In the lead-up to the 2020 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ™ season, a new multi-year media rights extension was announced today by Formula 1®, TSN and RDS, ensuring that Bell Media’s sports networks continue to be the Canadian home of Formula 1 through the 2024 season.
TSN and RDS will continue to broadcast all Formula 1 races, as well as qualifying and practice sessions and encore presentations. This includes exclusive coverage of the CANADIAN GRAND PRIX – the most-watched motorsport event on Canadian soil.
With the new agreement, TSN and RDS subscribers now have access to a multitude of F1 live feeds available at once through the networks’ digital platforms, including the Multiplex player on TSN.ca and RDS.ca, and through the TSN and RDS apps. These all-new feeds include:
- Select Onboard Cameras
- Pit lane Channel
- Driver Tracker
- Timing Channel
RDS delivers live coverage of every race, every qualifying session, and the comprehensive pre-race program SUR LA LIGNE DE DÉPART. The network’s coverage is led by the award-winning broadcast team of play-by-play commentator Pierre Houde alongside analyst Bertrand Houle.
RDS also produces additional F1 programming, including:
- F1 EXPRESS, a 30-minute program recapping each race
- F1 MAGAZINE, comprising four original episodes chronicling the 2020 season, beginning prior to the first race of the season, the AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, on Sunday, March 15
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Bell Media and believe that both their French and English language broadcast capabilities through RDS and TSN bring Formula 1 to a wider audience within Canada,” said Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights, Formula 1. “Our partnership continues to deliver impressive results with 2019 showing strong audience growth which is a very important part of our strategy to bring the excitement of F1 direct to fans.”
“We’re thrilled to extend this long-standing, successful partnership, and expand our coverage of Formula One across all platforms for years to come,” said Shawn Redmond, Vice-President, TSN and Discovery. “With two Canadian drivers in the series and a newly expanded slate of in-race live feeds on our leading digital platforms, TSN subscribers can enjoy an even more immersive experience during every race of the season.”
The 2019 season was the most-watched F1 season ever on TSN. Audiences across TSN and RDS for the 2019 F1 season grew 21% compared to 2018, and F1 coverage across the two networks reached nearly 5.3 million Canadian viewers in 2019.
TSN’s SPORTSCENTRE and RDS’s SPORTS 30 as well as both networks’ digital platforms feature Formula 1 news and highlights throughout the season, with a special focus on the Canadian drivers. The award-winning Bell Media Agency will support the promotion of Formula 1 in Canada with a comprehensive suite of broadcast and digital creative featured across TSN’s linear and digital platforms.
TSN and RDS have delivered Formula 1 coverage in Canada since 1992 and 1994, respectively.
Source: Numeris, Total Canada, Live Races, Viewing Across TSN, RDS, RDS2, and RDS Info
