ESPN to use Sky Sports F1 TV coverage in US
ESPN will team up with Sky Sports to present its Formula 1 coverage in the United States from 2018 having taken over from NBC Sports for the upcoming season.
After NBC Sports opted to drop its F1 television deal with ESPN stepping in an agreement was confirmed last October but delays emerged over how the Disney-owned broadcaster would present its F1 coverage in its multi-year TV and digital contract.
ESPN will team up with Sky Sports to present its Formula 1 coverage in the United States from 2018 having taken over from NBC Sports for the upcoming season.
After NBC Sports opted to drop its F1 television deal with ESPN stepping in an agreement was confirmed last October but delays emerged over how the Disney-owned broadcaster would present its F1 coverage in its multi-year TV and digital contract.
ESPN has confirmed it will partner with Sky Sports to provide its F1 coverage, as arranged by Formula 1, with a deal recently being approved by all parties. ESPN and Sky Sports production personnel will work together on the US coverage with Sky Sports producing 'special segments to appear on various ESPN platforms to supplement its television coverage'.
“We are excited to work with the Sky Sports team,” Kate Jackson, ESPN coordinating producer in motorsports, said. “Their coverage of F1 is second to none and we look forward to bringing their expertise and authenticity to our audiences.”
ESPN’s TV coverage will commence at the 2018 F1 season opener in Australia on March 25 with all races broadcast live in the United States on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. An estimated 125 hours of F1 programming, including all practice sessions, qualifying and races, will air live and in replay across ESPN platforms in 2018.
A full breakdown of ESPN’s F1 content plan is expected in the coming weeks during the build up to the Australian Grand Prix.
The first F1 broadcast in the US was aired on ABC in 1962 with ESPN showing the sport in the US between 1984 and 1997.
