List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters

The ABC-TV Sports broadcasting complex at the 1993 Indianapolis 500.

The Indianapolis 500 has been broadcast on network television in the United States since 1965. From 1965 to 2018, the event was broadcast by ABC, making it the second-longest-running relationship between an individual sporting event and television network,[1] surpassed only by CBS Sports' relationship with the Masters Tournament (since 1956). In 2014, ABC celebrated fifty years televising the Indianapolis 500, not including 1961 through 1964 when reports and highlights of time trials were aired on ABC's Wide World of Sports.[2][3][4][5] From 2019 to 2024, the race has aired on NBC.

From 1965 to 1970, ABC televised a combination of filmed and/or taped recorded highlights of the race the following weekend on Wide World of Sports. The 1965 and 1966 presentations were in black-and-white, while all subsequent presentations have been in color. From 1971 to 1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on a same-day tape delay basis. Races were edited to a two- or three-hour broadcast, and shown in prime time.

Starting in 1986, the race has been shown live in "flag-to-flag" coverage. In the Indianapolis market, as well as other parts of Indiana, the live telecast is blacked out and shown tape delayed to encourage live attendance. In 1992 the tape-delay broadcast was pushed forward to Sunday evenings. For 2016, the race was completely sold out, and as such the local blackout was lifted for that year.[6] Since 2007, the race has been aired in high definition.

Currently, the television voice of the Indy 500 is Leigh Diffey, who has been working the race since NBC took over in 2019. The last television voice of the Indy 500 for ABC was Allen Bestwick, who held the position from 2014 to 2018. Past television anchors include Chris Schenkel, Jim McKay, Keith Jackson, Jim Lampley, Paul Page, Bob Jenkins, Todd Harris, and Marty Reid.[7] Other longtime fixtures of the broadcast include Jack Arute, Sam Posey, Jackie Stewart, Bobby Unser, and Jerry Punch.

On August 10, 2011, ABC extended their exclusive contract to carry the Indianapolis 500 through 2018.[8] Starting in 2014, the contract also includes live coverage of the IndyCar Grand Prix on the road course.[9]

In 2019, the Indianapolis 500 moved to NBC, as part of a new three-year contract that unifies the IndyCar Series' television rights with NBC Sports (the parent division of IndyCar's then-current cable partner NBCSN), and replaces the separate package of five races broadcast by ABC. The Indianapolis 500 is one of eight races televised by NBC as part of the new deal, which ended ABC's 54-year tenure as broadcaster of the event.[10][11][12] WTHR is the local broadcaster of the race under this contract; the existing blackout policy is expected to continue should the race not sell out.[13] As no spectators were allowed for the 2020 Indianapolis 500, the race was aired live in the Indianapolis market. Two subsequent live broadcasts occurred in 2021, when the number of spectators was limited under local public health orders, and 2024, after a significant weather delay.[14][15]

Fox Sports will take over rights to IndyCar, including the Indianapolis 500, beginning in 2025.[16] The Speedway will continue to enforce the live broadcast blackout on Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN.[17]

  1. ^ "Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC". ESPN Media Zone. May 23, 2011. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  2. ^ Feck, Luke (May 27, 1961). "Men And Machines Race The Clock". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 10. Retrieved March 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ^ "Week's Programs Sunday May 20". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 20, 1962. p. 234. Retrieved March 25, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  4. ^ "TV Programs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 18, 1963. p. 16. Retrieved March 25, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ^ "TV Programs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 15, 1964. p. 48. Retrieved March 25, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ Cavin, Curt (May 25, 2016). "IMS blackout lifted after Indy 500 sellout". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  7. ^ Yoder, Matt (September 30, 2013). "ESPN fires racing announcer Marty Reid". AwfulAnnouncing.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "Indy 500 will remain on ABC into 2018". ESPN. August 10, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  9. ^ Hall, Andy (March 25, 2014). "IndyCar Series Season To Open on ABC from St. Petersburg" (Press release). ESPN. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  10. ^ "INDYCAR SIGNS MULTIYEAR MEDIA RIGHTS PACKAGE WITH NBC SPORTS GROUP". IndyCar Series. March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  11. ^ Ayello, Jim (March 21, 2018). "The Indy 500 will soon have a new TV network". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  12. ^ Steinberg, Brian (March 21, 2018). "NBC Sports Grabs Indianapolis 500 Rights From ABC After 54 Years". Variety. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  13. ^ Ayello, Jim (March 21, 2018). "How IndyCar-NBC deal will affect local Indy 500 blackout". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  14. ^ Brown, Nathan. "With 5,000 grandstand seats unsold, 345,000 expected, IMS won't lift Indy 500 blackout". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  15. ^ "2024 Indianapolis 500 to air live on WTHR Channel 13 in central Indiana following rain delay". wthr.com. 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  16. ^ "FOX will be new exclusive home of IndyCar, Indianapolis 500 starting in 2025". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  17. ^ "FOX Sports CEO on full IndyCar slate on FOX: 'Great halo effect for all motorsports'". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2024-06-14.