NBC to nix full-screen commercials under green for 3 Cup races
STAMFORD, Conn. — NBC Sports is nixing full-screen commercials under green and will show every green-flag lap live in three Cup Series races.
For the races on Aug. 24 at Daytona (NBC), Sept. 8 at Atlanta (USA) and Oct. 6 at Talladega (NBC), they will “only utilize side-by-side breaks during green flag action, delivering live coverage of every green flag lap.”
The move is akin to TNT Sports’ “Wide Open Coverage” in the late-2000s/early-2010s. During that time, they ran full-screen commercials during cautions and smaller ads overlaid on the racing action during green-flag runs.
This led to just 17 minutes of full-screen commercials for the whole broadcast in 2007-09, 15 in 2011 and 13 in 2010, according to Caws n Jaws.
2012 featured a similar style as what NBC appears to have announced. There were 25 minutes of split-screen commercials and 13 minutes of full-screen commercials.
NBC Sports will also bring its radio-style broadcast back to Watkins Glen next month.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com