500 Festival CEO Dave Neff on Racing, Revenue and Relevance

The Month of May in Indianapolis is about more than the race. In this episode, Gerry Dick sits down with 500 Festival CEO Dave Neff to talk about the festival’s evolving role as an economic, cultural, and charitable force for Indianapolis and Indiana. The conversation explores the relationship between the festival, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the community and the challenges and opportunities facing large-scale events in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. He also shares insights from his previous role leading NIL initiatives at Purdue University, offering a candid look at the evolving business of college athletics. From racing tradition to the transformation of college athletics, this episode examines two uniquely American institutions navigating change while trying to preserve what makes them special.