Canadian & US Television Broadcast Schedule for 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

On the streets of St Petersburg, the sound of twin-turbocharged Chevrolet and Honda engines will be brought to life in competition for the first time this year. New drivers, old open wheel stars like Juan Pablo Montoya retuning to the faster form of motorsports, Chip Ganassi cars with Chevrolet engines, Andretti Autosport cars powered by Honda, a new IndyCar title sponsor; 2014 promises to bring IndyCar fans a memorable. Consisting of 18 point-paying events, the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series is something few race fans will choose to miss. Ahead of the start of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series today (Sunday, March 30^th) , I have taken some time to provide the following full television schedule for United States and Canadian viewers of the open wheel championship.

A big win for fans even before the start of the 2014 season, all Verizon IndyCar Series races will be televised live on the Canadian and American carriers. The season opener will be shown on ABC in the United States and City television network in Canada. Both channels are non-cable networks that should provide an easy opportunity for most fans to watch the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg. A total of five IndyCar races will be shown on City in 2014 including the inaugural Indianapolis road race in the series as well as the prestigious Indianapolis 500. Five races, including the double race weekend in Toronto will be shown on Sportsnet in Canada with the remaining eight races being broadcasted on the Sportsnet One premium digital channel. Canadians will also be presented with several opportunities to watch encore broadcasts of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series. Races will also be shown on the RogersAnyplaceTV.com site for online viewers in Canada.

I would have been much happier to have the schedule posted earlier (as would Canadian IndyCar fans). I sent several emails over the past two weeks to Rogers media regarding the Canadian television schedule for the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series but never received a reply. While the American television schedule was confirmed December, the Canadian broadcast scheme wasn’t released until Friday.

2014 Verizon IndyCar TV Schedule

Date	Round #	Race	Track	Race Time (Times are eastern)	US TV Channel	Canadian TV Channel
March 30th	1	Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg	Streets of St Petersburg	2:30 p.m.	ABC	City
April 13th	2	Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach	Streets of Long Beach	4:00 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
April 27th	3	Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama	Barber Motorsports Park	2:30 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
May 10th	4	Grand Prix of Indianapolis	Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course)	3:30 p.m.	ABC	City
May 25th	5	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	11 a.m.	ABC	City
May 31st	6	Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit (Race #1)	Belle Isle Street Circuit	3:30 p.m.	ABC	City
June 1st	7	Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit (Race #2)	Belle Isle Street Circuit	3:30 p.m.	ABC	City
June 7th	8	Firestone 600	Texas Motor Speedway	8 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet
June 28th	9	The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston (Race #1)	Streets of Houston	3 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
June 29th	10	The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston (Race #2)	Streets of Houston	3 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
July 6th	11	Pocono INDYCAR 500	Pocono Raceway	Noon	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet
July 12th	12	Iowa Corn Indy 300	Iowa Speedway	8 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
July 19th	13	Honda Indy Toronto (Race #1)	Streets of Toronto	3 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet
July 20th	14	Honda Indy Toronto (Race #2)	Streets of Toronto	3 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet
August 3rd	15	Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio	Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	3 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
August 17th	16	ABC Supply Wisconsin 250	Milwaukee Mile	3 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet One
August 24th	17	GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma	Sonoma Raceway	4 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet
August 30th	18	MAVTV 500	Auto Club Speedway	9 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	Sportsnet

2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series US/Canada TV Schedule

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

In a matter of two weeks, the new turbocharge-engined, Dallara Indy car chassis will come to life in competition on the St Petersburg, Florida temporary street course. Adding to the mix a slew of exciting driver and team combinations announced over the past five months, the kick-off to the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series will be most intriguing. Will Dario Franchitti defend his crown for a fourth-straight year? Is it finally Will Power's time to claim overall point honours with Penske Racing? Could Andretti Autosport and even KV Racing spoil the IZOD INDYCAR Series dominance of Penske Racing and Target Chip Ganassi Racing? The first race for the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series will be the first opportunity to witness what drivers, teams, media and fans could expect from this important year.

With St Petersburg being the first among a 16-race tour in 2012, the IZOD INDYCAR Series will take the refreshed brand of open wheel racing through 10 states as well as four countries including a first-ever visit to China with the Qingdao street race. Presenting 16 chances for enthused auto racing fans and families to personally attend a 2012 IZOD INDYCAR event to cheer on their favourite driver, television will again play a pivotal part in spreading the spectacle across great distances. For the United States and Canada, the 2012 schedule for the IZOD INDYCAR Series involves the series involved once again with familiar broadcast partners.  

Race viewers in the United States will have ABC and the NBC Sports Network (formerly the Versus channel) broadcasting each event live. Six events will be shown on ABC in 2012 including the broadcaster's 48th time at the Indianapolis 500. ABC will also cover the INDYCAR Series return to Belle Isle for the Detroit Grand Prix sponsored by Chevrolet. The remaining ten 2012 IZOD INDYCAR events will be shown on the NBC Sports Network channel. NBC Sports Network broadcasts in 2012 will involve the final four-race stint for the open wheel racing series starting at the Qingdao street circuit.

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

For Canadian race fans hoping to see James Hinchcliffe, Alex Tagliani and ride-permitting Paul Tracy compete through 2012, the TSN channels is the exclusive simulcast broadcaster. The mothership TSN station will only relay five IZOD INDYCAR races in 2012 with the balance going to the digital television-only TSN2 channel. Fortunately for basic cable and satellite customers, four of the TSN2 races will be televised on the ABC television network. For 2012, the Honda Indy of Toronto will be one of those events likely to receive higher viewership through the American channel.

During the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series season, four races will be televised in the TSN channels through same day, taped-delay for the Canadian market (Alabama, Milwaukee, Mid-Ohio and Baltimore). All four tape-delayed races will be broadcasted on TSN2.

The full television United States and Canadian listing for the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series television is provided below.


2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series TV Schedule Listing

March 25	Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg	Streets of St Petersburg	US Channel/Time	ABC/12:30 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN/12:00 PM
April 1	Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama	Barber Motorsports Park	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/2:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/5:00 PM
April 15	Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach	Streets of Long Beach	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/3:30 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/3:30 PM
April 29	Sao Paulo Indy 300	Streets of Sao Paulo	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/12:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN/12:00PM
May 27	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	US Channel/Time	ABC/11:00 AM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN/11:00 AM
June 3	Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix	The Raceway at Belle Isle Park	US Channel/Time	ABC/3:30 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/3:30 PM
June 9	Firestone 500	Texas Motor Speedway	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/8:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/8:00 PM
June 16	Milwaukee IndyFest	Milwaukee Mile	US Channel/Time	ABC/1:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/5:00 PM
June 23	Iowa Corn Indy 250	Iowa Speedway	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/8:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/8:00 PM
July 8	Honda Indy Toronto	Streets of Toronto	US Channel/Time	ABC/12:30PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/12:00 PM
July 22	Edmonton Indy	Edmonton City Centre Airport	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/2:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN/2:00 PM
August 5	Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio	Mid-Ohio Sport Car Course	US Channel/Time	ABC/12:30 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/5:30 PM
August 18	Streets of Qingdao	Streets of Qingdao	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/11:55 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN/12:00 AM
August 26	Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma	Infineon Raceway	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/4:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/4:00 PM
September 2	Baltimore Grand Prix	Streets of Baltimore	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/2:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/11:00 PM
September 15	Unnamed Auto Club Speedway Race	Auto Club Speedway:	US Channel/Time	NBC Sports Network/8:00 PM
			Canadian Channel/Time	TSN2/8:00 PM

2011 IZOD INDYCAR TV Schedule for US and Canada

Photo source: Chris Nagy/XSL Speed Reporter

Confirming the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR schedule by announcing a poorly-kept secret of Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosting the finale event, the open wheel racing series' television partners in the United States and Canada will continue broadcasting action and sounds.

For the United States, ABC will cover 5 races (including the 2011 series opener, the Indianapolis 500 and the Las Vegas finale) while VERSUS is slated to cover the remaining 12 events. Both television broadcasters provided coverage to the 2010 IZOD INDYCAR season. Just like last season, all rounds of the open wheel racing series will be shown live through the American networks.

In Canada, TSN is continue to simulcast the United States network's broadcasts. Feeding 11 race coverage to their digital channel TSN2, the cable and satellite sports network in Canada have been criticized by the sizable open wheel racing fan base for not meeting the races as accessible as other sports including NASCAR. Last season, the Iowa Speedway round for the IZOD INDYCAR Series (regarded in hindsight as one of the better competitions of the 2010 season) ran on a nearly 10-hour tape-delay on the TSN2 digital channel. In my personal opinion, its bad enough to run an auto racing event on a time delay but if they want to run it late night, shift it to the base TSN channel. For 2011, Iowa Speedway round is made into a night race and therefore TSN2 intends to carry the race live.

TSN, in conjunction with TSN2, again appears to not be siding entirely with open wheel fans for 2011. Notable on the Canadian television schedule is the broadcasts of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Kentucky Indy 300 and the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix starting later than the US live broadcast times. While sometimes TSN enters into live coverage following a 30 minute to 1-hour prerace show, the air time gaps on the mentioned to those races is substantial. While an one and half hour difference exists with the IZOD INDYCAR round in Long Beach between US and Canadian tv carriers, the second-to-last round of the 2011 season at Kentucky sees a four and a half hour gap. The Baltimore Grand Prix is set for a tape delay as deep as the Iowa race last season. While an afternoon event in September, the IZOD INDYCAR's Baltimore Grand Prix will not air until 11pm at night on TSN2.

Fortunately, VERSUS broadcasts of the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series Canadian rounds (the Honda Indy of Toronto and the reinstated Edmonton Indy) will air live on the more widely-viewed base TSN channel.

The following television schedule for the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series is mentioned as tentative and could change due to weather or other issues.

Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Streets of St. Petersburg
Sunday, March 27

U.S. Carrier: ABC 12:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 12:30pm et



Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Barber Motorsports Park
Sunday, April 10

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 3:00 pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 3:00pm et



Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Streets of Long Beach
Sunday, April 17

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 5:00pm et



Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle
Street of Sao Paulo
Sunday, May 1

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS Noon et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 Noon et



Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 29

U.S. Carrier: ABC Noon et
Canadian Carrier: TSN Noon et



Firestone Twin 275s
Texas Motor Speedway
Saturday, June 11

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 8:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 8:00pm et



The Milwaukee 225
The Milwaukee Mile
Sunday, June 19

U.S. Carrier: ABC 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 4:30pm et



Iowa Corn Indy 250
Iowa Speedway
Saturday, June 25

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 8:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 8:00pm et



Honda Indy of Toronto
Streets of Toronto
Sunday, July 10

U.S. Carrier: Versus 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 2:00pm et



Edmonton Indy
Edmonton City Centre Airport
Sunday, July 24

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 2:00pm et



Honda Indy 200
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sunday, August 7

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 2:00pm et



IZOD INDYCAR 225
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sunday, August 14

U.S. Carrier: ABC 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 4:00pm et



Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
Infineon Raceway
Sunday, August 28

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 4:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN 4:00pm et



Baltimore Grand Prix
Streets of Baltimore
Sunday, September 4

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 11:00pm et



Indy Japan 300
Twin-Ring Motegi
Sunday, September 18

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 11:00pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 11:00pm et



Kentucky Indy 300
Kentucky Speedway
Sunday, October 2

U.S. Carrier: VERSUS 2pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 6:30pm et



IZOD INDYCAR World Championships at Las Vegas
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, October 16

U.S. Carrier: ABC 3:30pm et
Canadian Carrier: TSN2 4:00pm et