NASCAR’s Race Broadcast Labelled “Awful” as NBC Blunders Big Time

As the NASCAR Cup Series playoff showdown at Gateway unfolded live on USA Network, viewers were taken aback, not by the drama on the track, but by the unnerving visuals on their screens. As CBS Sports‘ Steven Taranto reported, “Second race of the NASCAR playoffs from Gateway is now live on USA (Anyone else think the broadcast’s colors are way oversaturated?),” it was indeed the case for many fans eager to watch their favorites on the field, who called the broadcast “awful”. The broadcast’s color palette felt skewed, with washed-out whites, blasted-out highlights, and a relentless yellow tint that even made the announcers appear pale. One fan expressed their frustration, saying, “Why are these networks suddenly fu—g with saturation? First Fox now nbc…”

This came against the backdrop of growing criticism of NASCAR’s TV production veneer. Earlier in the season, FOX had already been lambasted for similarly dreary and flat visuals that drained the intensity from key moments. Another fan bluntly captured the moment: “The saturation is AWFUL @NASCARonNBC. Like everything has like a yellowish tint.” NBC, Prime, TNT, and USA Network now share the burden of expectations in this multi-platform era. The criticism intensified when a viewer complained: “Actually seems washed out, but also overexposed causing nuclear looking highlights.”

At a time when the sport is competing for attention across multiple platforms in broadcast, streaming, and simulcast, getting the look right isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Second race of the NASCAR playoffs from Gateway is now live on USA

(Anyone else think the broadcast’s colors are way oversaturated?) pic.twitter.com/pZYHKRVjUN

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) September 7, 2025

This is a developing story.

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