TheIndianapolis 500 has been broadcast on network television in the United States since 1965. As of 2025, the race airs onFOX. From 1965 to 2018, the event wasbroadcast byABC, making it the second-longest-running relationship between an individual sporting event and television network,^[1] surpassed only byCBS Sports' relationship with theMasters Tournament (since 1956). In2014, ABC celebrated fifty years televising the Indianapolis 500, not including 1961 through 1964 when reports and highlights of time trials were aired onABC's Wide World of Sports.^[2][3][4][5] From 2019 to 2024, the race aired onNBC.

From1965 to1970, ABC televised a combination offilmed and/ortaped recorded highlights of the race the following weekend on their flagship anthology seriesWide World of Sports. The 1965 and 1966 presentations were inblack-and-white, while all subsequent presentations have been incolor. From1971 to1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on a same-daytape delay basis. Races were edited to a two-hour or three-hour broadcast, and shown inprime time.

Starting in1986, the race has been shownlive in "flag-to-flag" coverage. In the Indianapolis market, as well as other parts of Indiana, the live telecast isblacked out and shown tape delayed to encourage gate attendance. Through 1991, the local tape-delay broadcast aired one or two weeks after the race, and during the 1970s, it aired as long a month after the race. In 1992 the local tape-delay broadcast was pushed forward to same-day tape on Sunday evening. In 2016, the tickets for the race were completely sold out, such that the local blackout was lifted for that year.^[6] Since 2007, the race has been aired inhigh definition.

Currently, the television voice of the Indy 500 isWill Buxton, a role he will assume for the first time in 2025. Previous television anchors includeChris Schenkel,Jim McKay,Keith Jackson,Jim Lampley,Paul Page,Bob Jenkins, Todd Harris,Marty Reid, andAllen Bestwick (all of ABC); followed byLeigh Diffey, who called the race on NBC in 2019–2024.^[7] Other longtime fixtures of the broadcast includeJack Arute,Sam Posey,Jackie Stewart,Chris Economaki,Bobby Unser,Jerry Punch, andScott Goodyear.

On August 10, 2011, ABC extended their exclusive contract to carry the Indianapolis 500 through 2018.^[8] Starting in2014, the contract also includes live coverage of theIndyCar Grand Prix on the road course.^[9]

In 2019, the Indianapolis 500 moved toNBC, as part of a new three-year contract that unifies the IndyCar Series' television rights withNBC Sports (the parent division of IndyCar's then-current cable partner NBCSN), and replaces the separate package of five races broadcast by ABC. The Indianapolis 500 is one of eight races televised by NBC as part of the new deal, which ended ABC's 54-year tenure as broadcaster of the event.^[10][11][12]WTHR is the local broadcaster of the race under this contract; the existing blackout policy is expected to continue should the race not sell out.^[13] As no spectators were allowed for the2020 Indianapolis 500, the race was aired live in the Indianapolis market. Two subsequent live broadcasts occurred in2021, when the number of spectators was limited under local public health orders, and2024, after a significant weather delay.^[14][15]

Fox Sports took over rights to IndyCar, including the Indianapolis 500, beginning in 2025.^[16] The Speedway is expected to continue to enforce the live localblackout on Indianapolis Fox affiliateWXIN.^[17] After a grandstand sellout was announced, however, the local blackout was lifted for 2025.^[18][19] WXIN initially prepared to broadcast Memorial Day related programs in the window that networks like FOX would have used to air prime time programs in a transposed broadcast.

• 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.

• Starting in1986, the race was shownlive in its entirety. The 1986 race, however, was postponed for six days due to rain.
• From2007 to2018, live coverage was produced byESPN. Also in 2007,Rusty Wallace andJamie Little worked the 500, but did not cover any other races thatseason.
• Rupert Boneham once worked as part of the ABC Sports production crew at Indy.^[32]

• 
  Scott Goodyear
• 
  Lindsay Czarniak
• 
  Eddie Cheever
• 
  Brent Musburger
• 
  Paul Page
• 
  Al Michaels
• 
  Jamie Little
• 
  Bob Jenkins
• 
  Jack Arute
• 
  Danny Sullivan
• 
  Gary Gerould
• 
  Bobby Unser
• 
  Marty Reid
• 
  Arie Luyendyk
• 
  Rusty Wallace
• 
  Larry Rice
• 
  Jason Priestley
• 
  Jerry Punch

From1971 to1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on asame-day tape delay basis. Races were edited down to a between two and three hour broadcast, and shown inprime time. It was alsoblacked out in theIndianapolis 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 theSalt 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 ofMonaco, soChris Economaki took his place.
• In 1974 and 1976,Sam Posey provided the color commentary in place ofJackie 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 youngDavid Letterman, who then worked at ABC's then-Indianapolis affiliateWLWI-TV, was one of the roving turn reporters.

Race commentary forABC'sWide World of Sports broadcasts was recorded during post-production. During the actual running of the race, anchorJim 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. From1964 to1970, the Indianapolis 500 was shownlive onclosed-circuit television in theaters and other similar venues across the United States. All live closed circuit broadcasts were anchored byCharlie Brockman.

The Indianapolis 500 was first broadcast on television from1949 to1950 onWFBM (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.^[35][36] 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.^[36] For 1951, WFBM-TV was permitted to televise time trials live, but not the race itself.^[37][38] 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.

ABC carried highlights of time trials for the first time in 1961.^[2] 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 ofRPM 2Night orSportsCenter. 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) andPeacock Premium (2021–2024).

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
• Indianapolis 500 in film and media

• Daytona 500Indy 500 Live
• Johnson's Indy 500 - Indy on TV
• Fang's Bites: The Indy 500 On ABC
• Indianapolis 500 numbers game.
• Record Low Ratings For Indianapolis 500

• Motorsport announcers
• Indianapolis 500-related lists
• IndyCar Series on television
• ABC Sports
• Lists of announcers of American sports events
• Wide World of Sports (American TV program)
• NBC Sports
• Fox Sports announcers

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata