NASCAR is racing into esports. Here’s how it can succeed

NASCAR is hard at work preparing the debut of its new esports league, the eNASCAR Heat Pro League (eNASCAR). eNASCAR, a partnership between NASCAR and 704Games, will utilize 704’s simulation-style NASCAR Heat 3 game and is set to debut this spring. eNASCAR will feature 16 teams, including standout NASCAR teams such as Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing. Each will draft two virtual drivers to compete on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles in a 16-race series.

NASCAR’s decision to launch a league should come as no surprise given how the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLS’ have moved into esports. The NBA’s preparing for the second season of the NBA 2K League, which brought in over 152 million viewers throughout its debut season. The Madden NFL Championship Series, eMLS (part of the FIFA eWorld Cup), and the NHL Gaming World Championship have experienced initial success to varying degrees. Major League Baseball is the only major professional sports league in the United States that has yet to venture into esports, but it has also shown an interest in entering the professional video game industry.