F1 Chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali speaks.
ESPN will continue to broadcast Formula 1 races in the United States for the next three years after a new deal with the sport has been agreed.
After striking a new deal with UK broadcaster Sky last month, F1 has followed suit in the US with current broadcaster ESPN’s contract extension until the end of the 2025 season.
ESPN, owned by the Walt Disney Company, has had the rights to broadcast F1 races since 2018 and, more importantly, they will remain commercial-free.
F1 has announced that at least 16 races will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN and has also stated its plans to allow American fans to consume F1 content on platforms such as ESPN+, with details to be announced at a later date.
The 2023 season will be the biggest year in US F1 history, with the country set to host three grands prix as part of a record 24-race schedule. The United States Grand Prix will continue to be held in Texas, while the Miami Grand Prix is on the calendar for the second year.
The Las Vegas Strip will become a race track over the weekend when F1 returns to Sin City for the first time since 1982.
The number of US residents tuning in has been growing year over year with an average of 949,000 viewers per race in 2021 rising to 1.2 million in 2022. For the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, an average of 2 .6 million US viewers tuned in.
For Spanish-speaking viewers, ESPN Deportes will continue to broadcast the races.
The Fanzone was shutting down in Austin! 😍
Thanks for all the support and love ❤️#USGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/npkQ5vZ3Ur
– Formula 1 (@F1) October 22, 2022
Formula 1 Chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the partnership with ESPN will help the sport continue to grow in the US.
“We are delighted to announce that our partnership with ESPN will continue,” he said. “Formula 1 has seen incredible growth in the United States with sold-out events and record television audiences, and the addition of Las Vegas to the calendar next season, along with Austin and Miami, will see us host three spectacular races there.
“ESPN networks have played a significant role in that growth with their dedicated quality coverage. We are excited to expand our relationship and continue to bring the passion and excitement of Formula 1 to our viewers in the US together.”
F1 director of media rights and content creation Ian Holmes said the six races in the Americas region (USA, Miami, Las Vegas, Mexico, Brazil and Canada) will make the F1 offering more “more attractive than ever”.
“After Formula 1 returned to ESPN networks five years ago, the popularity of the sport has grown impressively. The extension and expansion of our partnership is a reflection of the exciting times ahead and the result of our shared desire to bring Formula 1 to as wide and diverse an audience as possible in the US.
“The popular commercial-free broadcasts ensure viewers continue to engage with F1 before, during and after the race. Starting next year we will have six races in the Americas, which means more favorable time zones for fans in the region, which will make the Formula 1 offer more attractive than ever.
Keyword: ESPN agrees to three-year extension to US F1 coverage
