NBC Sports Remains Home of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Other IMSA-Sanctioned Series With Multi-Year Extension
Nearly 50% Increase of Coverage on the NBC Broadcast Network
NBC Sports’ IMSA Viewership Has Grown 37% Since Acquiring Rights Prior to 2019 Season
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., and STAMFORD, Conn. – June 21, 2024 – The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and NBC Sports have agreed to a multi-year extension of their media rights agreement, keeping NBC Sports as the home of the flagship IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and other IMSA-sanctioned series.
As part of the agreement, NBC Sports will present 17 hours of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship coverage on the NBC broadcast network annually, nearly a 50% increase of broadcast network coverage per year from the prior agreement. Additionally, all WeatherTech Championship coverage will stream live on Peacock.
NBC Sports’ IMSA viewership has grown 37% in the past five years since acquiring media rights prior to the 2019 season. 2023 was NBC Sports’ most-watched season to-date (since 2019), delivering a 13% year-over-year viewership increase for its coverage on NBC and USA Network. Additionally, this year’s IMSA coverage on Peacock has seen roughly a 60% increase in total minutes streamed to-date vs. last year.
“Our partnership with NBC Sports has produced viewership increases for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship every year from our first year in 2019 through last season,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “We also have managed to deliver impressive audience growth on Peacock, which is an especially valuable platform for delivering live, flag-to-flag coverage of endurance races to our domestic race fans. We are thrilled to confirm not only an extension of our relationship with NBC Sports, but nearly a 50 percent increase in the number of hours on the NBC broadcast network beginning next year.”
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with IMSA as the home of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and its support series,” said Justin Byczek, SVP, Programming and Rights Management, NBC Sports. “From the Rolex 24 At Daytona to Petit Le Mans, fans will be able to enjoy every moment of IMSA’s high-quality, competitive racing across NBC Sports’ linear and digital platforms for years to come.”
NBC Sports’ 2024 IMSA coverage continues this weekend with the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen on USA Network and Peacock.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION (IMSA)
International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) was originally founded in 1969 and owns a long and rich history in sports car racing. Today, IMSA is the sanctioning body of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America. IMSA also sanctions the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, as well as five one-make series: Ferrari Challenge North America, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, Mustang Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup North America. IMSA – a company within the NASCAR family – is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected WeatherTech Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. For more information please visit IMSA.com or IMSA’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS
NBC Sports connects people to the moments that matter most and serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports presents premier content across linear platforms NBC, USA Network, GOLF Channel, as well numerous digital sites, including Peacock. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, Big Ten Conference, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, Notre Dame, The R&A, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, Tour de France, and many more. It also consists of NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology within its three groups: Youth & Recreational Sports, Golf, and Betting & Gaming.
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