BBC lands ‘multi-year’ rights to Extreme E

UK public broadcaster the BBC has acquired “multi-year” rights to the new Extreme E electric SUV off-road racing series.

The deal will see the broadcaster show coverage across its digital platforms when the series begins in January 2021.

Ali Russell, chief marketing officer at Extreme E, said: “Our goal with Extreme E is to open this innovative new series up to as wide an audience as possible. Securing this deal with the BBC is a massive coup in what is a key market for us.”

The provisional calendar for Extreme E’s debut season includes events in Dakar (Senegal), Al-‘Ula (Saudi Arabia), Mustang District (Nepal), Kangerlussuaq (Greenland) and Santarém (Brazil).

Extreme E has already signed deals with Sony in India; Malaysian public-service broadcaster RTM; Fox Sports (in US, Canada and the Caribbean), Fox Sports Asia (southeast Asia), Mediaset (Italy), TVNZ (New Zealand, Dubai Sports (Middle East and North Africa) and BTRC (Belarus).

Extreme E was launched by Formula E founder Alejandro Agag and former racing driver Gil de Ferran.