After The CW secured a multiyear deal as the exclusive broadcaster for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, reports surfaced about the possibility of remote broadcasts for some races. This speculation has now become a reality, with Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern announcing that The CW will provide remote coverage of Saturday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander, along with analysts Jamie McMurray and Parker Kligerman, will call the Hard Rock Bet 300 from NASCAR’s cutting-edge broadcast facility near Charlotte, while The CW’s pit reporters will be on-site at the track. NASCAR Productions is responsible for producing the Xfinity races for The CW and its parent company, Nexstar Media Group. According to Stern, the production facility boasts a 57-foot-long, 14-foot-high stage with a 23-million-pixel wall, making its debut this weekend.
Brad Schwartz, The CW’s President of Entertainment, expressed to SBJ that the studio and its advanced technology signify progress in The CW’s commitment to enhance the NASCAR Xfinity Series experience for teams and fans alike. “This new stage and technology will allow us to bring the fans into a fully immersive racing environment,” he noted.
Despite the exciting technology, some viewers remain skeptical about remote coverage. Following Stern’s initial report last year, many fans, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.—who handles NASCAR Cup broadcasts for Amazon and TNT—voiced their disapproval, expressing their hope against the idea of remote broadcasts. This season, The CW has already broadcast the first five races with announcers present at the location, and it has been stated that only “a handful of races” will utilize remote production.
Regardless of opinions, remote broadcasts are increasingly becoming the norm. ESPN and TNT faced scrutiny for employing remote production and announcers during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while other sports such as MLB and college basketball have also seen similar broadcast methods. Recently, Fox faced backlash for remotely broadcasting the MLB Tokyo Series.
The CW holds exclusive rights to the Xfinity Series until 2031 and has received positive reviews along with strong ratings during its first full season. The season-opening race from Daytona averaged 1.8 million viewers, marking the highest viewership for any Xfinity race since 2022 and the best for a season-opener since 2020. The subsequent race from Atlanta saw a 10% increase over 2024 and outperformed various college basketball, NHL, and PGA events on competing networks.
