Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport has chosen Spark to broadcast the FIA Formula 1 World Championship events in New Zealand in the next three years, from 2019 through 2021.
Spark’s coverage will include not only the Formula 1 races but also its feeder series, the FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 Championships races, and Porsche Supercup Series. The races will be broadcast over its new sports streaming service, which will launch early next year.
Spark is billed “as New Zealand’s leading digital services company, Spark New Zealand has a powerful ambition: to unleash the potential in all New Zealanders through amazing technology.”
Michaella Snoeck, Senior Manager, Media Rights at Formula 1, said: “Formula 1 are delighted to be entering into a new partnership with Spark in New Zealand for the next three seasons, providing New Zealanders with unprecedented coverage in the territory.”
Our focus is to provide fans with greater accessibility to coverage across all devices which the Spark sport’s platform will provide and further ways of watching and consuming Formula 1 content will be rolled in during the course of our agreement.”
Jeff Latch, Head of Sport at Spark, said: “Formula 1 has a substantial and passionate following in New Zealand. This sport is ideally suited to being broadcast on a modern streaming platform, like the one Spark will offer to the New Zealand audience. Fans will be able to watch all the Formula 1 coverage from March next year, either live, or at a more civilised hour on demand – whichever they prefer.”
“They will also be able to watch content on a range of devices, for example on a tablet during a train or bus ride to work. Our streaming service will fit around you, rather than requiring you to schedule your life around when a particular sports event is being shown.”
Note: Streaming of Formula 1 content began in the new Liberty Media era, previously neglected by the Bernie Ecclestone led regime who preferred to bank large fees from traditional national and private broadcasters.