Formula One on XM Radio
The FIA Formula One World Championship is the most prestigious level of open wheeled motor racing. It includes 20 Grand Prix races and is held from March through November. For the 2012 season, the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix will be held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Liberty Media Corporation purchased F1 for $4.6 billion in January. The move will allow Liberty to expand the promotion of the sport in the US. Previously, the United States was a distant second to Europe when it came to digital Formula One content consumption. However, Liberty believes that a race in the US would increase the market"s enthusiasm for the sport.
With Liberty"s purchase, the company also plans to bolster its marketing department. According to Greg Maffei, Liberty"s job is to provide promoters with the resources they need to succeed. They have made it their goal to bring the sport back to the public.
While the current business model isn"t completely clear yet, F1 has already signed a deal with SIRIUS Satellite Radio. Under the agreement, SIRIUS will offer F1 live coverage and broadcast every Grand Prix race live for the next four years. This includes the Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious motor racing events in the world.
Along with a full-blown radio broadcast, SIRIUS XM will also broadcast the entire race on its satellite and terrestrial channels. It will also offer multiple replays of the race. In addition, the network will air the race on the SiriusXM app. These programs include a pre-race show, an exclusive pre-race segment, and an all-new post-race show.
On Sunday, March 29, the ING Australian Grand Prix will be held in Melbourne. This is the first time that a Formula 1 race will be held in the United States since 2007. As part of the deal, the race will be televised by SIRIUS XM and ESPN. Both networks will televise all Formula One races for the first time in history.
The United States is still a distant second to Europe when it comes to digital Formula One content consumption. However, it has a long history in the sport. The first race in the country was held at Sebring in 1959. Other major US races have been held in Detroit, Phoenix, Dallas, Long Beach, and Watkins Glen.
SiriusXM has been a longtime partner with Formula One. A number of the team"s drivers have attended the network"s events in the past. Currently, there is only one F1 team in the United States. And this year, that team is the Michael Watts team.
Fans can also access Formula One races on the SXM App. The network"s coverage of F1 includes veteran journalists reporting from each track and an exclusive pre-race show. You can also check out the league"s podcasts and ad-free music.