Boxing News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Nov 21, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland (77) drives during practice for the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Netflix Takes On ESPN In Bid For F1 Broadcasting In US - Report

Originally posted on F1 on SI | By Lydia Mee | Last updated Feb 7, 2025 6:27 AM ET

According to a report from Autosport, Netflix is considering a bid for Formula 1 broadcasting rights in the United States, potentially challenging ESPN's current arrangement.

With the exclusivity period for ESPN to renegotiate its contract with Liberty Media now over, Netflix is aiming to secure the live streaming rights starting with the 2026 season. This move could disrupt ESPN's $90 million per year deal.

The sport's growing popularity in the United States owes much to Netflix's documentary series, "Drive to Survive." Debuting in 2019, the series brought significant attention and new fans to F1. The momentum from the series opened doors for a broader mainstream audience, making the sport more accessible and appealing than ever before.

Netflix is looking to expand its sports portfolio and has made huge moves that signal its serious intent to enter live sports broadcasting. For instance, the company hired Kate Jackson, a former vice president at ESPN who specialized in F1 production.

Furthermore, Netflix has already moved into the live sports arena by streaming major events like the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul boxing match and securing a global deal with the WWE. They also hold broadcasting rights for international events like the Women's World Cup.

More News: McLaren Concludes Crucial 2026 F1 Test At Circuit Paul Ricard

ESPN, meanwhile, has a longstanding relationship with Formula 1, having resumed broadcasting the sport in 2018. Its early agreements did not come with the insane price tag that they have seen recently. However, as the sport’s popularity surged in the following years, ESPN's annual fees rose significantly to $90 million.

The potential deal with Netflix would not change the current contracts for other markets, such as Sky Sports' secured rights in the UK until 2029. In this potential new era of sports broadcasting for Netflix, the company's strategy might diverge from ESPN's use of existing Sky Sports coverage, especially as Netflix continues to build upon its original F1-related content.

More News: F1 Announces Huge 2025 Las Vegas GP Change

The upcoming bid might not only involve Netflix and ESPN but could also see other major players such as Amazon and Apple considering throwing their hats into the ring. Amazon's previous win over Netflix and ESPN in 2022 for other sports rights indicates it could have interest in this.

2025 Formula One Season Schedule

Pre-Season Testing

Dates: 26-28 Feb
Location: Bahrain, Sakhir
Event Name: FORMULA 1 ARAMCO PRE-SEASON TESTING 2025
Circuit: Pre-Season Testing

Australia

Dates: 14-16 Mar
Location: Australia, Melbourne
Event Name: FORMULA 1 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Melbourne circuit

China

Dates: 21-23 Mar
Location: China, Shanghai
Event Name: FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Shanghai circuit

Japan

Dates: 04-06 Apr
Location: Japan, Suzuka
Event Name: FORMULA 1 LENOVO JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Suzuka circuit

Bahrain

Dates: 11-13 Apr
Location: Bahrain, Sakhir
Event Name: FORMULA 1 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Sakhir circuit

Saudi Arabia

Dates: 18-20 Apr
Location: Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
Event Name: FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Jeddah circuit

Miami

Dates: 02-04 May
Location: Miami, Miami
Event Name: FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit: Miami circuit

Emilia-Romagna

Dates: 16-18 May
Location: Emilia-Romagna, Imola
Event Name: FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2025
Circuit: Imola circuit