Versus to replace ESPN/ESPN2 for IndyCar

UPDATE #2 Versus will become the exclusive cable television home of the Indy Racing League next year with its agreement to a 10-year deal worth an estimated $60 million. Versus, which will take over from ESPN and ESPN2, will carry 13 races. ABC will continue to broadcast the Indianapolis 500 and four other IRL events. The agreement also gives Versus the rights to carry all of the Indy 500 qualifying. Scott Guglielmino, a vice president for programming for ESPN, said shedding the 13 IRL races was not connected to the network’s holding NASCAR rights. NY Times

[Editor's Note: Bottom line: ESPN wanted the IRL to buy time on its network and Versus was willing to pay the IRL $6 million per year. However, cumulatively the teams and the league will lose more than $6M per year in sponsor revenue because ratings on Versus will be a small fraction of those on ESPN, so is this a case of the IRL being penny-wise and pound foolish?]

08/07/08 As when Champ Car moved to Spike TV, Versus will help the IRL become invisible to the general public as it is not a channel most sports fans think to channel surf to and many hotels and sports bars don't bother to have it. Certainly the IRL and its teams will take a major hit when it comes to landing sponsorship because of this move.

08/07/08 Curt Cavin of The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Versus will join ABC as a television partner for the series next year.

The ABC Network has signed a new contract that will keep them with IndyCar through 2012. They’ll broadcast five events in 2009, including the 93rd Indianapolis 500. But Versus, which is owned by Comcast and is home to the NHL and the Tour de France, will carry a minimum of 13 races next year in a multiyear agreement.

According to Cavin, the channel will utilize pre/post-race shows, longer time windows, and specialty shows to try and overcome a gap of 23 million homes between itself (73 million) and ESPN/ESPN2 (96 million each). We should know more about those new offerings later this afternoon at 2 p.m. ET, when the league holds a teleconference to presumably discuss the matter.

All races will still be produced by ESPN.