Menu
Media

IndyCar CEO Mark Miles Looks For New NBC Deal To Propel Series

Miles (r) said that he aims to double IndyCar's average TV ratings in the coming yearsGETTY IMAGES

IndyCar's new three-year deal with NBC Sports Group unites the series under a sole broadcasting banner, which has "long been among the top priorities" of CEO Mark Miles and series stakeholders, according to a front-page piece by Jim Ayello of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Among the biggest benefits is that Miles and IndyCar will now be able to "leverage their crown jewel, the Indianapolis 500, to promote the series’ other events." IndyCar is "undoubtedly hoping to build on its past couple of years of a successful partnership with NBC." Viewership on NBCSN increased last year. Miles said that he "aims to double IndyCar's average TV ratings in the coming years and expects that to be possible with so many races moving to broadcast TV." He also expects to "increase the viewership for the Indy 500." Miles: "That ought to double. Doubling the ratings won't happen next year, but that's our ambition" (INDYSTAR.com, 3/21). Miles said, "We're on a roll now. The last four years we had about 40% increase in our television audience, but having NBC have the whole property and having more races than ever on NBC Sports, the rest on NBCSN, is undoubtedly going to be the next step." Driver James Hinchcliffe said, "A big thing for us with this deal is the added content, ancillary programming, sessions that have never been broadcast before are going to be broadcast, whether it’s online or through the (NBC Sports Gold) subscription program. We’re in a content hungry society right now, so as we get into this new deal, we’re going to be generating a lot more, utilizing technology, utilizing things like apps for exploring VR opportunities and things like that. Like everyone else, we’re trying to stay ahead of the curve and guess what’s the next thing’s going to be” (“Squawk on the Street,” CNBC, 3/21).

USING ALL THAT'S AVAILABLE: AUTOWEEK's Bruce Martin noted fans should expect to see "plenty of cross-promotion involving NBC Sports and NBC’s entertainment division once it becomes the exclusive home for IndyCar." NBC Sports President of Programming Jon Miller said, "James Hinchcliffe has been lobbying me to get on ‘The Voice.' One of the nice things we get to do is bring the entire company to the table and everybody brainstorms and raises their hands on what they can do to showcase a sports property. ... We are already putting those things in place." One advantage to partnering with NBC is the net’s "ability to have such iconic shows as 'Today' and 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon' televised from the venue of a major sporting event." Miller said the possibility exists of shows like that to air live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway leading up to the Indy 500. Miller: "Hoda [Kotb] and Savannah [Guthrie] would look great in Gasoline Alley." Martin noted the TV deal "marks a dramatic turn in the history of the series that has been part of ABC" since it first aired parts of the Indy 500 in '65. Miller said that NBC has "seen sustained growth in IndyCar over its cable network and that allowed it to take the next step." Miller: "To be able to do the crown jewel, the Indianapolis 500, on NBC really puts the icing on the cake for us." Miller also "stressed that NBC will do 'everything we can' to minimize overlap between its NASCAR telecasts and the new portion of its IndyCar Series coverage" (AUTOWEEK.com, 3/21).

UNDER ONE ROOF: In Dallas, Gerry Fraley notes IndyCar's deal with NBC pleased Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage, as it "eliminates the ABC-NBC split that kept IndyCar fans guessing as to where to find race telecasts." Gossage: "This is a great move by IndyCar. It's a continuation of the the roll they've been on for a while now" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/22). RACER.com's Robin Miller noted there had been "talk of streaming all the races on an outlet like Amazon.com." However, Miles said that between NBC, NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold, IndyCar "will be covered like never before" (RACER.com, 3/21). The INDY STAR's Ayello notes when the new TV deal kicks in next year, NBC Sports Gold will "become the sole provider of Indy Lights races, IndyCar practice sessions and any qualifying that is not shown on TV." It will also include "full event replays, archived races and will provide enhanced data for fans to consume during races." The price for the package has "yet to be announced, but will likely fall somewhere between $25-$75." NBC Sports Gold currently "offers packages" for rugby ($60), the EPL ($50), track & field ($75), cycling ($30) and motocross ($50) (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/22).

BRIGHT FUTURE: The STAR's Ayello writes IndyCar's current TV deal is "broadcasting purgatory," and for a decade, NBC, ABC, the series and its fans were all "miserably trapped in it." Neither net felt like the series was its own, while IndyCar was a sport "without a home and without a permanent partner to help it grow." Now, not only did they "secure a partner willing to air all of their races but they also found a collaborator who believes in the direction they are headed." The financial terms of the deal have "not yet been disclosed, but they almost don't matter." Miles has "long talked about securing supplementary streaming coverage." In a constantly evolving media landscape, he was "determined to find a partner with the expertise and means to attract an increasingly tech-savvy audience." NBC brought that to the table with NBC Sports Gold. The deal also "feels like a win from a fan perspective" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/22).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/03/22/Media/Indy-TV.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/03/22/Media/Indy-TV.aspx

CLOSE