The Daytona 500 stands as NASCAR’s premier race while being the schedule’s flagship attraction, which usually occurs during President’s Day weekend, thus opening the Cup Series season with energetic celebrations.
The NFL‘s continued expansion threatens to end many years of established tradition associated with the Daytona 500. A move to an 18-game NFL regular season would reschedule the Super Bowl to occupy the same date as the Daytona 500.
NASCAR recognizes that the Super Bowl commands the distinction of being the United States’ most watched sporting event, which would result in tremendous effects on viewership numbers as well as sponsorship opportunities and broadcasting exposure.
The Daytona 500 Faces Scheduling Dilemma
NASCAR senior vice president Ben Kennedy has demonstrated his focus on resolving potential scheduling conflicts. Emphasizing his role as scheduling decision-maker, Kennedy makes it clear that officials remain vigilant about the situation by engaging in ongoing discussions between broadcasting partners and the NFL for potential solutions.
“Keeping tabs on it, for sure,” Kennedy told The Athletic. “Having a lot of conversations with our partners. Had a couple conversations with the NFL as well. Long-term, it is something we’re mindful of because we don’t want to go up against the Super Bowl.”
NASCAR’s Options if Super Bowl Moves
If the Super Bowl does shift to President’s Day weekend, NASCAR would have two primary options:
- Move the Daytona 500 up by a week
- Push it back a week after the Super Bowl
However, both options create logistical challenges.
Kennedy noted that NASCAR prefers moving the race to the week after rather than before. The current setup works well for Fox Sports, which transitions from the Super Bowl broadcast into Daytona 500 coverage, ensuring massive viewership. But shifting the race back even one week impacts the entire Cup Series schedule.
The Ripple Effect on NASCAR’s Calendar
Moving the Daytona 500 would disrupt the traditional race calendar, affecting:
- The Fox Sports portion of the season, which currently runs from President’s Day to Memorial Day
- The start of the NASCAR playoffs, which NASCAR strategically schedules around major sports events
- The annual Coca-Cola 600 airs on Memorial Day weekend so that it falls within the Amazon Prime network broadcasts
A potential solution to accommodate this change involves removing NASCAR’s sole off week to maintain a continuous racing schedule throughout the entire season. Running such a schedule poses organizational challenges for the teams along with performance difficulties for the drivers.
The NASCAR organization explicitly shows no intention to compete against the Super Bowl. The Daytona 500 serves as NASCAR’s signature event but running during the Super Bowl would cause extensive declines in television viewership along with decreased event attendance.
NASCAR continues negotiations with partners along with the NFL while showing signs that Daytona 500 changes will be necessary if the Super Bowl schedule alters.
Kennedy and his team will continue weighing options, but for now, the future of NASCAR’s biggest race is in the hands of the NFL.
