Despite interest from its current and future TV partners, NASCAR has elected to keep next season’s races on ESPN and Turner Sports. In other news, Fox Sports 1 is now available in more than 90 million homes, and CNN has officially announced the launch of Rachel Nichols‘ new show.
NASCAR to Stick With ESPN, TNT, Next Season
- NASCAR announced over the weekend that it will not let ESPN and Turner Sports out of their current television contracts next season, a move that would have allowed Fox Sports and NBC Sports to launch their new broadcast packages one year early. According to Sports Business Journal, NASCAR rejected a formal proposal from ESPN, Turner, Fox and NBC that would have transferred ESPN’s Sprint Cup package to NBC and TNT’s six-race schedule to FOX and NBC — the same arrangement that is set to kick in starting in 2015. (Sports Business Journal)
Fox Sports 1 Now in Over 90 Million Homes
- Fox Sports 1 entered the month of October in 90.1 million television homes, according to Sports Business Daily — up nearly one million homes from September (89.2M), and an increase of nine million homes from last October, when the net was still Speed Channel (80.8M). FS1 is now in 8.8 million fewer homes than ESPN and 11.0 million more homes than NBC Sports Network (79.1M). (Sports Business Daily)
Nichols’ CNN Show to Finally Premiere Oct. 25
- Rachel Nichols‘ new CNN show — “Unguarded” — will premiere on October 25, the network announced Wednesday. A previous report by TV Newser indicated that the show would premiere on September 20; it was not immediately clear whether the report was inaccurate or CNN delayed the premiere. “Unguarded” will air on Friday nights at 10:30 PM ET and be simulcast on both CNN U.S. and CNN International. (CNN)
