German commercial broadcasting group ProSiebenSat.1 has agreed a multi-year rights deal with the Formula E electric car-racing series.
The contract commences in January for Formula E’s seventh season, with the championship claiming that the agreement will mean it will be the only major international motorsport property fully available on free-to-air television in Germany, a key market for the series.
ProSiebenSat.1 will air all races live through its flagship Sat.1 channel. To complement the live race programming, ProSiebenSat.1 and Formula E said they will develop non-live and ancillary electric mobility and motorsport content.
Formula E is currently broadcast in Germany by Eurosport. In October 2017, the international sports broadcaster expanded a rights agreement for Formula E to cover 54 markets across Europe.
That deal runs for three years, from 2017-18 to 2019-20. Eurosport started broadcasting the championship in Germany, Poland and the Nordic region in 2015.
Germany is a priority market for Formula E and its stakeholders. Berlin is the only city to have featured on the calendar in every season and is currently hosting Formula E’s season finale of six races in nine days.
Championship commercial partners Allianz, BMW i, Bosch, DHL and Hugo Boss are all German brands and four major German automotive manufacturers – Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche – compete in the series.
Formula E’s chief media officer, Aarti Dabas, said: “ProSiebenSat.1’s focus on delivering localised and high-quality coverage using diverse talent and innovative presentation will enable us to grow the reach, engagement and affinity for our sport.
“Our partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 will deepen our connections with Formula E fans in Germany through localised activities and custom content targeting the electric generation. As we enter our first season as an FIA World Championship this partnership will ensure Formula E reaches the broadest possible German audience.”
Stefan Zant, managing director of ProSiebenSat.1’s 7Sports unit, added: “Electric mobility is an absolute future topic and the best example of our strategy of not only acquiring new rights but also building up innovative topics in the long-term.
“We have numerous plans for presenting and delivering sustainability and electric mobility beyond the mere racing season. The broadcast of Formula E on all platforms should be of interest to all advertising partners who want to engage in a sustainable environment.”