Formula 1 TV ratings surge on ESPN after two races

ESPN2’s live broadcast of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday attracted the largest U.S. television audience on record for the event and the second-largest Formula 1 cable television audience in the country’s history.

An average of 711,000 viewers watched the telecast on ESPN2, up three percent over the average audience of 692,000 that watched the race last year on ESPN2 and up 72 percent from the 413,000 that watched CNBC’s telecast in 2017.

The race began at 11:05 a.m. ET, placing it in a premium television spot on the East Coast.

The race was second only to the 820,000 that tuned into the Monaco Grand Prix on ESPN last year. The Bahrain telecast also saw an increase of 16 percent in the Adults 18-34 demographic.

The number continues a positive early trend for ESPN and Formula 1, which earned an audience of 659,000 for the season-opening Rolex Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago, an event that began at 1 a.m. ET.

That number was also a record number in the United States and up 277 percent over the audience of 175,000 that watched the race on ESPN2 in 2018 and up 177 percent over the 238,000 that watched it on NBCSN in 2017.

ESPN2’s telecast of the Formula 1 qualifying session for the Bahrain event also saw an increased audience over last year – the average of 340,000 viewers was up nine percent over the 311,000 that watched Bahrain qualifying last year on ESPN2.

Formula 1 airs on the ABC-ESPN family of networks in the United States but uses the SkyF1 feed in Europe.

The next event on the Formula 1 schedule is the Heineken Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, April 14. The race will air live on ESPN2 at 2:05 a.m. ET.

Source: Read Full Article