The biggest name in NASCAR, and one of the biggest names in sports period, is headed to NBC.
Retiring NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has reached a multi-year agreement to join NBC Sports, it was announced Monday. Sports Business Journal originally reported the news. Under the deal, which goes into effect in January, Earnhardt Jr. will serve in a yet-unspecified role on NASCAR coverage and have other roles beyond the sport.
In a press release announcing the move, NBC said Earnhardt Jr. will have “a wide range of opportunities” within NBC Universal, including television and movies. He is also likely to appear on other NBC Sports programming, as is the custom for NBC Sports analysts — from Eddie Olczyk on horse racing to Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir on any and all events.
Earnhardt Jr., by far the best known and most popular driver in NASCAR, had also been in talks with Fox Sports. Fox won the Jeff Gordon sweepstakes two years ago, but it should be no surprise that NBC came out ahead this time. Earnhardt Jr. worked a pair of races for the network while recovering from injury last year, and his former crew chief Steve Letarte is one of the network’s analysts.
[Mon. news from NBC Sports PR 7.24, Sports Business Daily 7.24]
