By David GayMatt AdamsNo media credit provided.,

8 hours ago

INDIANAPOLIS – The first Indianapolis 500 carried by FOX will be broadcast live in the Indianapolis TV market, right here on FOX59.

Officials with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said the 109th running is expected to be sold out, meaning Hoosiers who aren’t going to the race will be able to watch from home.

Watch the live player above to hear from Penske Entertainment and officials from IMS about the blackout announcement.

Race day coverage starts at 5 a.m. on May 25 with FOX59 at the 500. FOX national coverage takes over at 10 a.m.

Racing fans will have two chances to catch the Indianapolis 500 on May 25. In addition to the live broadcast, FOX59 will also show the rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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That means fans who went to the race will be able to relive it at home, as has been the local tradition for years.

While fans across the country have been able to watch the race live every year, it’s only been available locally a handful of times.

IMS dropped the blackout for the 100th running in 2016 because it was a sellout. The race also aired locally on three other recent occasions: 2020 and 2021 (crowd size restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2024 (a lengthy rain delay).

In general, blackouts are placed on TV broadcasts that don’t sell out. The thought process was that the threat of a blackout would induce more people to attend a sporting event in person. In the fractured world of media contracts, cable TV, broadcast networks and streaming platforms, they’ve largely gone by the wayside.

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While most sports have moved away from blackouts, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has kept the blackout policy in place for years for the local TV market.

This year, however, local racing fans won’t have to worry about it.

During a Friday morning news conference, J. Douglas Boles, the president of INDYCAR and IMS, said that the grandstands and the suites are expected to be sold out, totaling more than 250,000 tickets.

Boles said that as of Friday, under “four-digits in tickets” remain for the race and expects an official sell out by the end of the day on Monday. General admission tickets will continue to be sold.

“This really is about the fans…It is a race, but it’s so much more than that,” Bole said. “It’s an event.”

In a news release surrounding the announcement, Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said that this race will have “one of (the) biggest and most memorable crowds in many decades.”

“This is a terrific showcase for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and a great milestone to supercharge our relationship with FOX Sports,” Miles said. “It is also absolutely a fitting tribute to the continued leadership and investment of Roger Penske.”

Some tickets are still available for the event. Visit IMS’s website for up-to-date ticket information for the race on May 25.

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