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IMSA Will Be Broadcast on NBC Sports From 2019

Photo credit: Brian Cleary - Getty Images
Photo credit: Brian Cleary - Getty Images

From Road & Track

NBC might have lost F1 broadcasting last year, but soon, there will be no lack of motorsports on its networks. IMSA announced today that it inked an exclusive six-year broadcasting deal with NBC Sports starting 2019. That means NBC and NBC Sports will be the only TV home for the IMSA WeatherTech Series, Michelin Tire SportsCar Challenge, and Mazda Prototype Challenge.

IMSA will join IndyCar at NBC Sports next year, which announced its own exclusive deal with the network last month. Currently, Fox Sports is the TV home for IMSA in the US, while IndyCar splits its time between ABC and NBC Sports.

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An NBC Sports press release confirmed that it would show three IMSA WeatherTech races on the NBC network next year, and over 45 hours of racing will be broadcast on the NBC Sports channel. Over at Racer, Marshall Pruett reports that three hours a piece of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans would likely be shown on the big network. Additionally, NBC Sports will also host flag-to-flag coverage of all IMSA WeatherTech races on its app and website for cable subscribers.

Pruett argues this is a good move for IMSA, as ratings on Fox Sports have decreased since the Speed channel became Fox Sports 1 in 2013. Large chunks of big IMSA WeatherTech races were broadcast on the little-available Fox Sports 2 or just online. NBC seems more committed to motorsports than Fox, and that bodes well for IMSA TV ratings.

We'll know for sure how things shake out, when NBC takes up the sports-car TV mantle next year.

via Sportscar365

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