Formula 1: Apple grabs the exclusive rights for the USA

Formula 1 races in the USA will be broadcast on Apple TV in the future: A five-year partnership secures the IT company the exclusive rights for broadcasting on the home market. In addition to the Grand Prix, Apple also streams free practice, qualifying and the sprint races as part of the existing Apple TV subscription, as the company announced. Individual content is to be available free of charge, but is likely to remain limited to the USA by geo-locking.

Apple did not want to give concrete technical details yet. F1 TV Premium, which offers Multiview, among other things, will continue to exist, but only as part of an Apple TV subscription.

Apple interested in global sports rights

What Apple is willing to pay for the broadcasting rights remains under wraps. It is rumoured in the industry that the company pays around 140 million US dollars per year for this, significantly more than its previous Formula 1 partner ESPN. On top of that, Apple wants to drum up support for Formula 1 in its own apps, including Apple Maps or Maps and Apple Music.

Apple is silent about a later global expansion of Formula 1 streaming. What is clear, however, is that the company wants full control over sports broadcasts, as is already the case with the MLS football league. This also includes the option of streaming worldwide if possible. “We want to have a sport in our own hands from start to finish,” Apple’s head of service Eddy Cue recently emphasized in a Interview by The Town.

Formula 1 film a hit for Apple

Apple’s long-cherished interest in Formula 1 is no secret: The company recently landed a box office hit with the feature film “F1”. From December, the flick can then be seen on the in-house streaming service Apple TV+, which has just been renamed “Apple TV”.

The company has already used its own iPhone apps for cross-promotion: In Apple Maps, for example, there are advertising posters for F1, and such actions are now to be expected to increase. With an unsolicited promotional push message for the purchase of cinema tickets from the wallet pre-installed for Apple Pay, the company recently caused discussions among users.