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.

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 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.

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)