By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer
Fox Sports said Thursday it acquired the rights to broadcast IndyCar starting in 2025, a move that gives the network two of the biggest races in the world with the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Daytona 500.
Fox Sports already broadcasts the first half of the NASCAR schedule.
Terms of the deal between IndyCar and Fox Sports were not revealed but Fox promised all the races would be on national broadcast, as well as qualifying for the Indy 500. NBC had held the rights to IndyCar since 2009 and its most recent three-year extension was believed to be worth $20 million per season.
But NBC Sports had moved coverage of all practices and qualifying sessions to its app, Peacock, and many of IndyCar’s races have been on cable. Earlier this season, NBC moved the crown jewel race at Long Beach to the USA Network and received just over 300,000 viewers; the race had 1.026 million viewers in 2023 when it was aired on NBC.
Fox Sports said all races will be on Fox and the Fox Sports app, while Fox Deportes will carry exclusive Spanish-language coverage. Fox also promised coverage of both days of Indy 500 qualifications. All practice and qualifying sessions will be aired on cable on either FS1 or FS2.
The 19 events aired on the broadcast is an IndyCar record. IndyCar will be the only premier motorsports series in the country with exclusive major broadcast network coverage for all of its races. NASCAR’s schedule, for example, is spread across multiple networks in 2025.
“This represents unrivaled exposure and provides an unparalleled growth opportunity for the most competitive and entertaining motorsport on the planet,” IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said. “Fox Sports is a fully committed partner, ready to bring engaging and technically innovative coverage to millions of fans across the country while also promoting IndyCar thoroughly across all its platforms.”
Eric Shanks, the CEO and executive producer for Fox Sports, touted adding the Indy 500 to the network portfolio.
“Adding the iconic Indianapolis 500 … to the Fox Sports roster fits perfectly within our model of teaming with sports’ largest events and best-in-class brands,” Shanks said. “We’re honored to be the new broadcast home to ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ an incredibly special event to everyone at Fox Sports.”
The 2025 IndyCar schedule remains virtually unchanged with the exception that the All-Star race at the 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 Aug. 31 in Nashville.