With all the changes ABC is making for this year's Indianapolis 500 telecast, you would have thought that the network was planning for something momentous.
Indeed, with ABC concluding a multi-year contract, the bidding for the 500 figured to be furious, with more than one suitor attempting to wrest the rights away from the Alphabet network, now in its 35th year of Indy coverage.
"We started to prepare for this year's 500 in January and we prepared as though this might be the last one we would ever do," said race producer Bob Goodrich. "We said, `Win or lose in the negotiations, we'll still do the best show we've ever done.' "
ABC won, re-upping last week with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for five more years of coverage, but the changes came anyway.
Viewers will immediately notice differences, especially when Al Michaels, the most recognizable face and voice of ABC Sports, introduces the telecast. Michaels, who will also host next weekend's Belmont Stakes, joins a trend of high-profile TV figures, like CBS' Greg Gumbel and NBC's Brian Williams, who have signed up to anchor race telecasts.
Once the race starts, Michaels will hand off to a new voice, Bob Jenkins, the lead commentator for ESPN's NASCAR telecasts. Jenkins, who has been the voice of the 500 on the radio for the past 20 years, takes over for Paul Page, who shifts to ABC's CART telecasts.
Additionally, the network will place two in-car cameras in each of 12 entries, including that of last year's winner, Eddie Cheever, and in the car of Arie Luyendyk, a two-time Indy winner who is making his final run here before retiring from the circuit at the end of the season.
Luyendyk has also agreed to be one of two drivers who will talk with the ABC race team right before the pace lap and right after the race ends.
Coverage of the race begins at 11 a.m. on Channel 2.
Caught in the Web
Sportsline USA has snagged a big Web partner, with an agreement this week to produce and host Major League Baseball's official site.
Sportsline, which also has the PGA Tour and NFL Europe sites, had produced official All-Star Game and World Series sites for baseball last year.
But the new deal will entitle the company to produce the everyday site that will include live game audio broadcasts, streaming audio highlights and related features.
The site, which can be reached at http: //www.majorleaguebaseball.com, will be re-launched in June.
