Brad Keselowski has issued a stark warning about the future of NASCAR amid ongoing struggles in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Speaking on recent changes to the sport’s business strategies, he highlighted serious concerns about how television contracts are impacting the financial stability of race tracks and the sport’s overall appeal.
Keselowski Identifies Core Financial Flaws in NASCAR’s Structure
The 2025 season has been turbulent, and Keselowski, with experience as both a driver and team owner, singled out financial management as a key weakness. While issues like the playoff format’s credibility and broadcasting quality are often discussed, Keselowski pointed to a less talked about but crucial problem: the tracks’ inability to generate revenue independently due to the current TV rights arrangement.
In an appearance on the Stacking Pennies Podcast with Corey LaJoie, Keselowski explained that the sport’s venues rely almost entirely on income from television deals rather than their own ticket sales and on-site revenue. This dependence creates a dangerous situation for NASCAR, which risks long-term instability without diversified income sources.
The tracks aren’t able to generate revenue on their own, they’re wholly reliant on the TV money… They’re comfortable with that which is the scariest part of all.
Brad Keselowski, NASCAR driver and team owner
This reliance on television money was also highlighted by journalist Steven Taranto, who shared excerpts from Keselowski’s podcast remarks on social media, emphasizing the fragility of NASCAR’s current business model.
Declining Fan Engagement and Its Ripple Effects
The overdependence on guaranteed TV revenues means that track owners feel less pressure to market events effectively or maintain strong connections with attendees. Keselowski pointed out that as ticket sales fall, and teams receive payments in advance regardless of fan turnout, there is less incentive for teams and drivers to actively engage with their audience at the track.
As a result, Keselowski believes the sport is losing its appeal, especially since drivers are increasingly positioned as representatives of their corporate sponsors rather than approachable stars for fans. This shift diminishes the unique star power NASCAR once enjoyed and reduces the sport’s ability to grow its fan base globally.
The driver elaborated on how this financial structure creates a chain of challenges that perpetuate each other, from weakened fan relations to a diluted sport identity, which could continue indefinitely unless addressed properly.
The Challenge of Changing NASCAR’s Current TV Rights Agreement
One of the biggest obstacles in fixing NASCAR’s financial issues is the existing TV contract. Signed for $1.1 billion annually and running through 2031, the deal involves major media partners such as Fox, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon Prime, and TNT. Although it’s 40 percent larger than the previous contract—highlighting the commercial value of television rights—it also entrenches the sport’s dependence on this revenue stream.
Keselowski’s warning signifies a critical juncture for NASCAR, as the sport must find ways to reduce this overreliance on TV money and reconnect with fans at the grassroots level to ensure its long-term survival. Without decisive action to modify its business practices and reinvigorate fan enthusiasm, NASCAR risks losing ground to other motorsports like Formula 1, which has gained significant traction worldwide in recent years.
Clipped this from @keselowski 's appearance on Stacking Pennies because I thought it was interesting: He says the biggest problem with NASCAR currently is the business model with the tracks, which are wholly reliant on TV money because they can't generate enough revenue on their… pic.twitter.com/itQS1Xx848
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) September 25, 2025
