Formula One heads into the Italian Grand Prix, with the spotlight firmly fixed on the championship. Away from the track, another story has emerged during the sport's first season under Apple Tv’s coverage, one that's added an unexpected talking point to an already eventful season. 

The shift in Formula One’s broadcasting landscape has been significant. After years on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, the sport’s broadcasting rights were exclusively moved to Apple TV earlier this season, a deal that is set to run through 2030. However, the numbers suggest it has gotten off to a rocky start. 

On August 22nd, USA Today first reported on Formula One’s declining viewership numbers following Apple TV’s broadcasting, citing data provided by Samba. Eight of the nine races analyzed this season have seen a decline in household reach compared to last year, with only the Japanese Grand Prix holding steady. 

Per reports from USA Today, the drop has been the steepest at the Miami Grand Prix, whose household reach was down 68% this year compared to last year, while the Monaco Grand Prix was down 66%. By contrast, the first three races of the season were comparatively stable, with Australia down 4% and China down 1% from the year before. 

While the raw numbers paint a difficult first season for Apple TV’s first season with the sport, they don't tell the whole story. Samba might have a theory behind the decline in viewership. 

Samba weighs in on Formula One’s viewership decline on Apple TV

As the numbers continue to slide, one question remains, and that is, 'why are only a few households tuning into Formula One?’ Samba believes that the answer lies in Apple Tv’s subscription plan itself. 

While speaking to USA Today in the aforementioned report, Samba’s vice president of measurement science, Alyson Sprague, discussed a possible reason for the decline in viewership. 

"One hypothesis our team has for this finding is that F1 fans may have activated an Apple TV free trial to be able to access the F1 race. But they didn’t find enough value in the trial to continue on as a paid customer."

Apple TV currently offers a one-week trial for new users, after which they are charged $12.99 a month. Besides this, the streaming service broadcasts free practice sessions and select race weekends without a subscription. 

ESPN, by comparison, follows the traditional route and comes bundled into standard cable packages while also being accessible through platforms like YouTube TV and Fubo. 

 As Apple TV continues its broadcast of Formula One, it remains to be seen if things look up for the streaming service at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix. 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco