According to a recent report from the Financial Times, Apple is in active discussions to secure global broadcasting rights to Formula 1—a deal that could dramatically reshape the streaming and sports media landscape. The Cupertino-based tech company has steadily intensified its presence in live sports, having already signed high-profile agreements such as its $2.5 billion partnership with Major League Soccer. Now, Apple appears poised to accelerate that momentum.
Formula 1’s international appeal has surged in recent years, driven by expanding viewership in the United States, Asia, and younger demographics worldwide—much of it fueled by digital innovation and behind-the-scenes storytelling. Bundling F1 into its Apple TV+ portfolio would reinforce Apple's strategy to evolve from a device-centric company into a dominant content powerhouse, directly challenging legacy sports broadcasters and streaming rivals alike.
Apple TV+ launched in November 2019 with a concentrated focus on prestige original programming. Anchored by series like The Morning Show, Severance, and Ted Lasso, the platform earned traction through critical acclaim rather than volume. While Apple TV+ maintains a smaller content library than Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, it has secured visibility by investing in cinematic quality and high-profile talent.
In less than five years, the platform has evolved from scripted dramas and films to live content. With Apple Originals earning recognition at the Academy Awards, Emmys, and BAFTAs, the streaming evolution now includes broadcasting live sports—one of the few content verticals that consistently attracts real-time, engaged audiences.
March 2022 marked Apple’s first live sports experiment: Friday Night Baseball—a weekly doubleheader produced in partnership with Major League Baseball. This was not a supplementary add-on, but a global rights deal that allowed Apple to air games in 62 countries without blackouts or subscription to a cable service.
In 2023, the movement toward global sports intensified with the unprecedented 10-year agreement with Major League Soccer (MLS). Valued at $2.5 billion, this partnership includes the MLS Season Pass, an exclusive package integrated into Apple TV. For the first time in sports broadcasting, one platform offers every match, in every market, without geographical restrictions or competing networks. This model changes the nature of how sports can be distributed and monetized on digital platforms.
Together, these moves marked Apple’s long-term commitment to live sports—not as a promotional side piece but a central pillar of its content roadmap.
As Netflix continues testing live event streaming and Amazon Prime Video leans heavily into sports with its Thursday Night Football partnership with the NFL, Apple’s pivot toward dynamic content follows a clear economic rationale. Live sports are one of the last consistent drivers of appointment viewing, retaining subscription loyalty and reducing churn.
By cementing deals that offer exclusive, global access, Apple avoids the regional fragmentation that often frustrates fans. No cable carrier negotiations. No local blackout restrictions. Just a unified, high-quality stream available on devices already integrated into consumers’ daily lives. That's a tactical advantage over competitors still navigating fragmented rights, backend integration issues, and traditional media obligations.
Formula 1 has transformed from a niche motorsport followed predominantly in Europe to a global entertainment product commanding millions of viewers. Since the debut of Netflix’s Drive to Survive in 2019, F1’s presence in the United States has surged. According to ESPN, which holds the U.S. broadcast rights, the 2022 F1 season averaged 1.21 million viewers per race, marking a record high and a 28% increase over 2021. The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, a marquee new entry on the calendar, drew significant attention months before its first green flag, signaling an appetite for more.
This momentum isn't confined to the U.S. The sport’s governing body, the FIA, reported over 1.55 billion cumulative TV viewers globally in 2022. Engagement metrics also spiked across digital platforms, particularly among younger demographics aged 16 to 35, a segment that streaming platforms aggressively target. Apple sees this as an alignment with its push to grow Apple TV+ as a content and lifestyle destination.
F1 races unfold across five continents, with high-profile events in cities like Singapore, Monaco, Abu Dhabi, Miami, and São Paulo. This reach isn’t just about geography—it builds a continuous exposure loop across cultures and time zones. Each Grand Prix weekend becomes an opportunity for live engagement, local partnerships, and secondary content, all assets that a global tech company can leverage in real-time.
Viewership spikes in newer markets tell a story of evolving fan bases. For example, the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix was watched by over 7 million viewers in Japan, an increase from previous years driven largely by local hero Yuki Tsunoda. In India, despite no home race, F1 engagement on social media continues to rise, with the country ranked among the top 5 in fan interactions on Instagram and TikTok during the 2023 season.
On a purely aesthetic and branding level, Formula 1 fits seamlessly into Apple’s narrative. Both emphasize design, innovation, elite performance, and global fan culture. F1 cars are precision machines where engineering meets artistry; Apple crafts products under similar principles. Pairing Apple’s sleek product ecosystem with the high-octane, jet-set world of F1 produces a unified image: clean, aspirational, kinetic.
Apple isn't just looking at content or numbers—it’s examining brand coherence. Sponsoring, streaming, or even co-producing Formula 1 content means tying the Apple logo to the luxury of Monaco, the neon spectacle of Singapore, and the cutting-edge racing of Silverstone. That exposure travels far—and sticks.
Since acquiring Formula 1 in 2017, Liberty Media has centralized the control of the sport’s global broadcast rights under its commercial arm, Formula One Management (FOM). This body oversees negotiations, licenses, and long-term agreements with networks and streaming platforms across the world. The approach is deliberately diverse, mixing free-to-air, pay-TV, and digital platforms to expand viewership while maximizing revenue potential.
The monetization model prioritizes a balance between global accessibility and premium content packaging. Unlike many sports leagues that operate on regional franchise models, Formula 1 maintains a unified global commercial structure. That enables flexible, direct negotiation at a market-by-market level while maintaining brand consistency across territories.
In the United States, ESPN currently holds the Formula 1 broadcast rights under a contract extended through 2025. The deal was reportedly signed in 2022 for $85 million per year, a drastic increase from the $5 million annual figure agreed in the preceding contract. Coverage on ESPN, ESPN2, and streaming through ESPN+ has brought substantial visibility to F1, especially as U.S. interest has surged following the success of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series.
European markets offer a varied picture. In the U.K., Sky Sports holds exclusive pay-TV rights until 2029, under a deal valued at approximately £1.2 billion over its duration. Channel 4 retains limited free-to-air rights, including delayed race highlights and live coverage of the British Grand Prix. Meanwhile in France, Canal+ has committed to live race coverage through 2029, continuing its strong hold over premium sports content.
Asian markets are diverse in both media consumption habits and contract values. For instance, in Japan, DAZN provides live streaming coverage, while in China, Tencent and CCTV share broadcasting duties. The flexibility in platform selection reflects Liberty Media’s agile, demand-sensitive licensing strategy that adapts to local market saturation and content consumption patterns.
Formula 1 is not merely selling airtime. It’s targeting platforms that can embed the sport into a wider ecosystem—merchandising, live-event synergy, second-screen engagement, and real-time telemetry included. Liberty Media wants deeper integration, not just greater exposure.
Apple’s reported interest in Formula 1 rights places it alongside a growing roster of technology heavyweights betting big on live sports. Amazon set the pace by securing exclusive Thursday Night Football rights and snatching Premier League packages in the UK. YouTube, under Google’s umbrella, stepped deeper into the game in 2023 by acquiring NFL Sunday Ticket. Meta has experimented with immersive sports viewing through VR platforms like Meta Quest. Now, Apple appears ready to intensify the competition.
Live sports deliver real-time engagement that on-demand content rarely matches. For tech companies, acquiring premium sports rights serves multiple goals:
These strategic pillars drive Apple’s alignment with live sports. The company lays groundwork through its MLS Season Pass offering and high-profile documentaries—blending hardware, software, and content into an integrated entertainment ecosystem. Tackling Formula 1 would mark a significant expansion, signaling its intention to compete head-to-head with Amazon and YouTube in global sports broadcasting.
Apple’s move mirrors Amazon’s trajectory. Both companies initially tested sports waters through co-streaming partnerships and niche events. Amazon then escalated into exclusive deals with major leagues. Similarly, Apple’s partnership with Major League Soccer provides a controlled environment to refine user experience, delivery infrastructure, and audience engagement strategies. Formula 1 represents a next-tier acquisition—global, fast-paced, and already digital-savvy.
But unlike Amazon or YouTube, Apple controls both the hardware and software environments in which its content lives. That integration may enable differentiated experiences, deeper data collection, and smoother monetization models—all under Apple’s famously closed ecosystem. The intent is clear: reshape the way users consume live sports by embedding them into the Apple universe.
Rising viewership among Millennials and Gen Z has driven a sharp increase in the value of Formula 1’s media rights. According to Liberty Media’s 2023 earnings report, F1 generated over $3.2 billion in total revenue, with media rights comprising approximately 38% of that figure. The surge in popularity—thanks in part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive and expanded digital outreach—has elevated F1's profile beyond its traditional markets, unlocking new valuation benchmarks.
Reports from Business F1 Magazine suggest Apple is eyeing a decade-long global media rights deal worth between $2 billion and $2.5 billion per year. That would position the total outlay in the range of $20 billion to $25 billion over 10 years. For comparison, Amazon’s current deal to stream the NFL’s Thursday Night Football costs the company around $1 billion annually. Meanwhile, ESPN pays approximately $2.8 billion per year for the rights to broadcast the NBA.
If the Apple-F1 deal were finalized at $2.5 billion per year, it would rank as one of the largest streaming rights acquisitions ever, outpacing regional deals and approaching the full-sport licensing tier typically held by major broadcasters across global football, basketball, and American football.
For Formula 1, this level of investment would inject long-term capital into circuit development, sustainability tech, and newer race markets. A $2.5 billion annual commitment would effectively double its current income from broadcast rights, providing liquidity for investment in fan engagement platforms, regional expansion, and potential subsidies for legacy teams.
On Apple’s side, the deal would feed directly into the Services segment, which posted $85.2 billion in revenue in 2023. Assuming the company integrates Formula 1 into Apple TV+ with exclusive access, it transforms the platform into a live-event destination—a strategic shift away from its current emphasis on scripted and documentary content. Even a modest increase in subscriber acquisition or retention would yield significant financial upside, especially given the high margins in Apple’s Services division.
These financial calculations make sense not just on paper but strategically align Apple’s media and branding ambitions with Formula 1’s growth trajectory.
ESPN currently holds the U.S. broadcasting rights for Formula 1 through a deal that runs until the end of the 2025 season, renewed in October 2022. The agreement, reportedly worth $85 million per year according to Sports Business Journal, marked a substantial increase from the previous deal valued at just $5 million annually. Since 2018, ESPN has served as the primary gateway for American audiences to access F1, leveraging a sublicense with Sky Sports for commentary and production quality.
During this period, F1 viewership in the U.S. has surged. The 2023 season averaged approximately 1.11 million viewers per race across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, making it the second most-watched season ever for the network, just behind 2022's record-breaking numbers. This viewership growth highlights ESPN's effective positioning of F1 within its portfolio of premier sports properties.
Apple’s reported pursuit of global Formula 1 streaming rights introduces a formidable new competitor. With its vast financial resources, direct access to a global hardware ecosystem, and experience in premium sports content through MLS and MLB deals, Apple possesses the tools to rapidly alter the landscape. The tech giant’s potential to outbid traditional broadcasters for exclusive, global rights could sideline incumbents like ESPN, Sky Sports, and Canal+ from a pivotal property.
This shift would not only reshape the structure of sports contracts but also threaten the relevance of networks that rely on linear programming revenue. Legacy broadcasters operate under fixed schedules and advertising models; they cannot pivot as fast to meet the demands of a streaming-dominant audience."
Consumer behavior already signals the direction of travel. Data from Nielsen in 2023 revealed that streaming accounted for 38.7% of total TV usage in the U.S., surpassing cable (29.6%) and broadcast (20.0%). In live sports, these shifts are even more disruptive. Amazon’s 2022 debut of exclusive Thursday Night Football streaming rights demonstrated that major sports can bypass cable entirely while still drawing millions of viewers—9.58 million per game on average, according to Amazon's internal data audited by Nielsen.
Should Apple secure F1 rights globally or in core markets like the U.S. and Europe, the traditional broadcast ecosystem would lose direct access to a strategically valuable category: globally popular, year-round sports content with rising youth interest. The implications extend beyond lost ratings; downstream effects include diminished advertising revenue, subscriber erosion, and reduced negotiating power for future rights.
Apple controls every stage of its hardware and software experience, from the iPhone and Apple Watch to macOS, tvOS, and iCloud. This consistent integration across devices allows for deeply personalized, tightly synchronized user experiences—something no other streaming competitor can offer at the same scale. If Apple secures Formula 1 rights, the brand can embed race-day content directly into its ecosystem, moving beyond passive viewing into real-time engagement.
Imagine a user following the Monaco Grand Prix on their Apple TV, while simultaneous telemetry overlays tie in with personal fitness data from the Apple Watch. Heart rate spikes during overtakes? Tracked. Caloric burn mapped to race stages? Delivered in-sync.
Apple’s current portfolio proves its intent to redefine how users consume content. MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+ set a precedent by offering multilingual commentary, behind-the-scenes content, dynamic league-wide visuals, and even interactive match replays. Applied to Formula 1, similar innovations could materialize—multi-angle replay views controlled via iOS devices, Apple Vision Pro support for immersive cockpit perspectives, or predictive race analytics powered by on-device machine learning.
Engagement depends on more than just content—it requires interaction. Apple can convert live Formula 1 races into layered experiences with polls, watch parties via SharePlay, and athlete-focused content rendered dynamically based on user preferences. Subscribers won’t just stream a race; they’ll engage with it across devices and platforms.
By allowing subscribers to follow specific drivers through curated video feeds, alerts, and post-race analysis, Apple TV+ becomes more than a streaming platform—it evolves into a customizable sports companion. Performance data, lap-by-lap breakdowns, AI-driven race predictions—all personalized and pushed through notification systems synced to a user’s device cluster.
No global tech provider has yet fused lifestyle hardware and sports content into a unified, responsive sports environment. Apple is positioned not only to attempt it—but to normalize it.
Should Apple secure streaming rights to Formula 1, fans can expect a shift in how they access live races—from linear TV or regionally bundled platforms to a centralized service, likely Apple TV+. Unlike traditional sportscasting models where coverage is split across national broadcasters, Apple can gatekeep access behind its subscription paywall. In markets where Formula 1 is already included in basic packages, this would introduce additional costs, potentially fracturing long-standing habits.
Apple has not disclosed whether it would offer individual event purchases, tiered pricing, or integrate Formula 1 into its broader Apple One bundle. However, based on its MLS Season Pass model—priced at $14.99/month or $99/season for non-Apple TV+ subscribers—similar structures could emerge. This would create friction for casual fans being asked to commit financially for single-sport content. Hardcore fans will subscribe; fringe viewers may opt out.
Apple’s entry forces recalibration across the streaming ecosystem. Amazon, which already holds exclusive rights to select Premier League and NFL content, will see a fortified rival in a category it dominated. While Amazon’s Prime model already maintains a strong customer base, Apple’s unified tech and content ecosystem adds a compelling layer.
Netflix, which repeatedly affirmed its disinterest in live sports, stands at an introspective crossroads. Though it spearheaded F1 fandom growth via Drive to Survive, it risks alienating that audience as the content lifecycle moves from storytelling to live action. Unless Netflix reconsiders its stance, the platform could become a feeder for competitors' audiences, losing engagement during race weekends and major events.
Smaller services like Streamable and region-specific platforms will feel immediate pressure from Apple’s global licensing and device integration power. Limited library breadth and geographic restrictions constrain their ability to match.
Consumers already juggle platforms for drama, sports, news, and regional events. Apple adding high-performance motorsport intensifies this splintering. Research from Deloitte’s 2024 Digital Media Trends report showed that 54% of U.S. sports fans feel frustrated accessing sports content because it’s spread across too many services.
As streaming rights dilute across individual platforms—Premier League on Peacock, NFL on Prime Video, LaLiga on ESPN+—users must decide how many $9.99 subscriptions they’re willing to maintain. Apple’s potential exclusivity would force another decision point, particularly for cross-sport audiences.
Apple has an opportunity to reverse this pattern—not by owning every sport, but by offering seamless access, high production value, and integrated UX. Whether audiences will follow or resist another subscription is a question the next race season might answer.
The negotiation table isn’t being set for 2025—this would be a long play. Current Formula 1 broadcast rights are locked up in most markets through 2029. In the U.S., ESPN secured an extension in 2022, reportedly beating bids from streaming-first platforms. As reported by the Financial Times, any Apple acquisition would likely take effect after those regional contracts expire. Insiders familiar with the talks suggest Apple aims to structure a global deal directly with Formula One Management, bypassing regional carve-outs entirely. That would signify a strategic shift, not just a rights purchase.
Probability-wise, the structure and scale of such a deal would set a precedent. Apple is not merely bidding; it’s proposing a transformational model. Industry insiders peg the likelihood of an agreement near 40% within the next 18 months—based on the current legal, contractual, and financial conditions. This assumes openness from Liberty Media and regulatory flexibility in multiple broadcasting jurisdictions.
According to Paolo Pescatore, tech and media analyst at PP Foresight, Apple sees "Formula 1 as a global, premium product" that aligns with its brand and its growing sports ambitions. He also notes that bundling F1 with Apple One or TV+ would be a natural fit for expanding value propositions.
Daniel Cohen, senior vice-president of global media rights consulting at Octagon, told the Financial Times that the media rights environment is “ripe for disintermediation,” and that Apple has both the hardware footprint and platform sophistication to deliver on a fully integrated live-sports ecosystem.
Media consultant Claire Enders described Apple’s potential entry as a “turning point in sports broadcasting,” noting that rights holders are becoming more receptive to digital-native distributors given the global decline in linear TV audiences.
F1 might not be the destination—it could be the gateway. Apple already owns exclusive rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) through 2032 via Apple TV+, a framework that reportedly includes revenue sharing with clubs. That deal broke new ground, not just in distribution but in monetization strategy.
The company has also held talks for other major sports packages. According to reports from CNBC and Bloomberg, Apple has engaged with the NFL and NBA about future rights opportunities. Although it lost out on the NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube (a $2 billion a year acquisition), its appetite remains intact.
With each bid, Apple tests infrastructure, user behavior, and content bundling strategies. F1 would give the company a year-round global property with built-in cross-device marketing appeal—from iPhone push notifications to Vision Pro immersive replays. Think F1 telemetry layered into mixed reality during a live event. Not just broadcasting, but reimagining how sports are consumed.
So what comes after this bid—if not immediately, then incrementally? Tennis Grand Slams? UFC? A joint bid with other FAANG companies for Olympic digital rights? Apple’s interest in Formula 1 may ultimately reflect a broader ambition: not just to stream sports, but to own the platform on which the future of sports is built.
Apple’s reported interest in securing Formula 1 rights marks more than an aggressive content acquisition—it signals a calculated extension of its media ecosystem, blending technology, entertainment, and live events into one seamless platform. Formula 1, with its explosive global growth and data-driven fanbase, aligns precisely with Apple’s premium positioning in the expanding market for live sports streaming.
By targeting one of the highest-value OTT platforms live sports properties, Apple is not merely purchasing access to races. It's securing a year-round, globally distributed showcase that integrates with its broader strategy across devices, services, and original programming. F1 content can amplify engagement on Apple TV+, surface new storytelling opportunities through film and racing crossovers, and legitimize Apple in an increasingly competitive space where streaming and sports converge.
The Financial Times Formula 1 Apple report outlines a potential long-term rights structure spanning up to a decade. This bold commitment would transform the company into a major force among broadcast rights Formula 1 holders, pushing past traditional networks hamstrung by legacy infrastructure—and squaring off with rivals like Amazon. While Amazon has invested in NFL and European football, Apple’s vertical integration across hardware and services sets it apart. In the Apple vs Amazon sports narrative, this could become the moment where Cupertino takes pole position.
Tech is reshaping the economics and UX of global sports. The United States Formula 1 viewership has surged—Liberty Media states American viewership tripled from 2018 to 2022—and that’s the demographic Apple knows how to monetize. Add deep pockets, data capabilities, and a global retail footprint, and the outcome isn't speculative: a redefined model for how streaming services and racing connect with fans, sponsors, and platforms.
Keep an eye on how this potential deal unfolds—follow us for updates on the evolving world of sports streaming, Formula 1 broadcasting, and Apple TV’s expanding media ambitions.
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