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Verizon also gets a series that can go nowhere but up, and it gets it at a cost that's affordable by professional sporting standards. But maybe this strengthens that relationship in ways that won't show up for some time.īecause Ind圜ar is owned by Hulman and Co., which includes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Verizon also likely gets a platform at the Indianapolis 500, a property in line with the Daytona 500, which Verizon can't join due to Sprint's exclusivity. So what did Verizon get out of the deal? It already had Roger Penske and his three-car Ind圜ar Series team, with Will Power (full-time) and Juan Pablo Montoya (eight races) sporting the company's decals. Amid slumping television ratings and low self-esteem, Ind圜ar could stand to be anywhere. It is one of the world's most familiar brands, and it figures to carry Ind圜ar to places former series title sponsors Pep Boys, Northern Light and Izod never could. Verizon will do more than give Ind圜ar a $10 million annual lifeline for the next 10 years, as the Sports Business Journal reported it will give Ind圜ar relevancy.
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Everyone knows Verizon, including those Sprint customers going to NASCAR Cup Series races. Verizon isn't just a name for Ind圜ar, and it's not just a partner. Mostly, Ind圜ar needed a partner for the sake of saving face because no one wants to look unwanted, especially in the spotlight. Ind圜ar was in desperate need of a title sponsor, someone to replace Izod, which left after the 2013 campaign. With confirmation Friday that Verizon has become the Ind圜ar Series' new title sponsor, the question is front and center: Which company hit the home run? Or was it both?