Following record-breaking numbers in 2022, Sky Sports inks a new deal to continue as Formula One’s exclusive home until the end of 2029!
Many in the United States likely have a Sunday morning television habit. Perhaps it’s morning news, inspirational programming, or sports. For motorsports enthusiasts, 24 of the years’ 52 Sundays, have come to feature the familiar intro and theme song of Sky Sports’ F1 coverage. Since 2018, the ESPN family of networks have shown turnkey coverage in what makes the world’s premier competition of motorsport the spectacle it is today.
After a tumultuous start with coverage of the 2018 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, in came primary sponsor Mother’s Polish, and suddenly fans were presented with turnkey coverage of Sky Sports’ slick presentation.
Commercial Free
Sky Sports’ presentation has changed the way the United States views motorsport coverage. One of the standout features is Sky Sports and in turn, ESPN’s, running of the entire Grand Prix without commercials. Something that is foreign in American sports coverage whether it be the NFL, NASCAR, or NBA. This is why F1 fans in both the UK and the US will be thrilled after Sky Sports announced a multi-year extension of its partnership with Formula One. They will remain the exclusive television partner for the United Kingdom and Ireland until the conclusion of the 2029 F1 season.
This extension also confirmed Sky as the official home of Formula One in all of Sky’s broadcasting markets. With greater exclusivity, Sky Italia, Sky Deutschland, Austria, and Switzerland will retain Formula One rights until the conclusion of the F1 season in 2027.
Set your alarms nice and early for LIVE coverage from 6:50am tomorrow morning on Sky Sports F1 of the final day of testing in Bahrain! 📺 pic.twitter.com/7h1Y1vUIfm
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 11, 2022
Said Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1:
“We are incredibly proud of our long-term partnership with Sky, and we are delighted to announce that we will continue working together until 2029, a very important commitment from Sky…Since the beginning of our relationship in 2012, we have both strived to bring the excitement, emotion and drama of Formula 1 to our traditional fans while engaging new and more diverse audiences…Formula 1 has seen huge growth in recent years, and I can’t think of a better partner to continue to reach our fans with dedicated, expert and in-depth coverage…Sky not only brings fans live coverage but a range of behind-the-scenes access and content that brings F1 to life. We are hugely excited about the future of the partnership and the journey of Formula 1.”
Sky Sports’ coverage of Formula One has showcased a form of sports coverage that American viewers are unaccustomed to. While television networks go above and beyond in their own respective showcases of programming (such as the case with CBS’s coverage of college basketball or NBC Sports coverage of Sunday Night Football), ESPN’s turnkey coverage of Sky Sports F1 showcases United States viewers how coverage can feel to be a Super Bowl caliber event any day of the year! ESPN’s current contract runs through the conclusion of the 2025 campaign with negotiations ongoing to extend. But for at least the next few years, viewers will be able to receive a taste of greatness in what makes Formula One the premier form of motorsport in the world today.
