GUIDE: How To Watch Indy 500 on TV, Streaming and more
The Indy 500 is a monument of the American Motorsport world, earning the nickname of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”. Fans eagerly await this annual event, which showcases the pinnacle of racing prowess and engineering.
Whether you are a casual fan or a die-hard racing petrolhead, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about how to tune in to the race. We will be covering the various viewing options and giving you our opinion on which one offers the best value. This is your viewing rundown for the Indy 500.
Weekend Schedule - 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500
What is the Indy 500
The Indianapolis 500, simply referred to as the Indy 500, is an iconic weekend in the American motorsport calendar, taking place over Memorial Day Weekend. It is the crown jewel of the IndyCar season, with the upcoming race on May 26th being the 108th edition, with 33 drivers set to compete for the biggest prize of the year.
The legendary event takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is a 2.5-mile oval track, known for producing the most intense competition at the highest of speeds. The reference to 500 in the name does not reflect how many laps the drivers will be completing, instead reflecting the 500 miles that each driver will have to travel as they complete 200 laps to complete the race. It is not just a test of speed, but of endurance and strategy as well.
Indy 500 Schedule
Whilst the 200-mile race will all take place on May 26th, there is an awful lot that goes into the build-up to this exciting event. Here are the key dates to be aware of:
- April 10-11th: Indy 500 Open Test
- May 14-18th: Indy 500 Practice
- May 18th: Indy 500 Full Field Qualifying
- May 19th: Indy 500 Fast 12 Qualifying
- May 19th: Indy 500 Qualifying
- May 25th: Indy 500 Parade
- May 26th: 108th Indy 500
Official festivities will begin on Saturday, as all 34 drivers attempt to quality. The 30 fastest drivers will lock in their positions for the race, with the top 12 advancing to a pole shootout on Sunday. Here, each driver will attempt to set the fastest four-lap average, with the 6 fastest progressing further, into the Firestone Fast Six session. The results of this will determine the starting order for the first 6 positions.
Overview of Viewing Options
In order to watch the Indy 500, you will need:
- NBC
- Peacock
- Universo (Spanish coverage)
Detailed Comparison of Services
Cable and satellite options
With NBC being one of the primary broadcast channels in America, it is very easy to find a package that allows you to tune into the Indy 500. NBC is featured in all major cable television packages, including the likes of COX, DirecTV, DISH and Verizon Fios. These packages typically start at approximately $60 a month, ranging up to above $100 a month. This is a lot to pay, but they all feature a huge number of channels to enjoy alongside NBC.
- Cox - $61.00–$152.00/mo.
- DirecTV - $69.99–$159.99/mo
- Dish - $84.99-$114.99/mo
- Verizon Fios - $69.00–$129.00/mo
Streaming options
If you don’t want to tie yourself into a cable contract, then opting for one of the newer, and equally exciting, streaming packages might be for you. These also will cost you a fair amount each month, but there are countless benefits to enjoy, alongside the Indy 500 action on NBC. YouTube TV, SlingTV, Hulu, Fubo and DirecTV all have competitive packages that feature over 100 channels, plenty of add-ons to choose from, and additional on-demand benefits.
If you are an all-round sports fan, most of the packages will give you the choice of paying a bit extra to add channels such as FOX Soccer Plus, The Golf Channel, NFL Network, NBA TV and more. The base packages start around $40 a month with SlingTV and get gradually more expensive for the others.
- fuboTV: $79.99 per month
- YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
- Hulu with Live TV: $76.99 per month
- SlingTV: $40-$55 per month
If you want to keep things simple and spend as little as possible, simply opting for a Peacock subscription might be your best choice. At just $5.99 a month, Peacock brings you all the Indy 500 action you need, along with a good selection of other sports and entertainment.
Editor’s Choice
If it is just the Indy 500 that you are after, then a simple Peacock subscription has to be the best bet. Costing just $5.99 a month, this subscription comes in way below any of the others we have mentioned above, whilst still giving you access to every single second of Indy 500 build-up and the race itself. You will also be able to tune in to some Premier League soccer games, NFL Sunday Night Football showdowns and Big Ten Basketball, amongst other things.
If you are interested in bulking out your television viewing experience, then DirecTV’s Choice package at $84.99 a month is our go-to recommendation. This offers a delightful array of channels, along with a very good collection of regional sports networks, helping you navigate around blackout restrictions for the other sports you may be tuning into throughout the year.
How to Watch the Indy 500 for Free
Whilst Peacock unfortunately does not offer a free trial, many of the streaming services mentioned above will give you 7 days for free. If you currently don’t have a suitable package to watch the race, then using one of these free trials over Memorial Weekend will allow you to tune in without spending a cent. In order to use these free trials, you will have to enter card details, but no money will be taken, so long as you remember to cancel the free trial before it ends. If you do not do this, the monthly fee will be taken.
If you have already used up your free trials, another way you can watch the race for free is through an over-the-air antenna, however, this will be dependent on you being in range of an NBC broadcast tower.
Author: Venuse, Inc