Idle Notes: 2017 NASCAR Schedule, Opening Ceremony, NBA on Christmas

Some high-profile NASCAR races are moving back to broadcast television. In other news, NBC wants the United States to appear later in next week’s Olympic Opening Ceremony, and the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule will remain the same as usual despite NFL competition.

Brickyard Among NASCAR Races Moving Back to Broadcast TV

NASCAR’s television schedule will take on a different look next year, with some marquee races returning to broadcast TV and several moving to a later timeslot. Next season’s Brickyard 400 will air on NBC, the first time it has been televised over-the-air since 2006. NBC will also carry the Bristol night race and Talladega in the Chase For the Cup, which will air on broadcast for the first time since 2014 and 2009, respectively. In addition to those changes, 17 races will have a later timeslot — including the Daytona 500, which will move to 2 PM ET. Just two races will begin at 1 PM. (NASCAR.com, USA Today)

NBC Lobbies IOC to Place USA to Later in Parade of Nations

NBC Sports has lobbied the International Olympic Committee to introduce the United States delegation later in the Parade of Nations during the Olympic Opening Ceremony, The New York Times reported Wednesday. The parade takes place in alphabetical order and “United States” translates into “Estados Unidos” in Portuguese, the language of host nation Brazil. According to the Times, NBC did not ask the IOC to change the language of the ceremony from Portugese to English, a claim reported in several other outlets but denied by NBC.

No Changes to NBA Christmas Schedule Despite NFL Competition

Despite the NFL scheduling a rare Christmas Day doubleheader, ESPN and ABC will not deviate from their usual five-game NBA lineup on the holiday. ABC will again present a doubleheader at 2:30 and 5 PM ET, competing directly against the Steelers/Ravens game on NFL Network (4:30 PM ET). The NBA has in the past adjusted its Christmas schedule to accommodate the NFL and did not schedule games later than 3 PM from 2004-06 — the last times the NFL aired two games on the holiday. (ESPN)

Big Names: Craig Sager, Rachel Nichols, Olympic Reporters

Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

NBC plans to air NBA Playoffs following Derby, Preakness

by Jon Lewis

4 months ago

As one would reasonably expect, NBC Sports will use its Triple Crown horse races as lead-ins for NBA playoff...

3DTDBTD Milan, Italy. 21st Feb, 2026. General view Figure Skating : Gala Exhibition during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy . Credit: Koji Aoki/AFLO SPORT/Alamy Live News

NBC’s Paris playbook lifts Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics past Beijing lows

by Jon Lewis

5 months ago

Viewership the Milan-Cortina Winter Games rebounded from the lows of the COVID era, thanks in part to compelling U.S....

3DTJNE5 Milan, Italy. 22nd Feb, 2026. Goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck of the United States saves the puck during the ice hockey men's gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 22, 2026. Credit: Tao Xiyi/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

Olympic men’s hockey gold medal game delivers for NBC

by Jon Lewis

5 months ago

A memorable finish to the Olympic hockey tournament delivered a milestone audience for NBC.

KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 30: CBS Sports analyst Nate Burleson before the AFC Championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan 30, 2022 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)

On the Air: How Nate Burleson became the face of the new studio host

by Armand Broady

5 months ago

On the latest edition of "On the Air," Armand Broady examines how Nate Burleson represents the new, more unbuttoned...

Comments 5

Proxio says:

10 years ago

NBC was smart to have the United States introduced later in the Parade of Nations so that they can maximize the ratings. Does anybody know if the Opening Ceremonies are live this year? I know this year a lot of the primetime coverage will be live this year since Rio is in a good timezone with the States.

As for the NBA you don’t go against the NFL even if the game is on NFL Network that’s a Steelers game too. The NFL Network games tend to do very well when they aren’t simulcast on a broadcast network. The only glimmer of hope for the league is that the Ravens aren’t a playoff team like a lot of people are predicting them to be this season or even the Steelers.

I like some of the other guys suggestions of changing the timeslots for the NBA games this year. I would do the Warriors vs. Cavs game in Cleveland this year and air it at 2:30pm and use 5pm for Knicks vs. Bulls and make sure the Bulls and Knicks don’t meet before this game. Make this game in Chicago with Derrick Rose going back to Chicago as well.

I like the other idea for doing LA Lakers @ Boston in the first game at noon but the only problem with that is it doesn’t benefit the west coast to wake up that early since it’ll be a 9am tip time in Los Angeles.

Who cares about primetime this year since NBC has a primetime NFL game this year who will kill the NBA games.
Dale says:

10 years ago

The NBA should have the Finals re-match at 2:30 and then put on Bulls Knicks at 5 this gives you the assurance of the highest ratings for Cleveland/Golden State and a strong game with big markets to go against the NFL. The early game should be Boston hosting the Lakers a noon tip in Boston with the early West cost audience this would rate well. the prime time games should be S.A. hosting OKC this game will get killed who ever plays in it because it will go head to head with NFL on NBC. Then the late game should be LA C. and Portland this is a good west coast game that will rate well even as a late night game,
NextBigThing says:

10 years ago

Bad move by NBA. Will get crushed by NFL.
- Paulsen says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  I very strongly doubt. We’re talking about NFL Network. If NFL beats NBA — and unless Ravens and Steelers in contention, I don’t think it will — the margin will be narrow.
Nate Johnson says:

10 years ago

The two NBA games on ABC could be measuring stick of where the NBA stacks up against a heated division rivalry during the part of the year where both teams could be playing for the AFC North Division title or Playoff position. The NBA will have a 2 hour head-start and their game on ABC where more people have that station than NFLN while the NFL would have the kick/tip-off time advantage assuming they make the Finals re-match occur at 5 eastern. Again that will be the measuring stick for the NBA. The huge question however is that other than the Finals re-match, who does the NBA schedule at 2:30 Eastern in hope of a lead-in? The tough part for the NBA is that next season it’s Cavs and Warriors with the Spurs a distance 3rd of winning the Finals. The rest of the field can only hope of the two top teams suffers an injury or something bad to happens to those teams for them to have a chance which makes the regular season dull because of the lack of storylines and competitive match-ups. So that Finals re-match has me to believed that’s the only match-up that would be glamoured enough to compete vs. Steelers/Ravens, but I don’t know about any other game. Two final points: 1.) hopefully the NBA will prepare as if the NFL game will be an Important one from both teams or else they’ll be embarrassed like they should be already for scheduling a 5 Eastern game against the NFL 2.) I believe that ESPN will hype up Warriors/Cavs Christmas game as much as possible which is good for the NBA, but it will be tough to ignore Steelers/Ravens to football first fans especially if so much on the line. Im looking forward to seeing how this unfolds