsor of the Series ‘Where Names Are Made’
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. and PHILADELPHIA (SEPTEMBER 3, 2014) — NASCAR and
Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK)
announced today a historic agreement that will make Comcast’s XFINITY
brand
the title sponsor of what is now known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series
through 2024. The 10-year term matches the longest single agreement
around title sponsorship of any NASCAR national series in history, and
is the longest entitlement sponsorship agreement
in this series’ history.
Beginning
January 1, 2015, the property will be known as the NASCAR XFINITY
Series. XFINITY will become only the third title sponsor in series
history
following Anheuser-Busch (26 years) and Nationwide Insurance (seven
years). The agreement also makes XFINITY an Official NASCAR Partner in
the multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) and broadband ISP
categories.
The
announcement was made during an event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame –
where the sport’s history is celebrated every day – and was the first
series
entitlement sponsorship ever announced at the venue.
XFINITY
is Comcast’s residential
service brand and is the nation’s largest video and high-speed Internet
provider. The company has increased Internet speeds for existing
customers
13 times in 12 years
and recently introduced XFINITY on the X1 Entertainment
Operating System. The company also offers
XFINITY On Demand,
the most robust video on demand platform in the world. Comcast serves
business and residential customers in 39 states and Washington, D.C.
“We’re
proud to welcome XFINITY to the NASCAR community as title sponsor of
the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the next decade,” said Brian France,
NASCAR
Chairman & CEO. “NASCAR and XFINITY are each leader brands with
much in common. Both are focused on innovation and have products built
for speed. Together, we will work to take this series to new heights and
elevate one of the most unique and powerful partnerships
in all of sports.”
What
will soon be known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series is the property where
names are made and is like nothing else in major pro sports. It features
the most talented young drivers regularly competing side-by-side
against NASCAR’s biggest and brightest stars.
“Technology
lives at the heart of NASCAR, just as it does for XFINITY,” said Dave
Watson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for
Comcast Cable. “NASCAR provides an exciting environment in which to
showcase our video and Internet products and we look forward to further
enhancing the fan experience at home, at the track and on the go for
years to come.”
The
series also has a large, highly engaged and technology-connected
television audience. It races in some of the nation’s largest markets –
from
Chicago to Los Angeles to Miami – and at the sport’s biggest and most
iconic tracks – from Daytona International Speedway, Charlotte Motor
Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, to Talladega Superspeedway and
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
According
to NASCAR Fan Engagement Tracker 2013 (commissioned by NASCAR and
conducted by Toluna), NASCAR fans spend an average of four-and-a-half
hours each week watching NASCAR on television and an additional
two-and-a-half-hours each week following the sport on digital platforms.
XFINITY is among the premier sponsors in sports today and a robust sponsorship activation program is part of the new
agreement with NASCAR, with aggressive planning already underway.
Comcast’s involvement with NASCAR is expanding rapidly. In addition to the NASCAR XFINITY Series announced today, Comcast’s
NBC Sports unit will begin broadcasting NASCAR race events in July 2015.
After
a successful seven-year run as series entitlement sponsor, Nationwide
Insurance pivoted its marketing programs to become a NASCAR team sponsor
next season. Nationwide also is the official auto, home, life and
business insurance partner of NASCAR.
The
NASCAR Nationwide Series will make its return to Richmond International
Raceway for the Virginia529 College Savings 250 on September 5,
and will be aired on ESPN2. The first race of the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY
Series season, and of the new partnership, will be during Daytona
Speedweeks on February 21, 2015, at the famed Daytona International
Speedway.
About NASCAR
The
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the
sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States.
NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,
NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four
regional series, one local grassroots series and three international
series. The International Motor Sports Association
(IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier
U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in
eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200
races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico
and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and follow NASCAR at
www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
About Comcast Cable
Comcast
Cable is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone
provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also
provides
these services to businesses. Comcast has invested in technology to
build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband
speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home
management offerings. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:
CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com
for more information.
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