Prime Video Exclusively Streams NASCAR Michigan Qualifying, Bypassing Linear TV

This move highlights the ongoing shift of premium sports content from linear television to streaming platforms, a trend impacting viewership models and advertising strategies. For Amazon, securing exclusive NASCAR pre-race content strengthens Prime Video's live sports offerings and subscriber value. Industry stakeholders should monitor platform performance metrics and audience engagement to assess the long-term viability of these exclusive streaming rights deals.

The exclusive Michigan stream is part of NASCAR’s landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal that began in 2025. Per Sports Business Journal (November 2023), the deal reflects a 40% increase in average annual value over the previous contract, despite a notable shift away from linear reach. For the 2026 season, the Cup Series schedule is split between four primary partners: Fox Sports carries the first 14 races, followed by a mid-season block of five races exclusive to Prime Video, five races on Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports/Max, and a final 14-race stretch on NBC Sports.

Under this arrangement, Prime Video and TNT Sports share a 10-race mid-season window that features NASCAR’s first-ever in-season tournament. According to SportsPro (May 2024), this $1 million tournament uses three qualifying races on Prime Video to determine seeding for head-to-head eliminations on TNT. While the financial windfall for NASCAR is clear, the transition to streaming has seen mixed viewership results. Per Sports Business Journal (November 2025), the Cup Series saw 2025 average viewership drop 15% to a record low of 2.5 million as races migrated from broadcast to streaming and cable. However, early 2026 data shows some recovery; per Daily Downforce (June 2026), the 2026 Daytona 500 drew 7.489 million viewers on Fox, an 11% increase over 2025. Prime Video’s specific Cup Series races, such as the 2026 Coca-Cola 600, recorded roughly 2.65 million viewers, down 2.6% year-over-year but outperforming certain cable-only windows. This suggests that while streaming exclusives may depress absolute reach compared to broadcast, they are successfully capturing a consistent core audience during the mid-summer schedule shift.