2011 Broadcast Schedule

[MDS]

Other than the Indy 500 the 2011 broadcast schedule hasn't been released. Part of that is probably because of Las Vegas hasn't been confirmed, but there are a few sponsors, Ryan Hunter Reay's and one or both of Newman Haas Racing's, that are waiting for final confirmation of the schedule and the broadcast schedule before committing.

There have been a lot of rumors that the broadcast package is going to change this year after the Comcast/NBC merger is approved by FCC and Department of Justice in January. I'm not sure how much of this is speculation but if you look at the NBC sports lineup there are a number of holes in their lineup. In the and spring and summer all they really have on Sunday afternoons is the PGA, Wimbledon, French Open and two legs of the triple crown. There is plenty of room in their schedule to add a few Indycar races.

Versus isn't hitting the performance goals that were agreed to when the contract was signed. Randy has openly spoken about trying to get a new deal and if Randy Bernard has shown anything since he came into the sport he is very skilled at working complex deals. I'm wondering if one reason Vegas hasn't been announced yet is to delay setting the broadcast schedule until after the merger is approved

[Mark in Oshawa]

MDS...you have likely hit the nail on the head......Bernard is pushing and pulling people in the backrooms to see things his way.

I can tell you that Bernard's job isn't easy, but he sure is making things happen...

[Chamoo]

MDS...you have likely hit the nail on the head......Bernard is pushing and pulling people in the backrooms to see things his way.

I can tell you that Bernard's job isn't easy, but he sure is making things happen...

Agreed, however, INDYCAR is going to have to find a way to tell the fans to be patient as most of the fans that follow the sport less then we do (by we, I mean fans on forums and blogs and newspapers each day about Izod Indycars) will be wondering what is happening.

Of course, with all the good news with Graham Rahal and JR Hildebrand joining the series, this will keep them happy for the time being, but how long can Randy Bernard continue to keep pushing off announcing the Las Vegas race without fans getting rowdy?

I understand (if what MDS posted above is true, which would make a lot of sense, and I have heard the same things from a couple of reputable sources) why Randy is doing it, and that it is a good strategy, but he has to make sure that he doesn't lose fans in the process. Having the season ending race still TBD at this point looks bad on the series, and will look worse and worse over time until something is announced.

A good way to get some more positive press for the fans from the sanctioning body (not the teams announcing drivers) would be to confirm Edmonton is back on soon!

[Easy Drifter]

Although a small market in the overall picture I hope something can be done up here too. Unless the race is on major network TV it is almost always just on TSN2 which few people subscribe to.

[Chamoo]

Although a small market in the overall picture I hope something can be done up here too. Unless the race is on major network TV it is almost always just on TSN2 which few people subscribe to.

I would think it will be on something good, as all rumors point to Hinchcliff having a Canadian sponsor, chances are there is a good TV deal in the works up here as well.

[Scotty G.]

Lots of rumors in Indy that when Las Vegas is finally announced, it will be on broadcast TV.

ABC has a 5 race schedule again (according to Scott Goodyear) and I would expect to see one pre-Indy race (probably St. Pete), Indy, Iowa, Toronto and Vegas.

[ICWS]

It would be good if IndyCar could get the daytime races that ABC won't broadcast on NBC. The series only has two night races scheduled (Texas and Iowa) and a race in Japan (broadcasted live, now), so those three races can be broadcasted on Versus. ABC still has a contractual obligation to show 5 IndyCar races, and I expect they'll broadcast St. Petersburg, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Toronto, and either Edmonton or Las Vegas. That Las Vegas/ABC speculation is something new to me, and would be great if they broadcasted the season finale on a network. But I have a feeling that NASCAR has some sort of hand in this, and probably would demand ESPN/ABC to not broadcast IndyCar races during the time of the season when NASCAR races are being broadcasted on those channels. That's why I think it's more likely the 5th broadcasted race would be Edmonton when it returns to the schedule officially. But that leaves NBC to potentially broadcast the season finale, in addition to a bunch of other races. IndyCar can try to take advantage of being the lead-in broadcast to Sunday Night Football on that channel, and maybe get an additional audience in football fans for those races, especially considering those races occur as the IndyCar season is about end.

Hopefully, the broadcast schedule can look something like this:

1. St. Petersburg - ESPN on ABC
2. Birmingham - NBC
3. Long Beach - NBC
4. Brazil - NBC
5. Indianapolis - ESPN on ABC
6. Texas - Versus
7. Milwaukee - ESPN on ABC
8. Iowa - Versus
9. Toronto - ESPN on ABC
10. Edmonton - ESPN on ABC
11. Mid-Ohio - NBC
12. New Hampshire - NBC
13. Sonoma - NBC
14. Baltimore - NBC
15. Japan - Versus
16. Kentucky - NBC
17. Las Vegas - NBC

The cool part about the Las Vegas race is that it is supposed to happen on October 16, and NASCAR races the night before in Charlotte, meaning IndyCar won't have the Cup series to compete with on television on Sunday, and should get a bigger audience if the Vegas race has a showdown for the championship like the past two years, and if it is broadcasted on a network channel (NBC or ABC).

[ICWS]

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110112/SPORTS0107/101120350/IndyCar-Series-notebook-Does-network-change-loom-series-?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFever%7Cp

Looks like the five races to be broadcasted on ABC are St. Petersburg, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New Hampshire, and Las Vegas. The other 12 races will be broadcasted on Versus.

Interestingly, IndyCar will not negotiate T.V. contracts for next year until the NBC/Comcast merger is finalized in a month or so. This indicates that IndyCar may move some of their races from being broadcasted on Versus to NBC next year, and could force ABC's hand into contract negotiations.

[px400r]

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110112/SPORTS0107/101120350/IndyCar-Series-notebook-Does-network-change-loom-series-?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFever%7Cp
This indicates that IndyCar may move some of their races from being broadcasted on Versus to NBC next year, and could force ABC's hand into contract negotiations.

This indicates absolutely nothing.

[ICWS]

This indicates absolutely nothing.

http://indiana.sbnation.com/racing/2011/1/11/1929671/indycar-gaining-quickly-says-bernard

Well, this other article points out the potential of that happening, in the 6th and 7th paragraphs:

"... While Versus will handle the remainder of the races, INDYCAR has been advised not to negotiate any television contracts at this time; instead the body will wait until the NBC/Comcast merger is finalized later this year."

"With the ABC/ESPN contract running through 2012, the potential is there, should NBC decide to shift some races from Versus to NBC Sports, for the series to return to network television, or to force ABC/ESPN's hand in contract negotiations."

So I'll correct myself for you; it does not indicate it will happen, but the potential is there that it can happen.

[px400r]

http://indiana.sbnation.com/racing/2011/1/11/1929671/indycar-gaining-quickly-says-bernard

Well, this other article points out the potential of that happening, in the 6th and 7th paragraphs:

"... While Versus will handle the remainder of the races, INDYCAR has been advised not to negotiate any television contracts at this time; instead the body will wait until the NBC/Comcast merger is finalized later this year."

"With the ABC/ESPN contract running through 2012, the potential is there, should NBC decide to shift some races from Versus to NBC Sports, for the series to return to network television, or to force ABC/ESPN's hand in contract negotiations."

So I'll correct myself for you; it does not indicate it will happen, but the potential is there that it can happen.

Potential? Yes. But don't read anything into it.