TNT and NASCAR Extend On-Air Relationship Through 2014
December 07, 2005
Turner Sports announced today a new long-term agreement with NASCAR to air six consecutive races per year on Turner Network Television (TNT) through the 2014 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season. Turner, which has been a NASCAR broadcaster since 1984, will enjoy scheduling continuity for the first in what will be a 31-year partnership with NASCAR by contract conclusion. TNT�s new deal begins in 2007 with the June NEXTEL Cup race at Pocono and includes races at Michigan, California, the marquee July 4th primetime race from Daytona, Chicago and New Hampshire. The deal also includes unique new media distribution opportunities for TNT to distribute its race telecast highlights across the Time Warner family of properties.
�Extending our 20-plus year partnership with NASCAR has been a priority for our company for a long time, and we�re looking forward to airing NEXTEL Cup races on TNT well into the next decade,� said David Levy, President of Turner Sports. �Our expertise in marketing, promotion and production combined with our new schedule will provide benefits to viewers, cable operators and to the entire sport of NASCAR.�
�Knowing that NASCAR�s relationship continues with Turner well into the next decade is good for the sport and for our fans who have come to rely on TNT�s coverage of NASCAR,� said NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France.
TNT, as part of its joint venture with partner NBC, will once again air the entire second-half of NASCAR�s NEXTEL Cup Series and Busch Series seasons in 2006. That agreement includes the sharing of all talent and production costs. Beginning in 2007, Turner Sports will use its own independent production and talent teams to call the six-race package.
Turner Sports, Inc. presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing on three networks - TBS, TNT and Turner South - Turner Sports� line-up includes the NBA, NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, Major League Baseball, Atlanta Thrashers hockey, Atlanta Hawks basketball, college football, professional golf and PGA.com.
Turner Network Television (TNT), television�s destination for drama and one of cable�s top-rated networks, offers original movies and limited series, including Into the West, an epic six-week television event from DreamWorks Television and master storyteller and executive producer Steven Spielberg; original recurring series, including the detective drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick, and the crime thriller Wanted, with Gary Cole; powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER, NYPD Blue, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel; broadcast premiere movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.
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