F1 on Apple TV, IndyCar on Fox, NASCAR Everywhere: The Real Cost for Fans

Motorsports TV rights are more fragmented than ever — and fans are paying the price. This episode of Speed Chronicles breaks down how Formula 1, IndyCar, and NASCAR are navigating the streaming vs. network TV debate, and what it means for the audiences trying to keep up. The motorsports broadcast landscape has never been more complicated. Todd walks through the strategic choices each major series has made with their TV and streaming rights deals — and the tradeoffs that come with each approach. Formula 1's move to Apple TV in the United States brought in massive rights fees but put the sport behind a paywall, limiting the casual discovery that linear TV allows. IndyCar took the opposite approach, landing every race on Fox Network to prioritize eyeballs over dollars — and it's working, with viewership averaging around 1.2 million per race. NASCAR sits somewhere in between, splitting coverage across networks, cable, and streaming, a strategy that likely contributed to a roughly 15% drop in Cup Series ratings last year. Todd also digs into the scheduling chess match that every series faces — competing not just against each other, but against college basketball, NFL events, and every other sport fighting for the same prime time windows. The conversation closes with a look at shoulder programming and the ongoing search for the next "Drive to Survive" moment, including a reported NASCAR drama series with Dennis Quaid attached. 👉 If you follow motorsports and have thoughts on where races should be broadcast, drop them in the comments. Like and subscribe to catch Speed Chronicles every Wednesday on Rev TV's YouTube channel and your favorite podcast platform. motorsports TV rights, Formula 1 Apple TV, IndyCar Fox Network, NASCAR streaming, motorsports broadcast deals, racing TV coverage 2025, Drive to Survive, RevTV podcast, Speed Chronicles, NASCAR ratings, cord cutting motorsports