This seems like one of the biggest possible missteps F1 can make right now. They had a chance to continue with ESPN for less money and instead took the bigger payday (with promised Apple promotion) to put every race behind a paywall.
Luke writes F1 “believes this move can help it gain more popularity and compete with mainstream American sports.”
Good luck with that. Whatever the difference financially between leaving ESPN and going to Apple TV is not worth the injection into the mainstream consciousness ESPN provides. They’re taking a gamble Apple can give them a similar push, but that’s a huge risk. This is the path to making your sport more niche, not growing it — and F1’s growth has been largely built on the casuals.
Maybe this is NASCAR PTSD speaking, but I can’t see how this goes well.
🍎 Apple becomes Formula One’s exclusive broadcast partner in the United States from 2026, starting a five-year deal
📈 Deal identified as next step for US growth as Apple promises big push across platforms
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