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Josef Newgarden has an extremely uplifting prediction about IndyCar's future from 2025 onwards. The defending two-time consecutive Indy 500 winner has backed the series' broadcasting deal with FOX Sports that begins next year, for which grand preparations have already begun.
In June 2024, IndyCar announced a multi-year media rights deal with FOX to replace NBC Sports as its official broadcaster, making it the only motorsport series in America to have exclusive broadcast network coverage for all races, plus two days of the Indy 500 qualifying. As per Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles, this will mark a 52% jump in the network hours compared to this year. Additionally, he expects a 30% growth in the total audience delivery (TAD) year-on-year.
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Team Penske's Josef Newgarden is completely onboard this growth train. When he appeared on the latest episode of the Pit Pass Indy podcast hosted by Bruce Martin, he said:
"From my vantage point, I think Fox has already hit the ground running when it comes to 2025. There's not been a lot of prep time for everybody, but we are coming in with full force and I think Fox will be pivotal in our championship and what IndyCar represents in this story that we're gonna be projecting. I think they will do our championship justice. I think they will show our stories in a great way and they'll bring it to a wider audience."
The No. 2 Chevy driver also spoke about FOX ushering in IndyCar's new era with cross-promotions on its NFL and college football telecasts.
"Well, for us right now, it's the dream scenario," said Newgarden. "Fox is a tremendous TV partner and I think they will operate for us in true partnership fashion, where they're gonna listen and collaborate and try and extend the rest of their family for us to tell our story and IndyCar, and they're gonna do it better than we've seen in a long, long time. It's a dream scenario," he reiterated.
Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, and Pato O'Ward shoot new commercials with FOX for the 2025 IndyCar pre-season
FOX Sports kicked off its IndyCar partnership in style in December this year. It shot commercials with two-time champ and defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden, defending champ Alex Palou, and the series' most popular driver, Pato O'Ward.
The commercials will be aired during the NFL playoffs in January 2025 and could extend into February, in time for Super Bowl 59, and beyond, in the lead-up to IndyCar's season opener at St. Petersburg on March 2. A Penske Entertainment representative said (via RACER):
"We’re off to an aggressive start with FOX, and there are more exciting things in the works. Stay tuned!"
In November, Team Penske unveiling a new livery for Will Power's No. 12 car during NFL's double-header weekend on FOX was a cog in the series' new promotional wheel.
In 2025, FOX could also become the first broadcaster to capture an unprecedented three-peat at the Indy 500, which Josef Newgarden is aiming to achieve. In 2024, the Team Penske driver scored two victories, two poles, and seven Top 5 finishes to secure eighth place in the standings with 401 points.
