Tech giant Apple is reportedly in serious discussions to acquire the U.S. broadcasting rights for Formula 1. The company sees opportunities as the current contract with ESPN – a subsidiary of Disney – expires next year. Apple Studios, the company’s film division, was partly responsible for F1: The Movie, the successful Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt.
On Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that Apple is showing great interest in Formula 1. The rumors follow the enormous box office success of F1: The Movie – the film has already grossed $293 million worldwide in just ten days, according to various American media outlets. Apple produced the film in collaboration with Jerry Bruckheimer and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. There is already talk of a sequel, although no concrete plans have been made yet.
The rumors confirm that Apple is increasingly looking to position itself within the sports and entertainment world. With the Formula 1 broadcasting rights, the company could tap into the growing popularity of the premier class in the United States, partly fueled by the Netflix series Drive to Survive. The current U.S. broadcasting rights contract is held by ESPN, but the channel’s exclusive negotiation period has now expired. This means that other parties – including Apple and Netflix – can now bid for the rights.
