New qualifying format and expanded calendar credited with growth
Formula E has revealed it had a record breaking cumulative audience for its eighth season.
Innovations that helped achieve this include a bigger calendar with 16 races in 10 world cities including a return to Asia with successful debuts in Jakarta, Indonesia, and a double-header in Seoul, South Korea.
In addition, a new qualifying format saw all 22 drivers compete in two groups with the top four in each going into a head-to-head knockout ‘Duels’ tournament - and was credited with 49% more viewers tuning into that part of the broadcast compared to season seven.
Live viewers made up the majority of Formula E’s audience for the first time in Season 7 and that trend continued in Season 8 with a 10% increase in live audiences YOY to 216m, part of a 20% growth in total cumulative audience to 381m.
Scheduling consistency and improved coverage of more competitive racing are also quoted as reasons for significant increases in audience engagement. Total viewing hours for Season 8 races increased by 58% compared to Season 7 and the championship enjoyed a 28% YOY increase in the average viewing duration per live race.
Across Formula E’s social and digital channels there were significant gains in video views (+165% vs. Season 7) and engagements (up 49%).
In the UK, Channel 4 became the exclusive broadcaster of Formula E on a multi-year deal in 2022, with it having been shown by ITV, Channel 5, and the BBC in its seven-year history. The competition also became one of a number of sports to release a behind-the-scenes documentary last year.
Jamie Reigle, chief executive officer, Formula E, said: “The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is building a passionate global fanbase, establishing itself as an appointment-to-view, premium live sport. Millions more fans tuned in to watch last season than ever before thanks to consistent scheduling, improved broadcast presentation and sporting innovations like our game-changing qualifying format. The championship went down to the wire in Seoul with four drivers vying for the title and Stoffel Vandoorne emerging as World Champion.”
“We thank our global network of committed broadcast partners for their contribution to delivering a record-breaking Season 8. We will work together to build on our momentum and reinforce Formula E’s emergence as a mainstream sport for the next generation.”
Formula E’s ninth season begins in Mexico City on 14 January.
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