Apple and ESPN are two of the main contenders amid wider curiosity for the printed rights to Formulation 1 in america, RACER understands.
As reported again in February, Netflix and Amazon are additionally events which have held negotiations with F1, with sources near the matter nonetheless together with the streaming giants within the combine as they flip their attentions to sports activities rights as a part of their choices. However ESPN was at all times set to retain a powerful curiosity as the present broadcast accomplice, having held the rights since 2018.
Whereas the game may stay on ESPN in america, with the community boasting a mean of 1.3 million viewers per race – a seven p.c season-on-season enhance in viewership – this yr, the curiosity from Apple has solely been strengthened by the success of the F1 film that was launched on the finish of final month.
The movie – from director Joseph Kosinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Brad Pitt – was an Apple Unique Movies challenge, and has grossed over $300 million worldwide up to now.
Apple presently has a portion of stay sports activities rights for the MLB – providing Friday Evening Baseball – whereas it holds full protection of the MLS common season and playoffs.
ESPN remained within the race to increase its deal regardless of an exclusivity interval ending with out an settlement earlier this yr, and has seen rising viewers figures once more this season throughout race broadcasts on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, even previous to the discharge of the F1 film.
The numerous events concerned have been eager to see the influence of the movie’s launch on viewers demographics and consciousness of the game, previous to additional advancing discussions. The present rights deal expires on the finish of the present yr, that means there are nonetheless over 5 months for an settlement to be finalized forward of the 2026 marketing campaign.
