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List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters

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List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters

The Indianapolis 500 has been broadcast by ABC since 1965. It is currently one of the longest-running relationships between a sporting event and television network. In 2014, ABC celebrated fifty years televising the 500, not including the years 1961 through 1964 when brief filmed highlights were broadcast the following weekend on Wide World of Sports.

Contents

From 1965 to 1970, ABC televised a combination of filmed and/or taped recorded highlights of the race the following Saturday on Wide World of Sports. The 1965 and 1966 presentations were in black-and-white, while all subsequent presentations have been in color. From 1971 to 1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on a same-day tape delay basis. Races were edited to a two- or three-hour broadcast, and shown in prime time. Starting in 1986, the race has been shown live in "flag-to-flag" coverage. In the Indianapolis market, the live telecast is blacked out and shown tape delayed to encourage live attendance. Since 2007, the race has been aired in high definition, and has been produced through the ESPN on ABC arrangement. However, in 2016, this blackout was lifted, and viewers in the Indianapolis area and throughout the state of Indiana could watch the race live on television for the first time.

The current television voice of the Indy 500 is Allen Bestwick, who was named to the role on January 2, 2014. From 2006 to 2013, Marty Reid called the race, but was released on September 29, 2013. Past television anchors include Chris Schenkel, Jim McKay, Keith Jackson, Jim Lampley, Paul Page, Bob Jenkins, and Todd Harris. Other longtime fixtures of the broadcast include Jack Arute, Sam Posey, Jackie Stewart, Bobby Unser, and Dr. Jerry Punch.

On August 10, 2011, ABC extended their exclusive contract to carry the Indianapolis 500 through 2018. Starting in 2014, the contract also includes live coverage of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

Live coverage

  • Starting in 1986, the race was shown live in its entirety. The 1986 race, however, was postponed for six days due to rain.
  • Since 2007, live coverage has been produced by ESPN. Also in 2007, Rusty Wallace and Jamie Little worked the 500, but did not cover any other races that season.

    • Same-day tape delay coverage

  • From 1971 to 1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on a same-day tape delay basis. Races were edited to a two or three hour broadcast, and shown in prime time. It was also blacked out in the Indianapolis market.
  • In 1975, Jim McKay came down with a bad cold the day of the race so Keith Jackson, who had been scheduled to work as a pit reporter that day, was transferred to the broadcast booth to call the lap-by-lap of the race in McKay's place.
  • 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 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.
  • From 1971 through 1985, the calls at both the start and finish of the race were recorded as those events transpired, but the commentary of the middle of the race was recorded as the edited tape was being broadcast.

    • Wide World of Sports coverage

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

    • Local live coverage

  • The Indianapolis 500 was first broadcast on television from 1949-1950 on WFBM (now WRTV) in Indianapolis. It was done to boost sales of television sets. After 1950, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, fearful that local television coverage would hurt attendance, decided to no longer allow live TV coverage in Indianapolis. Although the rest of the nation can see the Indianapolis 500 live, the ABC telecast is shown in Indianapolis on a same-day tape delay that evening. The policy was lifted in 2016 because of a complete sell-out (similar to the 1973 NFL policy).

    • References

    List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters Wikipedia
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