Tracy to be part of Sportsnet’s Canadian coverage

UPDATE Fans, start your engines. Sportsnet today announced it has secured a five-year agreement for the exclusive Canadian multiplatform rights to the IZOD IndyCar Series as well as rights to the Firestone Indy Lights. The new agreement, which begins in 2013 and runs through to 2017, includes a minimum of 16 races each season, including the Indianapolis 500, which will be delivered to Canadians through a suite of multimedia platforms – television, online and mobile.

With coverage on five Sportsnet channels, six City channels and live streaming available for Rogers wireless and cable television customers via RogersAnyplaceTV.com and Rogers Anyplace TV Live mobile app, Sportsnet will deliver more than 100 hours of racing coverage in 2013 across television, online and mobile.

The new five-year partnership marks the first multi-year, multiplatform agreement with Sportsnet for IZOD IndyCar Series rights, and also includes the broadcast rights to the Firestone Indy Lights. Additionally, through Sportsnet’s agreement with TVA Sports, the deal also includes expanded French-language coverage across television, online and mobile with a minimum of 16 races per season to be broadcast on TVA Sports.

02/26/13 Paul Tracy, the 2003 CART champion and native of Scarborough, Ontario, will undoubtedly blend his humor with unvarnished analysis as he joins Sportsnet's broadcasts of the IZOD IndyCar Series at select races this season.

Sportsnet, a Rogers Media company, announced today a five-year agreement with INDYCAR for exclusive Canadian multiplatform rights to IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights events, beginning with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 24. Sportsnet will deliver more than 100 hours of racing coverage in 2013 across TV, online and mobile.

Additionally, through Sportsnet's agreement with TVA Sports, the deal also includes expanded French-language race coverage across the same platforms.

"The IZOD IndyCar Series is the ultimate series in auto racing," said Navaid Mansuri, vice president of Finance & Sports Programming for Rogers Media. "We are thrilled to partner with INDYCAR for the exclusive Canadian rights for this series and to deliver coverage of these events to Canadian auto racing fans like they've never seen. This agreement bolsters Sportsnet's diverse portfolio of premium sports assets, content and championship events, as well as furthers Rogers' and Sportsnet's commitment to investing in sports to drive future growth."

Sportsnet, launched in 1998, is comprised of the nationally distributed Sportsnet ONE and four regional channels. All are available in high definition.

Tracy, who is tied with Sebastien Bourdais and Dario Franchitti for seventh on the career victory list with 31, will join the Sportsnet broadcast team that features Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer Bill Adam, pit reporter Todd Lewis and host Rob Faulds for the broadcasts of the Indianapolis 500, Honda Indy Toronto and a race to be determined.

Through RogersAnyPlaceTV.com, Rogers digital television customers can stream Sportsnet's TV coverage. Rogers wireless customers will have access to streaming and additional sports content on their smartphones with the Rogers Anyplace TV mobile app available through the Apple App Store, Google Play and BlackBerry App World.

Sportsnet's 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series broadcast schedule with channels

1. Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Sunday, March 24, noon (ET) — Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific
2. Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Sunday, April 7, 2:30 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
3. Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday, April 21, 4 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet East, Ontario, Pacific and ONE
4. Sao Paulo Indy 300 Sunday, May 5, 11 a.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
5. Indianapolis 500 Sunday, May 26, 11 a.m. (ET) — Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific
6. Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit – Race 1 Saturday, June 1, 3:30 p.m. (ET) — City Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver
7. Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit – Race 2 Sunday, June 2, 3:30 p.m. (ET) — City Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver
8. Firestone 550 Saturday, June 8, 8:30 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific
9. Milwaukee IndyFest Saturday, June 15, 4 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
10. Iowa Corn Indy 250 Sunday, June 23, 2:30 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
11. Pocono INDYCAR 400 Sunday, July 7, noon (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
12. Honda Indy Toronto – Race 1 Saturday, July 13, 3 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific
13. Honda Indy Toronto – Race 2 Sunday, July 14, 3 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific
14. Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sunday, Aug. 4, 3 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
15. GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma Sunday, Aug. 25, 4 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
16. Grand Prix of Baltimore Sunday, Sept. 1, 2 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE
17. Shell & Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston – Race 1 Saturday, Oct. 5, 3 p.m. (ET) — TBD
18. Shell & Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston – Race 2 Sunday, Oct. 6, 1 p.m. (ET) — TBD
19. MAVTV 500 Saturday, Oct. 19, 8 p.m. (ET) — Sportsnet ONE