Roger Penske, the new owner of the NTT IndyCar Series, says he aims to enhance the viewing experience for fans.
It was announced in November that Penske Entertainment Corp will purchase Hulman & Company, which owns the NTT IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS productions – which own the broadcasting rights to the series.
The 82-year old is keen to make the coverage engaging with fans and put drivers at the forefront of the series.
“This opportunity will allow us to engage millions of fans through the broadcast mediums around the world as well as the 300,000 people attending the largest single sports event in the world – the Indianapolis 500,” Penske said during his induction into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
“It’s important to demonstrate the physical and mental challenges that our amazing drivers face each weekend by monitoring (their) mental condition throughout the race.“We have the technology to put the fans in the drivers’ seat so they can appreciate the capabilities of these amazing athletes.
”During his time as a driver, Penske quipped that his team would ‘write messages on chalkboards’ to communicate.
Penske gave the teams credit for being open and honest with the technology they’re using and even their race strategies to help fans understand the process.“Imagine an NFL quarterback and his head coach talking through a key play at the line of scrimmage and then hearing the reaction of the play as it developed,”
Penske added. “Now imagine that at 200 miles per hour.”
The official purchase of Hulman & Co is set to be formally completed in January for an undisclosed fee.
Penske's acceptance speech can be viewed below (video courtesy of Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame).
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