For professional sports leagues not named the NFL, properly marketing stars has become paramount in building and maintaining an audience. That’s perhaps even more true for niche sports like golf, tennis, or in this case, IndyCar.
Last year, Fox inked a new media rights deal with IndyCar to air the circuit’s entire schedule on its broadcast channel. And with the first event of the season coming up in just seven weeks, Fox is making an effort to familiarize its audience with what IndyCar is, and who matters within it.
The network’s first in a series of several advertisements for its newest piece of live sports inventory accomplished just that.
Welcome to the fastest racing on earth. March 2 on @FOXTV.@IndyCar | @josefnewgarden | #INDYCARonFOX pic.twitter.com/yWFIOlDVa3
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) January 12, 2025
The commercial, which features IndyCar driver Josef Newgarden, serves as an introduction to one of the circuit’s biggest stars. Newgarden has won the last two Indianapolis 500s for Team Penske and is one of the faces of IndyCar.
Fox also makes an effort to brand IndyCar as “the fastest racing on earth,” a dig at its main competitor, Formula 1, which doesn’t reach top speeds as high as IndyCar.
According to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, the ad is the first of three spots directed for the circuit by Hollywood producer Jack Begert. The other two commercials will feature McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and Chip Gannassi’s Alex Palou. Fox Sports marketing, led by Robert Gottlieb, created the campaign with Special Group.
Begert clearly designed the commercial to be attention-grabbing. It features quick jump cuts, bold imagery, and even a quick Tom Brady cameo.
Other professional sports leagues should take notes. This is how you market your sport’s stars. Now, fans can go into the IndyCar season with at least some level of familiarity with the drivers.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.