All-electric motor racing series Formula E has today unveiled what it has said represents a record multi-year media rights tie-up, with China Media Group.
The state-run outlet will air every race from each Formula E campaign for the duration of the "biggest multi-year media partnership in championship history," for the first time.
The agreement means that all 17 races from the upcoming 2024 season, which will begin in Mexico City on January 13, will be shown live on the CCTV platforms run by CMG.
The CCTV5 and CCTV5+ linear channels will both show live action, as will the digital platform Yangshipin.
The latter site will, in addition, carry all practice and qualifying sessions live.
So far, seven Formula E races have taken place in China, the last of which came in March 2019. In 2024, two more will be added to that list, through a double-header at the Shanghai International Circuit on May 25 and 26.
There will also be two Chinese-owned teams competing in the 2024 season - Envision Racing and ERT Formula E Team.
Jeff Dodds, Formula E’s chief executive, has said: “This is huge for Formula E as we get ready to race in our biggest season yet. For the first time, every Formula E race will be available live in China on CCTV, the nation’s largest sports platform. We are excited to work with CMG as a major new media partner for Formula E and focus on supercharging our audience growth in China through the coming seasons.”
The previous Formula E season was shown live in China by pay-TV broadcaster Setanta Sports.
This deal’s unveiling comes soon after Formula E tied up a media rights renewal in Brazil, with streaming solutions and digital production service LiveSports. That deal will also see the series return to the Grande Prêmio YouTube channel.
December has also seen UK pay-TV heavyweight TNT Sports snap up live Formula E rights, and Bridgestone unveiled as the sole tire supplier to the series from 2026.
In terms of Asia-Pacific media rights deals, meanwhile, Formula E announced the renewal of its exclusive multi-year media rights tie-up with South Korea’s Eclat Media Group, the operator of Asian sports broadcast network SPOTV, in November.
The 2024 Formula E season will begin in Mexico in January and will take place in new venues across Italy, Japan, and China, before ending in London, UK, on July 21.
