FOX Employee Gets Shamed in Public as ‘Whiny’ Accusations Sets Off NASCAR Fans

We’ve had some great rivalries in NASCAR. Remember Hendrick Motorsports’ golden boy Jeff Gordon going against Dale Earnhardt Sr.? Or the David Pearson vs Richard Petty rivalry. Their battle at the 1976 Daytona 500 was legendary. As they approached the finish line side-by-side, fans knew it couldn’t end well. And when they collided, utter chaos. Both cars were spinning out of control, and the real race was getting the car started back in time. Today, there’s another rivalry brewing, but it’s not between drivers.

When Amazon Prime coverage took over the Cup Series broadcasts, it was clear FOX had someone challenging them. Prime’s coverage was a game-changer, with 60% fewer commercial interruptions than FOX’s average, using a slick double-box ad format that kept the race front and center while ads played alongside. Fans didn’t miss a second of Ross Chastain’s epic charge from 40th to first, overtaking William Byron with six laps to go, or Byron’s dominant 283 laps led. Prime also rolled out an hour of pre-race and post-race coverage, packed with raw driver interviews, like Chastain’s post-win chat that had us all grinning ear to ear.

FOX, on the other hand, has been catching heat for its outdated approach. Fans have been vocal about their frustrations, like missing Kyle Larson’s late-race battle with Chase Elliott at Darlington because of a full-screen Geico ad, or shaky camera work at Bristol that cut off a three-wide pass for sixth place. Prime’s debut showed what a modern broadcast could be, with techy features like tire wear graphics and in-race analytics that gave us a deeper look at the action.

But while fans were raving about Prime, one FOX analyst wasn’t taking the comparisons lightly, and they’ve been clapping back with some fiery defenses. FOX Sports’ Larry McReynolds spoke out on Dirty Mo Media, saying, “I am seeing people compare the FOX broadcast to the Prime. To me, it’s comparing apples to oranges. I am sorry I mean I can’t completely speak for FOX but we’re never gonna have a broadcast where basically we do an hour pre-race, an hour post-race and the majority of the commercials are side by side. We’re network television. What they did Sunday night was a phenomenal broadcast. I feel like for 25 years we’ve done great broadcasts, they’re just never gonna be the same and if anybody expects it, you’re probably gonna be disappointed.”

Let’s be real. Prime had set the bar high for race coverage. Not only did they broadcast the race, but their work before and after was impressive. Right from raw footage around the garage before the race to breaking down William Byron’s heartbreaking loss, they impressed fans.

Fellow executive Michael Mulvihill doubled down on X, adding, “This has become predictable spin anytime an event moves to a streamer. It’s easy to look younger when you lose 5 older people for every 1 younger viewer you gain. Coke 600 Year-Year 18-54: Gained 147k viewers 55+: Lost 730k,” pointing out that Prime’s streaming model leans on Amazon’s deep pockets for flashy tech Fox can’t match on network TV.

This has become predictable spin anytime an event moves to a streamer. It’s easy to look younger when you lose 5 older people for every 1 younger viewer you gain.

Coke 600 Year-Year
18-54: Gained 147k viewers
55+: Lost 730k https://t.co/gdAQx0i4LX

— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) May 28, 2025

And while McReynolds and Mulvihill were on the defense, Robert Gottlieb, Fox’s President of Marketing, chimed in with a more optimistic tone, saying, “Every season is different—the challenges and opportunities each year are different. We’ve just finished this week, so we have not yet begun to look back, evaluate, and kind of game-plan for moving forward—so that’s still to come. We’ll have to figure out next year. I will say the performance, ratings, and racing we had it was another great season. We’re proud to be the flagship partner of NASCAR, and next year will be an even greater season, and of course, we’ll do everything we can to let folks know how great NASCAR is as well.” But fans aren’t buying these explanations—they’re calling Fox out, and the backlash is heating up fast.

Fans fire back, all guns blazing

Fox executives might’ve thought they were setting the record straight, but NASCAR fans on X are not holding back, and they’re calling the responses straight-up whiny! One fan kicked things off, saying, “I liked Larry Mac’s comments about the restrictions streaming doesn’t have vs network TV. That doesn’t mean FOX can’t fix their horrible camera work. Zoomed in on half a car during a pass. Going to a girlfriend or a kid eating a hot dog in the stands instead of showing a battle for 6th place. Focusing on the winner drove around on a cool down lap instead of showing card battle for a finishing position. These are all easy fixes FOX can’t provide. Listen to the race fans.”

The fan’s frustration is real—FOX’s broadcast at Bristol earlier this year missed a three-wide battle for sixth because the camera panned to the crowd, and at Darlington, a zoomed-in shot cut off Larson’s pass on Elliott, leaving fans fuming. Prime’s coverage, on the other hand, kept the focus on the track with seamless camera work, capturing every moment of Chastain’s climb from the back to the win, showing Fox what fans really want.

Another fan didn’t mince words, stating, “FOX will dip next year now that folks are getting a taste of what can be if the broadcast takes the sport seriously.” That’s a bold prediction, and it’s not hard to see why they feel that way. Prime’s 2.724 million viewers for the Coke 600 might’ve been 12% lower than last year’s Fox broadcast, but it beat FS1’s average by 8%, and fans loved the side-by-side ad format. FOX’s earlier races, like Talladega, drew complaints for cutting away during live action, and with Prime showing how a broadcast can prioritize the race, Fans are worried FOX’s viewership might take a hit in 2026 if they don’t step up their game.

The frustration kept building, with another fan pleading, “Indy 500 on Amazon next year please. I don’t want to pay $100 a month for a cable subscription just to be able to watch the race.” This hits home for a lot of fans—Prime’s streaming model is more accessible for cord-cutters, and its Coca-Cola 600 broadcast gained 147,000 viewers aged 18-54, a demographic FOX has been losing. FOX’s traditional network setup, as Mulvihill noted, lost 730,000 viewers over 55, and for fans tired of cable costs, Prime’s approach feels like the future. The Indy 500, which FOX also covers, could see a similar push if fans keep demanding streaming options that don’t break the bank.

Another fan called FOX out directly, saying, “Just admit your product was terrible, commit to making it better, and move on. The fact that you and all of Fox had to make statements and are constantly defending your own broadcast is telling of its own.” Fans felt Prime’s broadcast was a love letter to NASCAR, with features like tire wear graphics that showed how Chastain’s fresher tires helped him pass Byron, while FOX’s earlier races lacked that depth, often missing key moments like a late-race battle at Bristol for a cooldown lap shot. The fact that FOX execs like McReynolds and Mulvihill felt the need to defend their 25-year legacy, despite admitting Prime’s “phenomenal” work, makes fans feel like they’re dodging accountability instead of addressing the issues.

Finally, a fan took aim at Mulvihill’s viewership spin, saying, “I’d rather have a competent race broadcast like Prime and lose every 55+ while gaining a couple younger people in the process any day of the week. They’ll be gone soon enough, let them either learn or be stuck not watching like they’ve been telling us to do for complaining.” That’s a spicy take, and it ties right into the numbers—Prime’s gain of 147,000 younger viewers versus FOX’s loss of 730,000 older ones shows where the sport’s future lies.

Fans are drawn to Prime’s modern approach, like its hour-long pre-race show that featured driver insights, compared to FOX’s Bristol broadcast that cut away from a battle for sixth to show a kid eating a hot dog in the stands. Fans are fed up, and they’re not shy about calling FOX’s excuses whiny—they want a broadcast that puts the race first, and Prime’s debut has set a new bar.

The post FOX Employee Gets Shamed in Public as ‘Whiny’ Accusations Sets Off NASCAR Fans appeared first on EssentiallySports.