The Daytona 500 has been a sacrosanct tradition for decades, opening the NASCAR season with an electrifying display of speed, talent, and spectacle. But now, with the NFL floating the possibility of moving the Super Bowl to Presidents Day weekend, NASCAR is in a bit of a pickle.
Will “The Great American Race” have to change its schedule to avoid a conflict with the nation’s largest sporting event? Not if NASCAR has anything to say about it. “We’re keeping tabs on it, for sure,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior vice president of racing development and strategy. “(And) having a lot of conversations with our partners, have a couple of conversations with the NFL as well.”
Keeping Daytona Where It Belongs
The stakes are higher than ever. This year’s Super Bowl 59 broke viewership records, attracting an unbelievable 127.7 million combined TV and streaming audience. In the meantime, the Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s highest-rated race, but even at its peak in the previous decade (13.3 million viewers in 2015), it can’t compare to the NFL’s figures. Despite all this, NASCAR won’t be bullied into submission.
The Daytona 500 has sold out for ten years running, and this year will see no exception. The race has a record-breaking $30 million purse, demonstrating that the prestige and popularity of the event haven’t diminished. But with the NFL considering schedule expansions, the potential for a direct Super Bowl-Daytona 500 conflict presents a major issue. Kennedy and NASCAR officials have already had strategic conversations regarding possible scheduling options. “We’ve discussed: do you go the weekend before? Do we stick with it the weekend after?” Kennedy said. “I think we tend to gravitate toward the latter of trying to come off the Super Bowl and go to the Daytona 500.”
This strategy holds water. NASCAR has long taken Super Bowl weekend as a breather before redirecting all attention toward its premier event. The strategy provides supporters with a smooth transition from one giant sporting extravaganza to another, and momentum remains at a high. But if the Super Bowl does relocate, does NASCAR relocate alongside it?
In spite of the huge viewership deficit, NASCAR is not about to back down. Rather, they are remaining proactive, closely collaborating with broadcast partners such as FOX, Amazon, and TNT to position the sport in the best possible way. Kennedy stressed that long-term planning is essential, not only for the Daytona 500 but for the overall NASCAR season. “We have to be mindful of that as well,” he noted. “We’ll stay close to them because it has an impact on this date.”
DAYTONA, FL – FEBRUARY 19: Ricky Stenhouse Jr 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Kroger/Cottonelle Chevrolet and Kyle Larson 5 Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com Chevrolet lead the field during the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 19, 2023 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 19 NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500 Icon2302192165500
Despite potential schedule challenges, NASCAR remains committed to growing its global audience. This year’s Daytona 500 broadcast will reach 190 countries in 26 languages, proving that the sport’s appeal extends far beyond U.S. borders. As the NFL grows, NASCAR’s intransigence is a testament to its own tradition and fanbase.
The Daytona 500 is not merely a race; it’s a pillar of motorsport history, and NASCAR is sending a message: It won’t yield to the Super Bowl, regardless of how large the NFL becomes.
FOX’s Record Daytona 500 Ad sales give NASCAR a strong hand in NFL scheduling battle
The Daytona 500 is not merely a race—it’s a spectacle that embodies American motorsports. While NASCAR has wrestled with sagging TV viewing, there’s one place it’s showing itself to be stronger than ever: advertising sales.
FOX Sports has already sold out its ad inventory for the 2025 Daytona 500 earlier than ever, with all of its slots booked by December—a definite indication that big brands still perceive tremendous value in the event. With 30-second commercials priced at a premium of $500,000, the network has taken advantage of robust advertiser demand, partly driven by the buzz surrounding Super Bowl LIV.
Brian Herbst, NASCAR’s EVP and chief media & revenue officer, emphasized that the sport has “commercial momentum in its favor”, with brands eager to align with the Daytona 500’s prestige. Big-name advertisers like Chipotle, Airbnb, Meta, Toyota, Chevy, and Chili’s are all on board, with Toyota rolling out a special “Big 3” campaign featuring Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI, and Legacy Motor Club.
To generate maximum revenue, FOX has increased its usage of double-box commercials three-fold, all while keeping commercials on the air without detracting from on-track fan attendance. This innovation pleased sponsors and maintained the fan experience—something NASCAR will have to have as it copes with possible scheduling conflicts over the NFL’s proposed Presidents Day weekend move of the Super Bowl.
With record ad revenue providing NASCAR with more negotiating power, the league now has leverage to stand firm. The Daytona 500 is doing just fine financially, and if anything, it’s the NFL that should be afraid of treading on NASCAR’s Crown Jewel event.
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