List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters

Live coverage

[[Fox Sports (United States)|FOX]] era

[[IndyCar Series on NBC|NBC]] era

• Dillon Welch is the first second-generation broadcaster to be involved in the race telecast. His father Vince worked the race in the ABC era until 2014.

[[IndyCar Series on ABC|ABC]] era

• Starting in 1986, the race was shown live in its entirety. The 1986 race, however, was postponed for six days due to rain.
• From 2007 to 2018, live coverage was produced by ESPN. Also in 2007, Rusty Wallace and Jamie Little worked the 500, but did not cover any other races that season.
• Rupert Boneham once worked as part of the ABC Sports production crew at Indy.

ABC-TV live telecast gallery

File:Scott Goodyear 2008 Indy 500 Second Qual Day.jpg|Scott Goodyear File:Lindsay Czarniak.jpg|Lindsay Czarniak File:Eddie Cheever Jr 2009 Indy 500 Second Qual Day.JPG|Eddie Cheever Image:College Gameday Bus 2006 Austin Texas crop.jpg|Brent Musburger File:PaulPageat2014Indy500.JPG|Paul Page File:Al Michaels.jpg|Al Michaels File:JamieLittleMilwaukee2009.jpg|Jamie Little File:BobJenkins1985.JPG|Bob Jenkins File:Jack Arute 2009 Indy 500 Second Qual Day.JPG|Jack Arute File:DannySullivan.jpg|Danny Sullivan File:GaryGerouldatIndy.jpeg|Gary Gerould File:Bobby Unser - 2015 Indianapolis 500 - Sarah Stierch.jpg|Bobby Unser Image:Marty Reid 2008 Indy 500 Second Qual Day.jpg|Marty Reid File:Arie Luyendyk 2010 Indy 500 Practice Day 7.JPG|Arie Luyendyk File:Rusty Wallace 2007 Indy 500 Saturday.JPG|Rusty Wallace File:LarryRiceCloseup.jpg|Larry Rice File:Jason Priestley 2012.jpg|Jason Priestley File:DrJerryPunch2010.JPG|Jerry Punch

Same-day tape delay coverage

From 1971 to 1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on a same-day tape delay basis. Races were edited down to a between two and three hour broadcast, and shown in prime time. It was also blacked out in the Indianapolis market until a later date. The broadcasts would typically open with the rendition of "Back Home Again in Indiana", and the starting command, but no other pre-race ceremonies. In addition, the broadcast was supplemented with some pre-recorded, in-depth featurettes, aired during down times. Later telecasts included live introductions at the top and bottom of the broadcast, with the closing segment sometimes an interview with the race winner, which by that time, had been revealed to the viewers. During this period, the announcers' commentary at both the start and finish of the race were recorded as those events transpired. However, the commentary of the middle parts of the race was semi-scripted, and recorded in post-production, and edited into the broadcast as it was being aired.

• In 1973, Jackie Stewart was scheduled to be the color commentator. The race however, was red flagged on Monday due to the Salt Walther crash, and rain delayed the start until Wednesday. Stewart was unable to stay for the race running on Wednesday since he was due to compete the following weekend as a driver in the Grand Prix of Monaco, so Chris Economaki took his place.
• In 1974 and 1976, Sam Posey provided the color commentary in place of Jackie Stewart due to the Indy 500 and Monaco Grand Prix clashing on the same weekend. Stewart did pre recorded features at Indy during qualifying week which were aired on race day before going to Monaco to cover the grand prix for ABC.
• In 1971 Chris Schenkel was supposed to be the telecast host, but was injured when the pace car crashed coming into the pits at the start of the race.
• In 1971, a young David Letterman, who then worked at ABC's then-Indianapolis affiliate WLWI-TV, was one of the roving turn reporters.

''Wide World of Sports'' & closed-circuit coverage

Race commentary for ABC's Wide World of Sports broadcasts was recorded during post-production. During the actual running of the race, anchor Jim McKay occasionally served as a roving reporter, recording interviews in the pits and garage area, which was later edited into the broadcast. In some years the broadcast also included highlights of time trials. From 1964 to 1970, the Indianapolis 500 was shown live on closed-circuit television in theaters and other similar venues across the United States. All live closed circuit broadcasts were anchored by Charlie Brockman.

Local live coverage

The Indianapolis 500 was first broadcast on television from 1949 to 1950 on WFBM (now WRTV) in Indianapolis. It was done to boost sales of television sets. At the time, there was consideration for the race to be broadcast nationally by 1951 or 1952, possibly through a network syndication arrangement originating through WFBM. After two years, however, the Speedway management decided to eliminate live television coverage, fearful that live local television coverage would hurt gate attendance. Likewise, the cost to expand the broadcast nationally was considered prohibitive. For 1951, WFBM-TV was permitted to televise time trials live, but not the race itself. In future years, local live coverage of time trials would continue in various forms, but the race itself was to be blacked out in the Indianapolis area. Only thrice (2016, 2021, and 2024) would the local blackout be lifted on race day.

Time trials and practice

ABC carried highlights of time trials for the first time in 1961. ABC continued to cover time trials exclusively through the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1987 ESPN began covering portions of time trials. From 1987 to 2008, time trials was aired over a combination of ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, in varying levels of air time. From 2009 to 2013, time trials was aired on Versus/NBCSN. Time trials returned to ABC in 2014–2018. NBC, NBCSN, and Peacock aired time trials from 2019 to 2024. Time trials began airing on Fox, FS1, and FS2 in 2025.

In 1993, ESPN began covering daily practice session, with a wrap-up show each afternoon. The "Indy Live Daily Reports" continued through 2006, and in some years were packaged as part of RPM 2Night or SportsCenter. From 2009 to 2021, Carb Day aired on Versus/NBCSN. Carb Day began airing on FS1 in 2025. Live streaming of practice began in 2001. Streaming providers have included: Indy500.com official site (2001, 2004), Yahoo! (2002–2003, 2006), WhiteBoxPC/NeuLion (2009), YouTube (2010–2018), NBC Sports Gold (2019–2020) and Peacock Premium (2021–2024).

Footnotes

References

1. (May 23, 2011). "Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC". ESPN Media Zone.
2. Feck, Luke. (May 27, 1961). "Men And Machines Race The Clock". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
3. (May 20, 1962). "Week's Programs Sunday May 20". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
4. (May 18, 1963). "TV Programs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
5. (May 15, 1964). "TV Programs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
6. Cavin, Curt. (May 25, 2016). "IMS blackout lifted after Indy 500 sellout". [[The Indianapolis Star]].
7. Yoder, Matt. (September 30, 2013). "ESPN fires racing announcer Marty Reid".
8. (August 10, 2011). "Indy 500 will remain on ABC into 2018". [[ESPN]].
9. Hall, Andy. (March 25, 2014). "IndyCar Series Season To Open on ABC from St. Petersburg". ESPN.
10. (March 21, 2018). "INDYCAR SIGNS MULTIYEAR MEDIA RIGHTS PACKAGE WITH NBC SPORTS GROUP". [[IndyCar Series]].
11. Ayello, Jim. (March 21, 2018). "The Indy 500 will soon have a new TV network". The Indianapolis Star.
12. Steinberg, Brian. (March 21, 2018). "NBC Sports Grabs Indianapolis 500 Rights From ABC After 54 Years".
13. Ayello, Jim. (March 21, 2018). "How IndyCar-NBC deal will affect local Indy 500 blackout". The Indianapolis Star.
14. Brown, Nathan. "With 5,000 grandstand seats unsold, 345,000 expected, IMS won't lift Indy 500 blackout".
15. (2024-05-26). "2024 Indianapolis 500 to air live on WTHR Channel 13 in central Indiana following rain delay".
16. "FOX will be new exclusive home of IndyCar, Indianapolis 500 starting in 2025".
17. "FOX Sports CEO on full IndyCar slate on FOX: 'Great halo effect for all motorsports'".
18. Pruett, Marshall. (May 16, 2025). "Indy 500 ticket sellout lifts local TV blackout". [[Racer (magazine).
19. (May 16, 2025). "Watch Live: IMS lifts local blackout for Indy 500, race to air live on FOX59". WXIN.
20. "INDYCAR, FOX Sports Announce Historic Media Rights Deal".
21. "Buxton, Hinchcliffe, Bell To Serve as FOX Booth Team in 2025".
22. (May 15, 2025). "FOX Sports Takes the Pole for Network's First Indianapolis 500 With 60 Hours of Live Coverage Highlighted by an Impressive Lineup of Talent and Dignitaries". FoxSports.com.
23. Ayello, Jim. (April 3, 2019). "Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins Mike Tirico, Danica Patrick on NBC broadcast team for Indy 500". The Indianapolis Star.
24. [http://www.hollywood.com/tv/Indianapolis_500/5181013 Indianapolis 500 (2000) home page at Hollywood.com]
25. [http://www.hollywood.com/tv/The_83rd_Indianapolis_500/5169594 The 83rd Indianapolis 500 (1999) home page at Hollywood.com]
26. Race was scheduled for Sunday May 25, but rain postponed the start until Monday May 26. After 15 laps were completed, rain resumed, and the conclusion of the race was held Tuesday May 27.
27. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081006053052/http://www.hollywood.com/tv/74th_Indianapolis_500_The/5169570 74th Indianapolis '500,' The (1990) home page at Hollywood.com]
28. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080611094931/http://www.hollywood.com/tv/The_73rd_Indianapolis_500/5169567 The 73rd Indianapolis '500' (1989) home page at Hollywood.com]
29. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080611071246/http://www.hollywood.com/tv/The_72nd_Indianapolis_500/5169565 The 72nd Indianapolis '500' (1988) home page at Hollywood.com]
30. Race was scheduled for Sunday May 25, but rain postponed the race until Monday. On Monday, rain continued, and the race was rescheduled and held Saturday May 31.
31. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081016140458/http://www.hollywood.com/tv/The_70th_Indianapolis_500/5169559 The 70th Indianapolis 500 (1986) home page at Hollywood.com]
32. 2004 Indianapolis 500 Telecast.
33. Holliman, Ray. (May 30, 1976). "Indy 500 'comes alive' on ABC". St. Petersburg Times.
34. (May 27, 1972). "TV". The Orlando Sentinel.
35. (May 29, 1950). "WFBM-TV to Cover '500' Mile-by-Mile". The Indianapolis Star.
36. Cochran, Polly. (May 30, 1952). "Everyone In Reach of Radio Will Have 'Ticket' To Race". The Indianapolis Star.
37. (May 6, 1951). "TV Will Show '500' Time Trials". The Indianapolis Star.
38. Hynes, Beatrice. (May 30, 1951). "WIBC To Radio Speedway Race". The Indianapolis Star.