INDYCAR’s decision to move Verizon IndyCar Series media rights exclusively to NBC Sports Group in 2019 is a “huge win across the board” for the series, its fans and its drivers, James Hinchcliffe said today.

“From a driver’s perspective, we’re all obviously very excited about this deal,” the popular Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver said during a media teleconference after the deal was disclosed. “... INDYCAR has done an incredible job the last five, six years of putting the best on-track product on four wheels out there. As drivers, we’re out their risking our lives to put on a good show. The more people that get to see it and get entertained by it, the better it is for us.”

The three-year contract will put eight Verizon IndyCar Series races, including the Indianapolis 500, on NBC next year, with the remaining races on NBCSN, which shares TV rights with ABC through the end of this season.

“We’re delighted by every aspect of this announcement today and these arrangements,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Hulman & Company, the parent of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The increase in the number of races on broadcast (TV) is really important to the continued growth of the series. The continuity with one media partner who is committed to the sport and to INDYCAR, who can help promote from race to race to race throughout the season, is important.”

NBCSN has seen a 78 percent growth in viewership of INDYCAR events over the past four years. It will telecast 12 of the series' 17 races in 2018, and was eager to obtain rights to the entire schedule.

“The opportunity to have the entire series was very important to us,” said Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports and NBCSN. “Then, of course, to be able to have the crown jewel, the Indianapolis 500, on NBC really puts the icing on the cake for us and makes our championship season portfolio even stronger. This becomes one of the leading properties on our air and it’s one of the most iconic events in all of American sports.”

The deal also places a large amount of accessory content on NBC Sports Gold, a direct-to-consumer subscription service that provides video feeds not available on any other platform, including practice and qualifying sessions that aren’t televised live.

Among expected offerings on NBC Sports Gold are races from the top level of the Mazda Road to Indy stepladder, Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires, the INDYCAR postseason championship celebration and Miller Lite Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It’s emerging but not new,” Miles said of the over-the-top content. “It really Is a way for us with NBC to go straight to hardcore fans and particularly younger fans who want a deeper experience with INDYCAR. It’s meant to be complementary to television. It’s access through internet. INDYCAR will be behind a paywall, so we’re incentivized together to put great content on this platform. It will be a way to get deeper into INDYCAR.”

The deal puts the series and the Indy 500 on the same platform that televises the all three Triple Crown horse races including the Kentucky Derby, the Stanley Cup Finals, the French Open and the British Open – all NBC Sports properties to televise.

“It’s just one more way for us to showcase not only the Indianapolis 500, but also all of these other great properties, and we use all of the assets at NBC’s disposal to do that,” Miller said.

Only the Indy 500 has been locked in so far as one of the eight set for broadcast on NBC. The other seven will be chosen later, Miles said.

“It’s hard for them to know exactly what it will mean to (INDYCAR partner tracks) individually, but certainly for INDYCAR collectively, it’s great for the brand,” Miles said.  

Miller also said NBC Sports Group intends to use some of NBCUniversal’s programming and on-air talent from sports and entertainment to help promote the Indy 500.

“We look at it as an opportunity,” Miller said. “... There won’t be anybody in America who won’t know when the Indy 500 is on in May of 2019. We’re going to use everything we can to make it bigger, including the way we’re going to treat the property and treat the show on race day.”  

Miles and Hinchcliffe appeared on CNBC this morning to further explain INDYCAR's deal with NBC Sports Group. Watch it here: