Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 had its biggest television audience in 17 years.

Alex Palou’s victory averaged 7.05 million viewers on Fox, according to Nielsen. That is the largest audience since 2008, when Scott Dixon’s win averaged 7.25 million on ABC. That was also the first year of a combined open-wheel series

The viewer numbers peaked at 8.44 million for the race’s conclusion from 4:15-4:30 p.m. EDT.

This is the first year that Fox has the IndyCar package. IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had a long relationship with ABC from 1965 until 2018 while NBC aired the prestigious race from 2019 through 2024.

It was a 40% increase from last year when the race averaged 5.02 million on NBC.

Baseball

Red Sox trade Pitcher to Athletics >> The Boston Red Sox traded left-hander Sean Newcomb to the Athletics for an undisclosed amount of cash.

The 31-year-old Massachusetts native was designated for assignment on Saturday after posting a 3.95 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 12 games this season. He opened the year as a starter, taking five turns through the rotation, before being sent to the bullpen, where he has given up runs in each of his last four outings.

A first-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, Newcomb is 28-29 with a 4.46 ERA in 187 career games with the Braves, Cubs, Athletics and Red Sox.

NFL

Bills’ Bosa to miss spring training >> Buffalo Bills veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa is expected to miss all of the team’s spring practices because of a calf injury, coach Sean McDermott announced as the team opened its first series of voluntary sessions.

McDermott said Bosa was hurt while working out with the team last week, and he expects the player entering his 10th NFL season to be ready for the start of training camp in late July.

The Bills signed Bosa to a one-year, $12.6 million contract in March in the hopes that he can reestablish himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers. Bosa, who turns 30 in July, is coming off three injury-shortened seasons in which he was limited to playing in 28 games because of groin, foot, hip and back issues.

College basketball

Florida’s Condon withdraws from NBA Draft >> Florida forward Alex Condon has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to school for his junior season, significantly boosting the Gators’ chances of repeating as national champions.

Coach Todd Golden said last week he was “cautiously optimistic” the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian would be back for another season. He got the news a day before the deadline for players to withdraw from draft consideration.

Soccer

LAFC’s Vela announces retirment >> Former Major League Soccer MVP Carlos Vela announced his retirement.

The 36-year-old Vela spent the previous seven seasons with Los Angeles FC, which signed the Mexican forward as its first designated player in 2017 before the expansion club had played a game.

Vela became LAFC’s leader in goals (78), assists (59) and games played (152) in a career highlighted by his MVP season in 2019, during which he set an MLS record with 34 goals. LAFC won the MLS Cup in 2022 and earned Supporters’ Shield trophies in 2019 and 2022 during Vela’s tenure.

Olympics

Berlin seeking bid to host 2036 Olympics >> Berlin has formally presented its bid to rehost the Olympics in the same stadium where Jesse Owens starred during the 1936 Games under the Nazis.

Berlin sports minister Iris Spranger said the city wants to put on a sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044, by refurbishing existing sports venues.