Formula 1's Over-The-Top (OTT) service, F1 TV Pro, will be made available to viewers in the Netherlands from 2019 in a new deal struck between F1 and Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport – the first of its kind.
The streaming service is only available in select markets, with major fanbases in countries such as the Netherlands, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom unable to receive the service due to existing broadcast deals.
However that will change from next season for the Netherlands at least as F1 has announced a first of its kind deal which will see its F1 TV Pro service – which gives fans a tailored stream, archive footage and more – co-branded in a partner deal with Ziggo Sport, allowing fans access to both its standard TV offering and a more in-depth streaming service.
"Formula 1 in the Netherlands has a long and rich history and thanks particularly to Max Verstappen it is enjoying another significant growth period," explained Ian Holmes, director of media rights at Formula 1.
"The ‘Orange Army’ descending on Spa and Spielberg has resonated around the world and more and more Dutch fans are engaging with the sport like never before. It is for this reason that our media rights extension agreement with Ziggo Sport is tremendously important.
"Ziggo have been delivering top quality F1 coverage for the last few years not just through their live event programming but also in their additional shoulder-content and I have every reason to believe that this will continue and grow.
"What is also ground-breaking is the incorporation of the F1 TV Pro OTT service that will now be available within the Dutch market. This will be a truly collaborative operation in that the service will be co-marketed and co-branded by F1 and Ziggo thus affording fans a combined offering like never before."
F1 boss Chase Carey recently teased the possibility of F1 TV Pro coming to more markets in 2019 alongside existing broadcast deals.
"One of the exciting opportunities we’re developing is with our traditional broadcasters, some of the deals we did, renewals we did for 2019, we’re partnering with them to partner and promote the OTT platform," said Carey.
“We’re working with them as opposed to against them, as I think it is compatible."
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