Following its first-ever race in Portland, Oregon, this past weekend, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has announced new partnerships with CBS Network and Roku Media to feature live races on multiple platforms in the US.
Formula E is a single-seater motorsport championship series that was conceived as an all-electric counter to the super-popular Formula 1 combustion vehicle series. Formula E held its inaugural championship race in 2014 and has grown in popularity since, gaining FIA world championship status in 2020.
Season 8 introduced an exciting new “knockout” qualifying format and marked the last year Formula E would drive its Gen2 EVs. Ahead of season 9, Formula E introduced its Gen3 car, which is lighter, faster, and much more angular… oh, and it’s powered by electric motors from Lucid.
Last December, Formula E announced a race coming to Portland for the first time – its only US event planned for 2023. The E-Prix was met with great success this past weekend – so much so that the racing league has announced it will be returning to the city next season.
Today, we learned that the confirmed Formula E race for 2024 will be one of several broadcast and live-streamed under newly signed partnerships with both CBS and Roku.
Roku lands its first live sports rights deal with Formula E
According to Formula E, its new broadcast distribution deal includes an extension of coverage with existing partner CBS, which will air more live races than ever. Additionally, Roku has signed on as the official streaming partner of FIA Formula E – marking the platform’s very first venture into rights for a live sporting event.
When season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship kicks off in January 2024, five races will air live on CBS Television Network and will be simulcast on the Paramount+ app. CBS Sports Network will also air one program per E-Prix round showcasing race highlights.
Additionally, 11 Formula E races will be streamed live on The Roku Channel in 2024, featuring ad-free content, in addition to access to the platform’s Sports Experience on the home screen. Both CBS and Paramount+ are also already available for download on the Roku platform, so fans of Formula E can watch their favorite drivers however they want. Formula E’s chief media officer Aarti Dabas spoke:
This is a powerful new partnership with CBS and Roku that will dramatically increase Formula E’s audience reach and maximize discoverability of our programming in the USA. We value the strength of our ongoing relationship with CBS and are delighted to join forces with Roku and supercharge Formula E content on their market-leading platform.
Roku says it currently has over 70 million active accounts globally and is the number-one TV streaming platform in North America based on hours streamed. Roku’s magnitude of an audience sounds like a win for Formula E, which remains a relatively nascent motorsport even as it wraps up its ninth season next month. Roku Media’s head of content David Eilenberg also spoke to the partnership:
It’s an honor to partner with Formula E on Roku’s first-ever live sports partnership, making it easier for millions of TV streamers to discover the thrill of Formula E races through the unique integrated viewing experiences only available on Roku. We look forward to working together with Formula E, as well as our longstanding partners at CBS and Paramount+, to drive viewership to this programming and to connect new audiences with the exhilarating world of Formula E.
In addition to 11 live Formula E races next year, Roku says it will offer its users a library of electric racing content, including Formula E’s docuseries “Unplugged,” in addition to race previews, highlights, and replays.
Season 9 has two races in Rome taking place July 15-16, followed by the series finale in London, July 29-30. Portland remains the only city confirmed for season 10 so far, but we are sure to learn more scheduling later this fall.
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