Fox Sports said Thursday it has acquired the rights to broadcast IndyCar starting in 2025. It’s a move that brings two of the world’s biggest races, the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Daytona 500, to the network.
Fox Sports has already aired the first half of the NASCAR schedule. NASCAR announced a seven-year media rights deal last November that adds a streaming component with two new partners as the 38-race schedule is spread across multiple networks and platforms.
Terms of the deal between IndyCar and Fox Sports have not been disclosed, but Fox has promised that all 17 races will receive network coverage as well as two days of Indy 500 qualifying. This coverage is for life, for the duration of your deal with IndyCar.
IndyCar said NBC Sports could not provide the same amount of national broadcast slots.
“This represents unrivaled exposure and provides unparalleled growth opportunities for the most competitive and entertaining motorsport on the planet,” said IndyCar CEO Mark Miles. “Fox Sports is a fully committed partner ready to thoroughly promote IndyCar across all platforms while providing engaging and technologically innovative coverage to millions of fans across the country.”
NBC has held the rights to IndyCar since 2009, with the most recent three-year extension estimated to be worth $20 million per season. However, NBC Sports moved all practice and qualifying sessions to its own app, Peacock, and many of the IndyCar races were broadcast on cable. Earlier this season, NBC moved Long Beach’s crown jewel race to USA Network, which drew just over 300,000 viewers. The race drew 1.026 million viewers in 2023 when it aired on NBC.
“We are extremely proud to have contributed to the growth of IndyCar through record-breaking viewership, unprecedented promotion and best-in-class production over the past 16 seasons,” NBC said in a statement. “We would like to thank our drivers, teams and owners for their partnership, and we look forward to bringing the remainder of the 2024 season to IndyCar’s loyal and passionate fans.”
NBC Sports didn’t acquire the rights to a full IndyCar season until 2019. Before that, it split its schedule with ABC. The 2023 IndyCar season on NBC Sports was the most-watched season in IndyCar since 2011, the most-watched season on record for NBC Sports and the most-streamed season ever.
IndyCar’s viewership on NBC’s platform is flat year-over-year this season, while the Indy 500’s viewership increased from 49.27 million to 5.344 million in 2023.
Fox Sports said all races will be carried on Fox and the Fox Sports app, and Fox Deportes will offer Spanish-language service. Fox also promised guaranteed two-day Indy 500 qualifying. All practice and qualifying sessions will be broadcast on cable via FS1 or FS2.
The 19 events broadcast are a record for IndyCar. IndyCar will be the nation’s only premier motorsports series with exclusive major broadcast network coverage of every race. For example, NASCAR’s schedule will be spread out across multiple networks in 2025, with Fox saying five of the 14 races will be on the network and the rest on cable.
Eric Shanks, CEO and executive producer of Fox Sports, touted the addition of the Indy 500 to the network’s portfolio. He also said he spoke with NASCAR Chairman Jim France on Wednesday to inform him about Fox’s new partnership with rival IndyCar.
“Adding the iconic Indianapolis 500 to the Fox Sports roster fits perfectly with our model of teaming with sports’ biggest events and best-in-class brands,” Shanks said. “We are honored to be the home of the new broadcast of ‘Racing’s Greatest Spectacle,’ an incredibly special event for everyone at Fox Sports.”
The 2025 IndyCar schedule is virtually unchanged, except that the All-Star Race at Thermal Club in California will now be a points race and Milwaukee will not be a doubleheader. The season begins March 2 in St. Petersburg, Florida and concludes August 31 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Texas Motor Speedway, a longtime stalwart of the IndyCar schedule, will be retired for the second straight year in 2025.
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