With NASCAR’s ongoing efforts to modernize and expand its reach, one of the most talked-about developments this season was the debut of Amazon Prime’s NASCAR broadcast. This entry marks a significant shift for the series. As part of a five-race streaming stretch, starting from Charlotte and to Pocono, Prime Video is a part of a staggering $7.7 billion deal with the series.
Prime Video is also the first streaming-only broadcast partner for Cup Series racing, just like its partnership with the NFL when it bought the rights to the Thursday Night Football package in 2022. They had all the right ingredients, with a star-studded talent led by Dale Earnhardt Jr, Steve Letarte and Adam Alexander in the booth. Not to forget the pre and post-race shows that provided in-depth analysis of the race along with driver interviews. The Coca-Cola 600 on Prime Video was a breath of fresh air, but there’s a big concern that is not being discussed, according to Denny Hamlin.
A lot of traditional fans who only relied on a linear TV connection didn’t have to worry about switching to different media partners back when FOX made its entry into NASCAR in 2001. And the issue that Hamlin highlights stretches far beyond the extra buck that fans will need to shell out for just a five-race stretch.
Is NASCAR overlooking its core fans in the search for new viewers?
The Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the first race that Prime Video covered live for NASCAR, and the reactions had been highly optimistic, but with one central concern. “I mean my mom’s the biggest race fan ever, but I don’t know that she has it or would figure out without my help, right?” said Denny. “That’s the thing, without my help, her understanding how to go get Prime is probably the barrier,” Hamlin said on the Actions Detrimental Podcast.
While the platform offered a high-definition stream and interactive features, including very few ad interruptions, which allowed for a more immersive experience, the problem may have been evident to those who did not have access to the Amazon Prime subscription. Especially those who might’ve heard about Prime for the very first time. Getting a Prime membership and navigating through the application to watch a NASCAR race can be burdensome for the old timers. And that is the point Hamlin was trying to make, while acknowledging the positives from their first NASCAR event.
“I did get to watch the post-race show, I thought that was fantastic,” said Hamlin, talking to his co-host Jared Allen. “Their on-air talent is super smart, with their analysis, they hired all the right people. So, Adam Alexander is a great play-by-play guy, I mean, you got Dale and Steve Letarte. They talk about Steve Letarte and how much he talks, but he’s just elite at what he does. So, I’m excited to go back and see how they presented the race,”. And the long green flag runs with side-by-side coverage was just like a cherry on top of the cake. This was a huge step up from the painful FOX broadcast that fans endured.
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 01: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, looks on after the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 01, 2024 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Given that Prime Video is invested in NASCAR for the long haul, they might make it more seamless for the fans to navigate the app or the services. Remember, it’s not just the race coverage, they have multiple projects lined up in the form of docuseries. The two episodes of the “Earnhardt” docuseries are already out, and the reaction so far has been great; even Dale Jr. was surprised to witness and learn about the untold stories. While the fan will take some time to adapt to the new change, it looks like the talent in the booth is playing their roles in making fans feel more accustomed to the new viewing experience.
Danielle Trotta shares tips and tricks to navigate through the Prime Video app
While veterans like Dale Jr. become the face of Amazon Prime for the next few races, his generation is still catching up with the latest updates on the shift from traditional FOX Broadcasting to Prime, and for them, Danielle Trotta has been a savior. After receiving many questions regarding re-watching the Coca-Cola 600 highlights that are exclusively available to the subscribed members of Amazon Prime, Danielle Trotta, the host for pre- and post-race interviews for Prime, posted a tweet on X helping people search for the video on the app.
“ICYMI Getting asked about re-watching our Prime post race show from last night. If you click on Charlotte broadcast you’ll see this page… from there u can click on any part of the broadcast u wanna see….pre race & post race and obviously the race itself. @SportsonPrim #NASCAR,” wrote Danielle, along with a screenshot to describe the exact location of the highlight video.
For the fans who missed out on the race or were in the grandstands, this is a great addition. They can re-watch the entire race, get to know about the pre-race show, and even catch the in-depth analysis post-race. All of this can be done on a portable device or a TV screen, there are multiple options to enjoy Prime on NASCAR.
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