Shifting from NBC to Fox this season has already improved IndyCar’s fortunes.
On Monday, Fox Sports activities Public Relations introduced Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 averaged 7.05M viewers, the most important viewers for the occasion since 2008. The telecast peaked at 8.438M viewers from 4:15-4:30 p.m. ET.
Surprisingly, IndyCar’s largest race scored a greater score than NASCAR’s rain-delayed 2025 Daytona 500, which averaged 6.761M viewers, per Sportico’s Jason Clinkscales.
Viewership for the 2025 Indy 500 was up 40% from final yr’s race on NBC, which averaged 5.024M viewers. Nevertheless, 2024’s race could have been barely extra thrilling.
In 2024, Penske driver Josef Newgarden handed McLaren’s Pato O’Ward on the last lap of the 200-lap race to win it for the second time. This season, Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou handed Andretti World’s Marcus Ericsson with 14 laps to go to win the race for the primary time.
Maybe the elevated viewership ties to Fox’s intelligent advertising. After outbidding NBC for IndyCar rights in 2024, it rolled out three commercials that includes Newgarden, Palou and O’Ward. Newgarden’s spot aired first on Jan. 13.
“The Josef Newgarden advert began the cadence, ensuring everybody is aware of he is received it twice in a row,” Fox producer Pam Miller advised Road & Track’s Fred Smith in a narrative printed March 22. “Educating the followers every week in all our completely different exhibits, main as much as Indy. That is our purpose: By the point we get to the month of Could, the followers are with us. … It is the largest sporting occasion on the earth, and we would like individuals to know that and be excited for it. That is going to be the cadence and our purpose every week as we transfer in direction of Could.”
Together with educating followers, Fox made positive to get its stars concerned. Its protection included NFL analysts Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Michael Strahan.
Fox understands methods to promote “The Best Spectacle in Racing,” which is one key cause its marriage with IndyCar could proceed to flourish.
