FOX Sports reports increased IndyCar viewership

FOX Sports reported a significant increase in viewership for the NTT IndyCar Series during its second season as the broadcaster. The 2027 season averaged 1,681,000 viewers per race, marking a 23% increase over the previous year and achieving the highest average TV rating for the series since 2008.

The 110th Indianapolis 500 was the season's most-watched event, drawing 6.6 million viewers, while the street race in Washington D.C. attracted 3.2 million. Nine different races during the season surpassed the 1,000,000 viewer mark.

Industry analysts attribute the growth to enhanced promotional strategies led by FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks, including highly produced commercials, frequent race replays, and cross-promotion across other sports programming. This increased visibility benefits the sport by allowing teams to command higher sponsorship premiums. The feeder series, IndyNXT, also saw a 14% viewership increase, averaging 127,000 viewers per race on FS1.