The IMG agency has struck a 10-year deal, from 2015 to 2024, to develop North American stock car-racing series Nascar’s international media business.
As the series’ international media representative, IMG will advise Nascar on establishing a “sustainable global commercial media distribution strategy.”
IMG will replace international sports broadcaster ESPN in the role.
The agency will be responsible for increasing the series’ audience footprint and media revenues outside the Americas.
Nascar said that IMG would target Southeast Asia, China and Eastern Europe as well as traditional motorsport markets such as Western Europe and Australia.
All of Nascar’s current international media rights deals will expire at the end of the 2014 season. Any new deals agreed from the 2015 campaign would coincide with the beginning of domestic rights deals in North America, with US networks Fox and NBC having already secured long-term deals due to start next year.
Nascar races are currently shown in more than 175 countries via over 20 broadcaster partners worldwide.