Formula E revs up CBS Sports partnership, strikes Roku rights deal
Details
Editor
| 28 June 2023
Closing deals that will mean the all-electric FIA World Championship motorsports series is seen in more places and platforms, Formula E has announced broadcast distribution partnerships in the US covering the worlds of broadcasting and streaming.
Roku Formula E 28June2023
The new partnerships, which also mark Roku’s first-ever live sports rights acquisition, are said to reflect growing interest in all-electric motorsport racing in the US. Starting next season, 11 races in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be available on The Roku Channel, a leader in free ad-supported streaming, and will also be accessible through the Sports Experience on Roku’s Home Screen.

Beginning in January 2024, five races will air live on CBS Television Network and simulcast on Paramount+, with both channels already featured and integrated on Roku’s platform. Roku users who subscribe to Paramount+ can access the races airing on the service through the Paramount+ app on Roku’s Sports Experience. CBS Sports Network will also show one highlights programme per round.

In addition to offering streamers the live races, Roku will also bring its audience a robust offering of Formula E library content, including Formula E's docu-follow series Unplugged, as well as race previews, highlights, replays of all races, and more.

Formula E, CBS Sports and Roku announced the multi-year broadcast deal for the US market following the first Formula E World Championship race at the Portland International Raceway in Oregon. Formula E recently confirmed that the series will return to Portland in season 10 when the new broadcast partnership will be active.

“This is a powerful new partnership with CBS and Roku that will dramatically increase Formula E’s audience reach and maximise discoverability of our programming in the US,” commented Formula E chief media officer Aarti Dabas. “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.”

“It’s an honour 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,” said Roku Media head of content David Eilenberg. “We look forward to working together with Formula E, as well as our long-standing partners at CBS and Paramount+, to drive viewership to this programming and to connect new audiences with the exhilarating world of Formula E.”

Billy Stone, Programming, CBS Sports, remarked: “Formula E is innovative and exciting racing, and we’re thrilled to expand our partnership and broadcast more live races across CBS and Paramount+.”