List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters

From 1965 to 1970, ABC televised a combination of filmed and/or taped recorded highlights of the race the following weekend on Wide World of Sports.

[7] Other longtime fixtures of the broadcast include Jack Arute, Sam Posey, Jackie Stewart, Bobby Unser, and Jerry Punch.

[9] In 2019, the Indianapolis 500 moved to NBC, as part of a new three-year contract that unifies the IndyCar Series' television rights with NBC 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.

Two subsequent live broadcasts occurred in 2021, when the number of spectators was limited under local public health orders, and 2024, after a significant weather delay.

[16] The Speedway will continue to enforce the live broadcast blackout on Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN.

The broadcasts would typically open with the rendition of "Back Home Again in Indiana", and the starting command, but no other pre-race ceremonies.

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 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.

From 1964 to 1970, the Indianapolis 500 was shown live on closed-circuit television in theaters and other similar venues across the United States.

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.

[34][35] 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.

The ABC-TV Sports broadcasting complex at the 1993 Indianapolis 500.
ABC Sports television camera mounted along the outside wall at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2005 Indianapolis 500 .
ABC Sports Skycam at the 2008 Indianapolis 500 .
Brent Musburger and Rusty Wallace prepare to report from the ABC-TV pre-race stage at the 2006 Indianapolis 500 .
Jack Arute of ABC Sports in the garage area at the 2006 Indianapolis 500 .
Dr. Jerry Punch of ABC Sports in the garage area at the 2006 Indianapolis 500 .
IMS Productions / ABC-TV broadcasting compound at the 2016 Indianapolis 500 .
ABC television booth at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This booth was used by the ABC commentators from 1987 to 2003, and was later demolished after the 2015 race.
Jim McKay
Jackie Stewart
Chris Schenkel