On Monday afternoon, IMSA and NBC Sports Group announced a six-year television partnership beginning in 2019.
The alliance – which makes NBC the broadcast home for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, what is known currently as the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, and the IMSA Prototype Challenge Presented by Mazda through 2024 – has been well-received by many throughout the racing industry.
The move also brings IMSA together with NASCAR and IndyCar under the same television programming banner with NBC Sports, the home of motorsports in the United States, and adds to IMSA’s unprecedented growth in recent years, as the sanctioning body prepares for its 50th Anniversary in 2019.
“IMSA, IndyCar and NASCAR will soon be under one broadcast roof. Of the three, I can’t wait to see how NBC Sports’ passion for racing takes the WeatherTech Championship to a level it has always dreamed of, but never known,” said RACER journalist Marshall Pruett.
Here’s what others throughout the industry had to say about the announcement:
– @IMSA this PM will announce that @NBCSports has landed its new media-rights deal, which’ll start next year and end in ’24.
— @FoxSports is current rights holder but that’ll end after ’18.
— @NBC‘s broadcast network will air three races.
— 2019 marks IMSA’s 50th anniversary. pic.twitter.com/FRVSvyDSZY
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) April 30, 2018
NEWS!! Another major piece in the puzzle to making @imsa_racing one of the premier racing series around the world. Congratulations and thank you to all that made it happen https://t.co/4Uw0UwoSb6 pic.twitter.com/Z8gNy8mMlF
— Ricky Taylor (@RickyTaylorRace) April 30, 2018
NBC to have almost all the motorsports next year. #IMSA gets 6-year deal with @NBCSports wich puts 3 races on the big daddy channel and more than 100 hours of IMSA coverage across its broadcast, cable, and digital platforms.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) April 30, 2018
Boom. https://t.co/y84xSjJYVx
— John Dagys (@johndagys) April 30, 2018
This is huge news! Congrats @IMSA, @NBCSports!https://t.co/dnCjeg3LG7
— Pippa Mann (@PippaMann) April 30, 2018