Versus, IRL Meet To Begin Planning '09 Season Coverage

IRL, Versus Officials Huddling Up To Discuss Plans For '09 Season

IRL officials today will travel to Philadelphia "for their first planning meeting with Versus," which will become the IRL's cable TV partner next season, according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. The IRL "will receive at least three times the amount of programming on Versus" as it did this season on ESPN and ABC, and the net "plans to air expanded coverage of Indianapolis 500 qualifications and should be able to sway the IRL on eliminating timed events on non-ovals." IMS Productions President Charlie Morgan said of Versus, "We think they are going to blow (Indy-car racing) out and make stars out of people." Versus Exec VP/Programming, Production & Business Operations Marc Fein "hasn't decided who will be on the broadcast team," but Fein said that "new personalities are expected." Also to be determined is the "viability of ESPN's side-by-side coverage during commercials." ESPN and Versus "have agreed to work together in promoting races, and ESPN has vowed to keep a light on the IRL through its score ticker and 'SportsCenter.'" Versus is carried on basic cable plans in "most of the areas where the IRL stages races." Cincinnati, L.A., Dallas/Fort Worth and Cleveland are the "weakest IRL markets for Versus" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/14).