Roku has made its first foray into sports coverage with an agreement to stream Formula E racing in the United States.
The agreement also includes existing broadcast partner CBS which will cover a record number of races.
Starting in January 2023, five races will air live on CBS with a simulcast on Paramount+. Both channels feature prominently within Roku’s Sports Experience. Highlights will be shown on the CBS Sports Network.
11 races in the FIA Formula E World Championship will be available on The Roku Channel and through the Sports Experience.
“This is a powerful new partnership with CBS and Roku that will dramatically increase Formula E’s audience reach and maximise discoverability of our programming in the USA,” says Aarti Dabas, Chief Media Officer, Formula E. “We value the strength of our ongoing relationship with CBS and are delighted to join forces with Roku and supercharge Formula E content on their market-leading platform.”
The premise behind the Sports Experience is to improve discovery and access to sports content from Roku partners.
David Eilenberg, Head of Content, Roku Media, said: “It’s an honour to partner with Formula E on Roku’s first-ever live sports partnership, making it easier for millions of TV streamers to discover the thrill of Formula E races through the unique integrated viewing experiences only available on Roku. We look forward to working together with Formula E, as well as our longstanding partners at CBS and Paramount+, to drive viewership to this programming and to connect new audiences with the exhilarating world of Formula E.”
Roku will also offer a library of Formula E content including the Formula E’s docu-follow series Unplugged, as previews, highlights, and race replays.
