Fox Sports announced on Thursday that it has acquired the rights to broadcast IndyCar races starting in 2025.
This move gives the network two of the biggest races in the world: the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Daytona 500.
Fox Sports already broadcasts the first half of the NASCAR schedule.
The details of the deal between IndyCar and Fox Sports were not revealed, but Fox promised that all the races would be shown on national television, including 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.
However, 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 important race at Long Beach to the USA Network, and it only received just over 300,000 viewers. In 2023, when the race was aired on NBC, it had 1.026 million viewers.
Fox Sports said all races will be on Fox and the Fox Sports app, while Fox Deportes will have exclusive Spanish-language coverage. Fox also promised to show 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 network is a record for IndyCar. IndyCar will be the only major motorsports series in the country with exclusive coverage on a major broadcast network for all of its races. In comparison, NASCAR’s schedule 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,” said IndyCar CEO Mark Miles. “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, emphasized the importance of adding the Indy 500 to the network’s 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 mostly unchanged, except 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 on March 2 in St. Petersburg, Florida, and ends on August 31 in Nashville.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.