Latest news with #NielsenSports
Reuters
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Formula One seeks to drive engagement through betting
LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - Formula One is looking to drive fan engagement by using its vast array of data to create more betting opportunities, the sport's director of commercial partnerships Jonny Haworth said on Thursday. Recent figures from Nielsen Sports put Formula One's global fandom at 826.5 million, 12% more than in 2023, with a 39% increase in fans following in China over the last 12 months due to the post-COVID return of the country's race in Shanghai. "We're sort of on a journey in the betting space at the moment," Haworth told the BlackBook Motorsport Forum in London on Thursday. "I think we make up 0.4% of the overall global betting handle, which is pretty crazy for a sport of the size of Formula One and with a sport that has low latency data at a high volume which is what drives betting." Formula One, whose cars have an array of sensors on them delivering billions of data points, last month announced San Diego-based ALT Sports Data as its official betting data supplier. It said ALT would develop betting-focused real-time predictive analytics for Formula One as well as proprietary data and priced odds for the betting industry. "We're working incredibly hard to try and figure out how we open up an engaging betting product that enables people not to just look at outcome betting but to use the data of the sport to be able to engage in various different in-play betting," said Haworth. "We just believe that to be a huge engagement tool... I think there are many different ways to engage in the sport (other) than sitting and watching a two-hour broadcast and that is one way that drives a lot of engagement." The 2025 season, with 24 races but no major rule changes before a new engine era in 2026, is expected to be one of the closest yet after four teams and seven different drivers won races last year. "This season is a great season to really focus on our betting because we're going to see so much jeopardy on the track and who knows what's going to happen with the regulation changes next year," said Haworth. Betting on Formula One has been tricky for the sport, with team orders being a feature and gambling barred in the Islamic world with four races in the Middle East. There are also concerns about gambling and young fans, a key demographic for a sport that has seen rapid growth thanks in part to the popularity of the Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive'.
Forbes
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Data From Nielsen Sports Shows F1 Fandom Surging As 2025 Season Gets Underway
As the 2025 Formula 1 season gets underway, new data released by Nielsen Sports indicates a significant increase in fan interest in the global racing series. Entering the 75th anniversary season for F1, the increased parity on the grid during the 2024 season with the rise of McLaren in the Constructor's Championship, and a variety of drivers not named Max Verstappen getting wins, fan growth surged. According to Nielsen Sports, Formula 1 now has a global fanbase of 826.5 million, an increase of 90 million over the 2023 season. In the U.S., the market increased by +10.5% over 2023 adding nearly 90 million new fans. That follows a +10.5% growth in the market to 52 million fans between 2023 and 2024. With the Chinese Grand Prix back on the schedule, China led global growth with a +39% increase in fans over the last 12 months. Other key growth markets include Canada (+31.5%), Argentina (+25.5%), and Saudi Arabia (+25.5%), According to Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali, race events saw strong attendance trends continue throughout the season the 2024 with 17 sellout crowds and 10 new attendance records. Over 6.5 million people attended races in 2024. A new record, growing +9% over 2023. Consumption of Formula 1 – both on television and digital via platforms – continues to grow. According to Nielsen Sports, there was a cumulative increase of +10% for the 2024 season on television. In The U.S., while overall viewership was ostensibly flat year-over-year between 2023 and 2024 on ESPN, seven races saw viewership records set domestically (Miami, Monaco, Canada, British, Italian, Qatar, Abu Dhabi), with Miami leading the way with an average audience of 3.1 million. According to ESPN, 11 races saw year-over-year viewership gains over 2023 (Japan, Miami, Monaco, Canada, Spain, British, Hungary, Dutch, Italian, Qatar, Abu Dhabi). Digitally, YouTube highlights globally of F1 saw an additional 233 million views, particularly in the U.S. (31.5 million), U.K. (25 million), and India (13 million). "Formula 1's growth reflects its growing global appeal. With a more competitive season in 2024 and key markets like the U.S., China, and Brazil experiencing year-over-year fan growth, F1 continues to strengthen its position as a truly global sport,' said Jon Stainer, Global GM at Nielsen Sports. 'The 2025 season, marking the 75th anniversary, presents a major opportunity for brands to align with this momentum and engage with an increasingly diverse and engaged fanbase." The question is, how much of this growth can be attributed to the Netflix series Drive To Survive, or has the U.S. finally organically entrenched itself in the sport? In a statement by Formula 1 for Forbes, they said DTS certainly had an impact and continues to be very popular, but that F1's major investment and strategic changes have been done to support U.S. market growth. 'Since 2017 we have gone from 1 race to 3 in the U.S., including Las Vegas where we have a permanent presence with Grand Prix Plaza,' Formula 1 said in the statement to Forbes. 'Social media was opened up, with drivers and teams all having a significant presence, inviting our fans behind the scenes all year round. The US is now our largest market for social media followers. We have also focused on creating opportunities for fans to engage away from track, including F1 Arcade which has a number of US properties, and will expand further in years to come.' Data provided by Nielsen Sports comes from Nielsen Sports' F1 Audience Measurement Data (2024), and Nielsen Fan Insights (NFI), which surveyed the opinions and interests of 44,000 respondents across 37 international markets.
South China Morning Post
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
F1 growth boosted by China, nearly 90 million more views that last year, research shows
Formula One added nearly 90 million new fans last year, with China showing the biggest percentage rise following the sport's post-Covid-19 return to Shanghai, according to data released by Nielsen Sports on Wednesday. Advertisement China was on the calendar last year for the first time since 2019 and the circuit hosts the second round of the 2025 season this weekend, although there is no longer a Chinese driver on the grid. Zhou Guanyu is now Ferrari reserve, after losing his race seat at Sauber. Nielsen put Formula One's global fandom at 826.5 million, 12 per cent more than in 2023, with a 39 per cent increase in fans following in China over the last 12 months. The United States, a key growth market with three grands prix, showed a 10.5 per cent expansion. Canada (+31.5 per cent), Argentina and Saudi Arabia (both +25.5 per cent) were also strong. Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates with the trophy after winning the Chinese Grand Prix in 2024. Photo: Reuters The Argentine figures reflect the effect of Franco Colapinto last year becoming the country's first driver on the grid since 2001 when he replaced dropped American Logan Sargeant at Williams.
