Recent financial reports show how NASCAR tracks generate revenue and how much
Dover Motorsports Inc is a publicly traded company, the only company owning NASCAR tracks on Wall Street. They release quarterly reports details expenses and revenue. These reports allow a deeper look into the financials of the sport.
Back in 2019, Speedway Motorsports Inc left Wall Street and went private. Also in 2019, NASCAR purchased International Speedway corporation, bringing their portfolio of track under the family-owned NASCAR banner.
Dover Motorsports Inc hosted events at Dover International Speedway and Nashville Superspeeday in 2021.
How do NASCAR tracks make money?
NASCAR Attendance Revenue
The company has reported $5,786,000 in attendance revenue from both tracks. During the Dover race, the track was limited to just 20,000 attendance of the 60,000 capacity. The race at Nashville, soldout.
Nashville Superspeedway
Attendance: 38,000
Dover International Speedway
Attendance: 20,000
In 2019, when the stands were at full capacity, the company brought in $5,786,000 in attendance.
How much do NASCAR tracks spend?
Additionally, the company estimated it’s 2021 expenses will be $11-11.5 million. A lot of part-time staff is required on race weekends while they work with a thinner crew for most of the year.
Most of those costs for 2021 went into the revival of Nashville Superspeedway, a track that sat dormant for 10 years ahead of this years race.
Related: NASCAR sponsorship costs? New court documents provide numbers
NASCAR TV Money
Attendance is chump change in the world of NASCAR. We’re living in a digital world.
$26,750,000 in tv revenue was generated for the tracks from the two race weekends. That’s the track’s portion of the tv revenue alone, actual television revenue is much higher.
June 20, 2021
Nashville Superspeedway
NBCSN
Viewers: 2,600,000
Ratings: 1.46
May 16, 2021
Dover International Speedway
FS1
Viewers: 2,431,000
Ratings: 1.5
NASCAR TV revenue is one of the largest incomes for the sport. The funds are split between the tracks, teams and NASCAR.
The percentages of the split are mostly unpublished. But, it’s been hinted that 10% of tv revenue goes to NASCAR itself, 60% to the track and 30% to the teams via the race purse.
Related: Humpy Wheeler talks financials of bringing a NASCAR Cup Series event to Eldora Speedway (2018)
The future…
Earlier this week, NBC hosted a conference call and discussed the tv market and future of their company. NBCSN is going away next year and that will likely change things going forward.
Next year, at least two Indycar races will be shown from behind a paywall. Peacock premium will be required to view those races, a paid version of the NBC app.
NASCAR’s tv contract expires at the end of the 2024 season. Speaking on 2025, NBC execs expect NASCAR to follow that same trend. For 2022, NASCAR races will still be shown on NBC and the USA Network.
If a paywall is introduced, it’s unclear if that helps or hurts the funding of the sport. TV subscription revenue will likely play a role in the next contract but less viewers would likely hurt the advertisement revenue and the overall value of NASCAR sponsorships as well.
Related: NASCAR races will likely move behind a paywall in the future (at least some races)
Links
Dover International Speedway | Nashville Superspeedway | ISC | SMI | NASCAR
