The ink is barely dry on that $7.7billion NASCAR media rights deal, but could the future of the sport of TV already be under theat?

FOX Sports has been a mainstay of NASCAR coverage for a long time, and it’s slated to remain that way through 2031 as part of that new seven-year pact which began last year.

Once again the broadcaster will dominate the early-season slate - airing all Cup Series live through the first half of May.

But the cost of the partnership with NASCAR - and its future - could soon come under the spotlight thanks to the looming spectre of the National Football League.

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NFL TV talks could impact NASCAR

While sports like NASCAR are trying to mitigate falling TV ratings, the NFL just gets bigger and bigger and bigger.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said recently that while opt-outs in its rights deals start to become available after the 2029 season, talks with rights holders could begin as soon as this year.

In summary that means Goodell thinks the existing NFL TV deals are now undervalued because ratings are rocketing and it’s time to come back to the table. A few years early.

That could be a big issue for broadcasters like FOX - who already has its NFL dollars allocated and contracted through 2033 at an annual cost of $2.2billion.

If those deals are torn up early, and the new figure is way higher, then it will likely force a squeeze on other sports. And that is where the likes of NASCAR could be hit.

Lachlan Murdoch on FOX position

FOX CEO and Executive Chair Lachlan Murdoch admitted as much in an earnings call with analysts, explaining: “It’s [the NFL] obviously tremendous, tremendous content for us. And they’ve been a really fantastic partner.

“We have the ability to offset a portion of any kind of cost increases because we look at our sports portfolio as a whole. We would certainly consider balancing or rebalancing our portfolio as we move forward, when those opportunities become available. So we feel pretty comfortable about the sports business.”

So right now, this is not an issue for NASCAR. But it could very quickly become a major issue if and when Goodell calls on fresh negotiations with partners like FOX.

NASCAR vs the NFL is already just an unfair fight on Sundays, and pretty soon it could be a very unfair fight in the boardroom. Watch this space.

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