Disney+ Lands Global Formula E Streaming Rights in 144 Markets — SkimNews
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- Disney+ secured global streaming rights to ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races in 144 markets, marking what Formula E called a 'landmark' first-of-its-kind deal for the league.
- ESPN+ (now branded ESPN Select) will carry Formula E events in the U.S., while the Disney+ pact runs alongside — not instead of — Formula E's existing local broadcast TV partnerships in key markets.
- Formula E is preparing to unveil the GEN4 race car, which it describes as 'the fastest and most technologically advanced electric racing car ever built' — 600 kW of power (815+ hp), 0–60 mph in approximately 1.8 seconds, roughly 30% faster than an F1 car.
- Formula E has scheduled a 21-race calendar across 13 locations for the 2026-27 season, opening with Rounds 1 and 2 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 18–19 and concluding in Tokyo in July.
- Jeff Dodds, Formula E's CEO, framed the Disney+ deal as a way to reach 'millions of new fans' while Joe Earley, Disney's co-president of Direct to Consumer, cited Formula E's blend of 'world-class competition, groundbreaking technology and sustainability'.
- Disney's logo will physically appear on the sleek GEN4 vehicle alongside other sponsors during the upcoming season, turning the race car into a rolling billboard for the streamer.
- Formula E launched its inaugural season in 2014 and operates as a for-profit B corporation, a sustainability-focused structure that executives cited as a natural fit with the Disney brand.
Why it matters: Formula E gets unified streaming distribution across 144 markets while preserving — not replacing — its local broadcast TV deals, a rare structure that lets the league scale digital reach without sacrificing regional linear partners. The Disney+ logo literally riding on the GEN4 car turns a streaming rights purchase into a rolling sponsorship placement, embedding the brand inside the racing product itself.
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