F1 U.S. Viewership Plunges 68% After Apple TV Shift From ESPN
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 22
F1 U.S. Viewership Plunges 68% After Apple TV Shift From ESPN
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 22
Summary
Miami’s household reach fell 68% and Monaco’s dropped 66% in F1’s first U.S. season on Apple TV, with eight of nine races analyzed posting declines.
Samba TV said the slide likely reflects distribution changes after F1 left ESPN and ABC, where broader cable and broadcast reach had helped some races draw roughly 2 million viewers.
The early season was relatively steady—Australia slipped 4%, China 1% and Japan was flat—but every race since Miami has posted a double-digit drop.
Apple TV’s $12.99-a-month model may still be deepening engagement: minutes watched per household rose 127% for Australia and 113% for Monaco, and 30% of 2026 F1 viewers were new to Apple TV.
That trade-off matters because Apple is using F1 to expand its sports lineup alongside MLS and weekly MLB games under a rights deal that runs through 2030.