Espn & Nascar

Why isn’t ESPN allowed inside tracks hosting NASCAR events? Their highlights consist of still photographs, and driver interviews are conducted in the parking lot. I seem to recall that it had something to do with FOX Sports (I could be mistaken), but even when NBC/TNT have the broadcasts, ESPN is locked out.

Actually, rpm2night isn’t allowed inside the track. It all goes back to the beginning of the Fox/NBC TV deal. ESPN, as they had done for years, asked NASCAR for permission to use the media center at Daytona for the show, as well as the typical highlights packages/interview rights. However, FOX got in NASCAR’s ear about it, and NASCAR came up with a weak reason to bar them from shooting inside the track.

NASCAR’s excuse was that “magazine” type shows couldn’t use highlights or interviews, as that would violate the agreement they had with FOX for “Totally NASCAR.” ESPN argued that rpm2night was a news program, but NASCAR had their hands tied by FOX. Plus, FOX didn’t want ESPN making their production skills look bad. (NBC actually had/has more to worry about.)

Just another example of how NASCAR has become beholden to its partners (witness the AT&T sponsorship flak that Nextel has caused.)