You do the research. Fox News ot just Fox Sports has been broadcasting from the Speedway most of the week.
A number of years back it wasn’t the star it use to be, but since Penske bought the speedway he has brought it back the it’s respectable position. 350K+ don’t show up for nothing.
it is true things have improved, but still a fraction of what attention it got through the 80's and into the 90's.
Now most of that reason is that there are so many other entertainment options out there. It is why Hockey is not what it was; Tennis, others. I went to Indy for the Time Trials and watched the race into the early 2000's and the crowds at Indy have always been there. Now at its nadir, the crowds did dwindle. And Penske has made a significant difference. But it can never regain what it once was.
I can remember when Papers like the Chicago Tribune or NYT would have the Indy results taking up most of the front page.
No more.
As I said, a LOT of that is that there is so much out there anymore none of the sports that once really mattered do.
I can remember when Sports Illustrated had front page news about the Davis Cup.
When the Americas Cup was huge news.
And a huge crowd for one event is not as big a deal as it once was
lots of reasons for that as lets face it; 350,000 in 1969 (My first year) does not mean what it does today.