List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters

The ABC-TV Sports broadcasting complex at the 1993 Indianapolis 500.

The Indianapolis 500 has been broadcast by ABC since 1965. It is currently one of the longest-running relationships between a sporting event and television network.[1] In 2014, ABC celebrated fifty years televising the 500, not including the years 1961 through 1964 when brief filmed highlights were broadcast the following weekend on Wide World of Sports.[1]

From 1965 to 1970, ABC televised a combination of filmed and/or taped recorded highlights of the race the following Saturday on Wide World of Sports. The 1965 and 1966 presentations were in black-and-white, while all subsequent presentations have been in color. From 1971 to 1985, the Indianapolis 500 was shown on a same-day tape delay basis. Races were edited to a two- or three-hour broadcast, and shown in prime time. Starting in 1986, the race has been shown live in "flag-to-flag" coverage. In the Indianapolis market, the live telecast is blacked out and shown tape delayed to encourage live attendance. Since 2007, the race has been aired in high definition, and has been produced through the ESPN on ABC arrangement.

The current television voice of the Indy 500 is Allen Bestwick, who was named to the role on January 2, 2014. From 2006 to 2013, Marty Reid called the race, but was released on September 29, 2013.[2] Past television anchors include Chris Schenkel, Jim McKay, Keith Jackson, Jim Lampley, Paul Page, Bob Jenkins, and Todd Harris. Other longtime fixtures of the broadcast include Jack Arute, Sam Posey, Jackie Stewart, Bobby Unser, and Dr. Jerry Punch.

On August 10, 2011, ABC extended their exclusive contract to carry the Indianapolis 500 through 2018.[3] Starting in 2014, the contract also includes live coverage of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.[4]

Live coverage

Eddie Cheever
Year Network Host Lap-by-lap
announcer
Color
commentator
Pit reporters
2016 ABC Lindsay Czarniak Allen Bestwick Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Jon Beekhuis
Rick DeBruhl
2015 ABC Lindsay Czarniak Allen Bestwick Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Jon Beekhuis
Rick DeBruhl
2014 ABC Lindsay Czarniak Allen Bestwick Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
Rick DeBruhl
2013 ABC Lindsay Czarniak Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
Rick DeBruhl
2012 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
Rick DeBruhl
2011 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
Rick DeBruhl
2010 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
Rick DeBruhl
2009 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jack Arute
Vince Welch
Brienne Pedigo
Jamie Little
2008 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Eddie Cheever
Jack Arute
Vince Welch
Brienne Pedigo
Jamie Little
2007 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Rusty Wallace
Jack Arute
Vince Welch
Brienne Pedigo
Jamie Little
2006 ABC Brent Musburger Marty Reid Scott Goodyear
Rusty Wallace
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
2005 ABC Brent Musburger Todd Harris Scott Goodyear Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Jamie Little
Penn Holderness
2004 ABC Terry Gannon Paul Page Scott Goodyear
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
Vince Welch
Todd Harris
Jamie Little
2003 ABC Bob Jenkins Paul Page Scott Goodyear Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
Vince Welch
2002 ABC Bob Jenkins Paul Page Scott Goodyear Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
Vince Welch
2001 ABC Al Michaels Bob Jenkins Larry Rice
Jason Priestley
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Leslie Gudel
2000[5] ABC Al Michaels Bob Jenkins Tom Sneva
Arie Luyendyk
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Vince Welch
Leslie Gudel
1999[6] ABC Al Michaels Bob Jenkins Tom Sneva Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
Jon Beekhuis
1998 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Tom Sneva Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1997[7] ABC Paul Page Paul Page Danny Sullivan
Bobby Unser
Tom Sneva
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1996 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Danny Sullivan
Bobby Unser
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1995 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1994 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Danny Sullivan
Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1993 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1992 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1991 ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1990[8] ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Gary Gerould
1989[9] ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Jerry Punch
Brian Hammons
1988[10] ABC Paul Page Paul Page Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Brian Hammons
1987 ABC Jim McKay Jim Lampley Bobby Unser
Sam Posey
Jack Arute
Al Trautwig
Jerry Gappens
1986[11][12] ABC Jim McKay Jim Lampley Sam Posey Jack Arute
Al Trautwig
Larry Nuber
Donna de Varona

Same-day tape delay coverage

Year Network Host Lap-by-lap announcer Color commentators Pit reporters
1985 ABC Jim McKay Jim McKay Sam Posey Jack Arute
Jim Lampley
Bill Flemming
1984 ABC Jackie Stewart Jim McKay Sam Posey Jack Arute
Larry Nuber
Bill Flemming
Ray Gandolf
1983 ABC Jackie Stewart Jim McKay Sam Posey Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
Jim Lampley
Anne Simon
1982 ABC Jackie Stewart Jim McKay Sam Posey Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
Jack Whitaker
Clyde Lee
1981 ABC Dave Diles Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
Sam Posey
1980 ABC Chris Schenkel
Dave Diles
Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Sam Posey
1979 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Dave Diles
1978 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
1977 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
1976 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
1975 ABC Chris Schenkel Keith Jackson Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Sam Posey
1974 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Sam Posey Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
1973 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Jackie Stewart
Chris Economaki*
Dave Diles
Don Hein
1972 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
1971 ABC Chris Schenkel Jim McKay
Jackie Stewart Chris Economaki
Bill Flemming
Keith Jackson
David Letterman

Wide World of Sports coverage

Year Network host Lap-by-lap announcer Color commentator Pit reporters
1970 ABC Jim McKay Jim McKay Rodger Ward Chris Economaki
1969 ABC Jim McKay Jim McKay Rodger Ward Chris Economaki
1968 ABC Jim McKay Jim McKay Rodger Ward Jim McKay
1967 ABC Jim McKay Jim McKay Rodger Ward Chris Economaki
1966 ABC Chris Schenkel Chris Schenkel Rodger Ward Chris Schenkel
1965 ABC Charlie Brockman Charlie Brockman Rodger Ward Charlie Brockman

Local live coverage

Year Network host Lap-by-lap announcer Color commentators Pit reporters
1950 WFBM Earl Townsend Earl Townsend Dick Pittenger Paul Roberts
1949 WFBM Earl Townsend Earl Townsend Dick Pittenger
Paul Roberts
Robert Robbins

Footnotes

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Motorsports This Week on ESPN and ABC". name. 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  2. "Marty Reid Fired: ESPN Replaces NASCAR, IndyCar Announcer After Nationwide Gaffe (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  3. "Indy 500 will remain on ABC into 2018". ESPN.com. 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
  4. Hall, Andy (2014-03-25). "IndyCar Series Season To Open on ABC from St. Petersburg". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  5. Indianapolis 500 (2000) home page at Hollywood.com
  6. The 83rd Indianapolis 500 (1999) home page at Hollywood.com
  7. Race was scheduled for Sunday May 25, but rain postponed the start until Monday May 26. After 15 laps were completed, rain resumed, and the conclusion of the race was held Tuesday May 27.
  8. 74th Indianapolis '500,' The (1990) home page at Hollywood.com
  9. The 73rd Indianapolis '500' (1989) home page at Hollywood.com
  10. The 72nd Indianapolis '500' (1988) home page at Hollywood.com
  11. Race was scheduled for Sunday May 25, but rain postponed the race until Monday. On Monday, rain continued, and the race was rescheduled and held Saturday May 31.
  12. The 70th Indianapolis 500 (1986) home page at Hollywood.com

Works cited

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