Race-goers at the Indianapolis 500 consumed an unprecedented volume of data during the crowd-packed event.
Dive into the Digital Deluge at the 2025 Indy 500
Showing no signs of slowing down, the 2025 Indianapolis 500 left spectators buzzing with excitement, as they made history by using a whopping 172 terabytes of data on Verizon's network - a jaw-dropping 35% increase year-over-year, thanks to the continuing surge of 5G adoption. That's like moving 57 million digital photos!
Picture this: the Indy 500's massive data consumption eclipsed the Coachella music festival (129 TB), the highest mark set by more than one million Iowa State Fair visitors in 2024 (393.1 TB), and even Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in 2023 (a mere 29 TB).
If sports are more your thing, the Super Bowl Sunday event in New Orleans' Caesars Superdome this year got a combined 67 TB of data usage on Verizon and AT&T networks, while Wi-Fi mostly winged it at 17.2 TB.
Digging deeper into the Indy 500, fans inside the Motor Speedway poured over a quarter of that data into uploading their personal race highlights and real-time chats with fellow Swifties, thanks to encouraging incentives like streaming diverse race angles on their phones or through a mobile app.
Making a comeback after an eight-year absence, the Indy 500 managed to lift its delightful local TV blackout (finally!) with 7.05 million avid viewers tuning into Fox, making it the most-watched race since 2008. Kudos to Verizon's high-speed, reliable network for keeping fans in the loop!
Editor's note: Penny for your thoughts? The Indy 500, IndyCar, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, oh my! Originally owned by Roger Penske's Penske Entertainment Corporation, they're now part of the Penske Corporation family. The IndyCar series is supported by Verizon, while Sportico, a media company owned by Penske Media Corporation (PMC) - helmed by Roger's son, Jay Penske - maintains its editorial independence from the Penske Corporation.
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While the 2025 Indy 500's comeback was met with cheers, its predecessor in 2016 brought a storm. Read up on the controversy that rocked the fans and the Indy 500 fraternity!
[1] "Verizon's 5G Network Scores Big at this Year's Super Bowl," Network World. [2] "CES 2023: How Verizon is Turning 5G Tech into Reality," Verizon News. [3] "Verizon 5G Ultrawideband Network Powering Major Sports Venues," Verizon News. [4] "Data usage soars at the 2025 Indianapolis 500," RaceFans.
- The 2025 Indy 500's data-and-cloud-computing feats also extended to sports events, with football's Champions League using Verizon's technology for streaming matches in European leagues.
- Sports enthusiasts might be surprised to know that the IndyCar series, supported by technology giant Verizon, is now part of the Penske Corporation family, alongside the Indy 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- If you're passionate about football or any European leagues, don't miss out on the immersive viewing experience that Verizon's high-speed, reliable network offers while championing your favorite teams.
