NBC replaces Speed as the broadcaster of the Grand Prix in the United States

As Austin is finalizing its circuit to host F1 next month, American F1 fans will need to switch channels to follow the 2013 season. Indeed, after 17 years, Speed has just lost its broadcasting contract to NBC Sports Group, owned by the telecommunications giant Comcast, which is the largest pay-TV service in the country.

As of now, the popularity of F1 is still far from that of NASCAR and IndyCar, especially since the disastrous precedent of a Grand Prix in Indianapolis. But Bernie Ecclestone is determined to succeed in capturing this market, which remains the second-largest car market in the world. That’s why the United States will make its big return to the calendar with two events starting in 2013, in addition to the two other races held on the continent, in Montreal and São Paulo.

However, popularity cannot be increased without significant media coverage. This is why the main financier of F1 has decided to change his strategy and grant the broadcasting rights of Formula 1, for the next four seasons, to NBC Sports Group. This agreement stipulates that four events from the 2013 calendar will be aired on NBC, starting with the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix on June 9. The other sixteen events, including the Monaco Grand Prix, as well as all practice and qualifying sessions, will be broadcast on the cable channel NBC Sports Network. The Grand Prix races will also be available on the group’s streaming platform on PC, mobile phones, and tablets.

Jon Miller, the president of programming for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network, told Associated Press: « This is an opportunity for us to engage even more in single-seater racing and to acquire live first-run content. It allows us to broadcast quality events. It’s a sport that is hugely followed around the world, and we believe we can grow it in this country. »

This acquisition will allow NBC to present a very interesting profile for single-seater racing enthusiasts, as it already holds the rights to broadcast most of the IndyCar season. Jon Miller commented: “We think this is a real plus for IndyCar and will greatly benefit single-seater racing fans. There will be days when we have a Formula One race at 9 a.m. and an IndyCar race at 1 p.m. We spoke with IndyCar officials on Friday and they are thrilled about this possibility.” For NBC subscribers, an ideal day could mean broadcasting the Monaco Grand Prix in the morning and the Indianapolis 500 in the afternoon.

Nevertheless, this represents a significant loss for Speed, which was set to become the flagship of the national sports channel that Fox News wants to launch in the United States. The loss of a potential major future market comes during the same season when the Fox group, through the satellite package Sky, secured in 2012 two major European markets, the United Kingdom and Italy, for the broadcast of F1.

With the participation of www.Racingbusiness.fr