The Roku Channel just secured its first live sporting event.
Thanks to a landmark deal, the Roku Channel will now livestream ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races for free. This is Roku’s first live sports deal, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for all-electric Formula E racing, which is often overshadowed by Formula One.
The deal here is pretty simple—Roku and CBS are the exclusive U.S. media partners of Formula E. Roku will livestream 11 races each season, while CBS Television network will broadcast five (which will be simulcasted on Paramount+). Additionally, Roku will offer the Formula E Unplugged docu-series and other behind-the-scenes content.
Live sports streaming is a popular trend this year. YouTube TV acquired the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket, Apple TV has its grips on Major League Soccer, and Netflix is showing an interest in golf. Roku debuted a sports hub last year, and now, it’s secured some exclusive sports content!
Obviously, Formula E is a bit niche, but it’s a strong and notable offering. Netflix’s Drive to Survive series garnered a ton of interest in Formula One racing, and this enthusiasm may carry over to the all-electric Formula E races.
If you own a Roku streaming stick or smart TV, you can view these Formula E races for free on the Roku Channel. (Of course, you can also access the Roku Channel from a web browser. We’ve reached out to ask if Formula E will be available on the browser-based Roku Channel.)
Roku Express
This is the least expensive Roku player, with a maximum output of 1080p and no HDR support.
Source: Roku
