US-based livestreaming audio service TuneIn has struck a deal with motor racing’s premier Formula 1 (F1) series.
TuneIn will provide live coverage of all races during the remainder of the 2023 F1 season, as well as of all practice and qualifying sessions. The agreement for the service to become an official audio broadcaster of the 10-team series was announced yesterday (June 12).
Go deeper with GlobalData
Aside from live coverage of the 15 remaining races, TuneIn Premium subscribers who miss the action will have access to full replays TuneIn's coverage for each event.
Ian Holmes, Formula 1’s director of media rights and content creation, said: "As F1 has expanded its footprint in North America over the last five years, we have seen the development of a passionate fan base, especially in Canada and the US, who want to follow F1 wherever they are. This partnership with TuneIn, along with other audio arrangements we have in the territory, highlights our commitment to utilizing different platforms and media to broadcast F1 to as broad and diverse an audience as possible.”
TV coverage of F1 in the US is provided by a combination of ESPN, Spanish-language ESPN Deportes, and ABC.
The series has enjoyed a substantial rise in audience figures and interest over the last few years in the market, partly helped by the immensely popular Formula 1: Drive to Survive docuseries produced by Netflix.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataIn turn, this rise in popularity has led to more US races being scheduled this season. The Miami Grand Prix took place last month (in front of 270,000 fans), and events are also penciled in for Austin in October and Las Vegas in November.
Kevin Straley, chief content officer of TuneIn, added: “This partnership drives home the fact that TuneIn is devoted to giving our loyal listeners and generations of diehard sports fans access to not only premium sports content in general but premium motorsports audio coverage with the addition of F1 alongside Nascar and IndyCar.”
The streaming service has a long-term partnership in place with American football’s NFL and is covering the entirety of the 2023 Major League Baseball season as well. It also held audio rights for March’s World Baseball Classic national teams competition.
Elsewhere, licensed experiential hospitality brand F1 Arcade has announced incoming investment of £30 million ($37.5 million) to fuel future international growth.
F1 itself has invested, alongside its owning company Liberty Media (both are equity partners), while other high-profile investing figures are McLaren Racing’s chief executive Zak Brown, and that team’s drivers Lando Norris and Logan Sergeant. There was also participation from the investment firm Imbiba.
The first F1 Arcade site opened in London last December, and F1 Arcade aims to open over 30 locations globally by the end of 2027. A second UK site in Birmingham will open by the end of this year.
The social hospitality brand has said it plans to “own and operate sites in the UK and the US, and multiple discussions are underway with leading franchise partners around the world, including [in] Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.”
The funding will primarily go to support F1 Arcade’s US expansion plans, off the back of the sport’s rising popularity in that market. A site at Boston Seaport will launch next year, as the first part of that expansion.
Adam Breeden, F1 Arcade’s chief executive and founder, commented: “We are truly excited to be working closely with Liberty Media and Formula 1 as equity partners as we drive towards global growth. Not only do we have an exceptional business model and product, but we are excited about the power of the F1 Arcade brand, its appeal to international audiences, as well as potential partners around the world.
"Given the success of the first location and its appeal to such a diverse audience, we believe F1 Arcade has the potential to become one of the most sought-after experiential hospitality brands globally.”
The London F1 Arcade site contains 60 racing simulators, viewing screens, reaction-based games, and food and beverage outlets.
Image: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
