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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Hype For '19 IndyCar Season High With New Title Sponsor, NBC Deal

The St. Petersburg season opener has become one of the premier events on IndyCar's annual schedulegetty images

The '19 NTT Data IndyCar Series season begins this weekend in St. Petersburg, after IndyCar's offseason was spent "solidifying the business side of the series as it executes a five-year plan aimed at continued growth," according to Jenna Fryer of the AP. The offseason saw IndyCar "land new title sponsorship" from NTT, the "transition to a single steady television partner in NBC Sports and a continued push toward expanding the grid and making it easier for new teams to crack the series." IndyCar President Jay Frye said, "It feels good, like we have momentum again." Fryer noted the 24 entries for this weekend "equal the size of last year's field, but is up three cars from two seasons ago." It is "part of Frye's five-year plan" that began in '16 and "focused on collaboration among series stakeholders to help IndyCar return to the buzz of its glory days 30 years ago" (AP, 3/6). IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said, "I'm tired of saying we're positioned for growth. Now I can say, we're growing" (PORTLANDTRIBUNE.com, 3/7).

AS SEEN ON TV: FORBES' Dave Caldwell noted NBC is "pushing open-wheel racing across all of its platforms." The net is "promoting its IndyCar product on not just its other sports coverage like hockey and horse racing," but also on shows like “American Ninja Warrior” and “The Tonight Show.” NBC has "included IndyCar drivers on other network shows and will feature the drivers in an extensive social-media campaign." There will be "more than 20 television spots." Local affiliates "will get more involved." Announcers from other NBC sports "will be used on telecasts." It is an "unprecedented exercise in synergy" (FORBES.com, 3/6). RACER.com's Marshall Pruett wrote NBC "taking the reins sits atop the feel-good stories" for IndyCar. However, increasing viewership numbers and the value of sponsorships is the "only metric that matters" (RACER.com, 3/7).

SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN: In Illinois, Bruce Yentes writes the St. Petersburg season-opener has "blossomed into one of the premier events on the 17-race IndyCar schedule." Crowds have "grown dramatically since the race's inception" in '03. Much of the growth has "come in the past five years with IndyCar racing experiencing a resurgence, bucking an overall trend of declining interest in motorsports." Well over 150,000 fans are "expected over the course of the weekend's three-day event" (Bloomington PANTAGRAPH, 3/8). In Tampa, Josh Solomon wrote aside from "putting up the barriers and fencing" in the streets of St. Petersburg to "demarcate the course, not much work goes into preparing the actual asphalt for the race." That means the IndyCars have to "negotiate all the same road imperfections at speeds up to 170 mph that passenger cars" normally tackle at 25 mph. IndyCar driver Sébastien Bourdais said that it is the "track's unique 'personality'" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/7).

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