Indy 500 proves all races should be blacked out in local market

The number of empty seats at this year's Indy 500 were alarming given all the Fernando Alonso hype. While it's still the biggest crowd in all of motorsports, it was far from a sellout this year. Yet there are some idiots out there who are suggesting the local TV blackout should be lifted. (See photos below)

As we have written previously, since NASCAR stopped blacking out all their races in the local market, attendance has plummeted. If the Indy 500 isn't sold out, which it never is since Tony George took his hammer to the sport, the only way they will get anywhere near 300,000 on race day is to have a local TV blackout. If they make it live, attendance will drop by 1/3 to 1/2 overnight. NASCAR has proved that for years.

As we have suggested, if IndyCar wants to increase attendance at race tracks, all the races should be blacked out in the local market. For the races on NBCSN, the ratings won't be affected by losing the local market because they are so low now IndyCar is already an invisible sport.

If the Indy 500 is not sold out and you lift the TV blackout in the local market, the number of empty seats for the 500 are likely to triple