Indycar’s renowned event has just guaranteed its most watched broadcast since 2008.
Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, the first to be broadcast on Fox, on average 7.05 million viewers, marking the most public of the event in 17 years, according to Fox Sports Pr. Alex Palou’s victory increased the public in Indy 500 from last year by 40% (5.02 million viewers for Josef Newgarden’s victory over NBC). Television culminated at 8.44 million viewers during the quarter of 4:15 p.m.
It should be noted that this is the first Indy 500 to be measured with the Outside Visualization Methodology of Nielsen.
Fox, Palou wins First Indy 500S 🏆📺
✔️ 17 year old High: Indy 500 most watched since 2008 with 7,050,000 viewers
✔️ Raving 40% compared to 5,024,000 viewers last year
✔️ Telediffusion culminated with 8,438,000 viewers from 4.15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. pic.twitter.com/3m36mom8hv
– Fox Sports Pr (@FoxSportspr) May 26, 2025
Incredibly, Sunday’s race beaten by this year’s weather DAYTONA PUBLIC 500.
It would be necessary to return to the ABC era of the Indy 500 to find a wider audience for the race. Scott Dixon’s victory in 2008 was on average 7.25 million viewers on ABC. The network broadcast Indy 500 each year from 1986 to 2018 before NBC became the reagent of the event in 2019, broadcasting each year until 2024.
Despite the network drawing substantial criticism Fans for certain broadcast decisions during yesterday’s race, Fox was clearly able to markets the race for new audiences. The Indy 500 had not overshadowed the threshold of six million viewers since 2016. Four times, the race has captured more than seven million viewers since 2003; The beginnings of Danica Patrick in 2005 (9.74 million viewers), the victory of Sam Hornish Jr. and the second Indy 500 of Patrick in 2006 (7.62 million viewers) and the 2008 race aforementioned.
Maybe there is something to say about the involvement Tom Brady And Rob Gronkowski in promotional efforts for a sporting event.
