NASCAR to Sponsor University of Alabama Sports

This is the first time NASCAR has sponsored a collegiate athletic department.

The University of Alabama has a new sponsor, and its one of the fastest growing professional sports leagues in the country.

NASCASR has agreed to a partnership with Alabama Crimson Tide Athletics. The partnership is the first time NASCAR has sponsored a collegiate athletic program, and it was first announced via social media by the Crimson Tide Sports Network, but details of the partnership were not shared.

According to the Sports Business Journal, who broke the details, the deal is for one year, until summer 2023, and it includes radio spots, advertising in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, a “NASCAR Drive of the Game” videoboard feature at Coleman Coliseum for basketball games, and “NASCAR Drive Summary” videoboard features at all seven home football games.

The deal also grants NASCAR rights to use Alabama's IP, in-venue and experiential activation opportunities, social and digital media integration,first-party data that the racing body will use to try to drive ticket sales, and access to first-party data across Learfield’s Fan365 platform.

NASCAR plans to further promote the brand by including a sweepstakes and a title sponsorship of the Alabama sports network’s weekly Facebook show.

NASCAR has a fairly strong presence in the South, and this is a part of its effort to grow the sport, particularly among younger demographics. The potential for growth is evident as the state of Alabama does not have a major sports team, and one of the most well-known tracks in the racing circuit, the Talladega Superspeedway, is only two hours away from Tuscaloosa.