- Formula E had four different FTA broadcasters in space of nine years
- Series wants to create “consistency” through new pay-TV deal
Formula E’s new media rights deal with pay-TV broadcaster TNT Sports in the UK will be “challenging” for existing fans, admits the series’ chief marketing officer Henry Chilcott.
In December last year, the all-electric series agreed a multi-year deal with the Warner Bros Discovery (WBD)-owned broadcaster.
Up until that point, Formula E had been available exclusively through free-to-air (FTA) channels but had always struggled to find a consistent home.
Channel 4’s two-year contract with the championship expired at the end of 2023, while it also bounced between BBC, ITV4 and Channel 5 in the years prior.
“[Moving to TNT Sports] is undoubtedly going to be challenging for a number of our fans who have got used to accessing it free of charge,” Chilcott told BlackBook Motorsport.
“On the positive side, we’re opening up this sport to a lot of people who may not have seen it before, who are already subscribed to TNT Sports and, therefore, get access to it as part of their existing packages.”
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In total, Formula E has bounced between four different FTA broadcasters since its debut season, working out at a new channel almost every other season.
Chilcott added: “One of things that has been a challenge for Formula E is creating consistency in our product, consistency in where you can access that product, and consistency in when the races are and where the races are.
“A brand should be a marker of consistency in a product. We’re really looking to create that consistency and hopefully with TNT Sports, versus the changes over the last three years, we’re going to achieve that consistency.”
BlackBook says…
While moving behind a paywall limits existing fans’ ability to access the sport, the hope is that a consistent home for Formula E will begin to build momentum, especially after jumping between FTA channels in the UK.
There’s rarely a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to media rights, and existing fans are bound to be disappointed. However, the financial security a deal like this provides cannot be underestimated.
Simply put, the FTA route to market just wasn’t working for Formula E in the UK. The series has shown it supports a FTA audience with rights deals in Germany, Austria, Italy and France, so it is clear the UK has been unable to provide similar viewership security.
With TNT Sports having a motorsport presence already through its rights deal with MotoGP, it will be interesting to see if Formula E can convince existing subscribers to tune in.
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