Formula 1 and the NFL: A global alliance with global benefits

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You'd be hard pressed to find an American who hasn't watched at least one NFL game in their lives. Across the world, you'd be hard pressed to find someone in the UK who doesn't follow Lewis Hamilton... an Italian who doesn't live for the Scuderia... or millions globally who know the names of Schumacher or Senna.

These sporting giants could not be more different. Yet, the crossover and collaboration between them continues to grow each season...

From more and more American Formula 1 races, to NFL games in the UK and South America, to direct collaborations between teams on both sides of the sporting aisle, and all the way to motorsport content creators being invited to collaborate with NFL teams - suffice it to say, something is happening.

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F1 Race Weekends in America

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Let's start with the obvious. There are now three F1 races in America - with the United States Grand Prix at COTA underway as I'm writing this article! Throughout the years, each of the races in America have seen increasing partnership and support from American football - from the loan of their facilities, to players creating content with drivers and teams, to cross-promotion ticketing deals. This even extends beyond the NFL to college football (another 'religion' in the United States).

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F1 Miami GP and the Miami Dolphins

Miami is the most 'on the nose' and probably one of the first 'obvious' displays of some form of an alliance between the NFL and Formula 1. Held at the Miami International Autodrome, which winds through the grounds of Hard Rock Stadium—home of the Dolphins—this race quite literally happens in the parking lot of the football stadium.

The Dolphins' ownership group has played an active role in promoting the race, and during the event, F1 and the Dolphins organize joint promotional activities through social media, VIP experiences, and fan engagement opportunities.

Why, you may ask? The Miami Grand Prix is owned by South Florida Motorsports (SFM), a subsidiary of the Miami Dolphins' ownership group - run by Stephen Ross, who spearheaded the development of the race. Let me repeat that - The Miami Dolphins and the Miami Grand Prix share an owner.

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US GP and Texas Football

Now, let's move west in the United States to Texas (and much later in our F1 season) to the United States Grand Prix at COTA!

COTA has become a hub for cross-promotion between Formula 1 and fans of American Football, tapping into Texas' INTENSE football culture. In recent years, F1 has collaborated with the NFL AND College Football through ESPN (we will discuss the ESPN partnership later) to create shared fan experiences, such as watch parties that combine the Grand Prix with major football games.

For example:

2022 U.S. Grand Prix -

The famed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performed at the driver introductions segment of the race. The Cowboys themselves also held special events at COTA to engage fans including a special activations.

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2023 U.S. Grand Prix -

ESPN promoted both the race and a college football game between the Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs, making Austin the center of attention for sports fans nationwide.

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2024 U.S. Grand Prix -

F1 and the Texas Longhorns college football team are sharing the spotlight in Austin this year with the game falling on the Sprint/Qualifying Saturday of the US Grand Prix. How have the organizations responded? With cross promotion to the point of selling ticket packages to the race AND the Texas v Georgia game Saturday evening.

Additionally, while writing this article - the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performed on the grid yet again!

These collaborations, in one of the most "American" states in the country, help F1 tap into the NFL’s vast U.S. fanbase while offering NFL fans a gateway into the world of motorsport.

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Las Vegas GP and the Las Vegas Raiders

Onto the final stop on our tour of F1 in the U.S. - the 'baby' of the U.S. F1 races - Las Vegas.

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Las Vegas has taken steps over the last decade to be considered a "sports capital" of the world. Acquiring not only a hockey team, but a football team, a baseball team, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

There is a LOT to unpack here...

1. The Las Vegas Grand Prix is held on a Saturday... no, not because of the marketing reason that fans have been given... because the Las Vegas Raiders (NFL Team) play on Sunday evening. Essentially, we have a Saturday race because of ESPN streaming rights and infrastructure of the city not allowing for both the race and the game to happen simultaneously.
2. Co-marketing of the two events leads to a potential of MASSIVE cash gains. This collaboration maximizes tourism and entertainment in the city, offering fans a chance to experience both events back-to-back. Allegiant Stadium, located near the Grand Prix circuit, benefits from the influx of visitors drawn by both F1 and the NFL.
3. The NFL and F1 Las Vegas both used the same contractors and resources to build up their stadium and track infrastructure (respectively).

"F1’s effort capitalizes on the NFL’s outreach to minority-owned businesses in the valley, extending the reach of the league’s recruiting that led up to the first Super Bowl in Las Vegas. F1 organizers extended an invitation to those businesses to be a part of the new directory for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority partnered with F1 on the directory." - Greg Haas, Yahoo News

While Las Vegas may not seem like a 'football city' just yet, there is actually a different lens we'll use to look at this particular partnership in just a moment.

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Expansion of the NFL Overseas

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During the 2024 season of the NFL there are 5 regular season games that will be played abroad - 3 in the UK, 1 in Germany, and 1 in Brazil. Admittedly, the NFL has gone on record to say that they are actively seeking a more global reach for the sport... but how does Formula 1 and racing culture fit into that mold?

This is where we can bring this conversation BACK to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas, yes the city itself, and the Las Vegas Convention Authority are the primary sponsor of these NFL London Games! Not only that, the LVCVA, an official partner of Formula 1, has partnered with the Silverstone track. Are we starting to build a bigger picture here?

An even more unique point of crossover comes from the use of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for these regular season NFL games... it has a state-of-the-art karting facility attached! This karting facility is, in fact, operated in partnership with Formula 1. This not only brings F1 closer to NFL fans but also enhances the venue’s appeal as a hub for both sports, creating a crossover experience for fans who enjoy motorsport and American football alike.

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Formula 1 and Motorsports Content Creators

It would be remiss to discuss Formula 1 and the NFL in the UK without talking about the inspiration behind this article, to begin with.... a sudden high attendance rate of influential figures in the Formula 1 social media world.

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When scrolling through social media over the last couple of months, F1 fans may have noticed some familiar faces in the motorsports content creation space invited to the NFL games in the UK. From Lissie Mackintosh to Bella James, the NFL have been extending invites to popular faces in the F1 space. What does that mean? They are directly marketing to the young Formula 1 fan audience - who recently have occupied a large 'buying power' in both Formula 1 and the NFL.

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Where do Formula 1 owners, Liberty Media, and broadcast partners, ESPN, fit in?

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Liberty Media's admiration of the NFL

Let's make this very simple: The NFL is American. Liberty Media is American. Liberty Media runs Formula 1! So, what indication do we have from the highest managerial level of Formula 1 that they are looking for MORE from the NFL? CEO of Liberty Media Greg Moffei had this to say:

“We've tried to take really a page out of, I'd say in some ways, the NFL in the United States: compete hard on Sunday, but on Monday league first. We really want to grow the sport.”

There you have it - straight from the top boss of Formula 1. They want to model Formula 1 after the NFL (in reference to how the series itself is run and promoted) because they want to continue to grow Formula 1 (likely in the United States).

From a fanbase perspective, F1 is increasingly following the NFL’s model of growth in the U.S. market. Liberty Media, the company behind F1, has taken a page out of the NFL's playbook, using targeted media strategies to build a stronger following. All examples of which were covered at the start of this article, but it's important to note that cross promotion between F1 and the NFL is the most clear strategy that Liberty Media and F1 Race promoters have used in the United States.

It is important to note that, despite the growth of F1 in America, the sport remains deeply European in terms of its talent pool. No American drivers are currently on the F1 grid, which has been a sticking point for U.S. fans eager to see homegrown talent rise to the top. Recently, of course, we had Logan Sargeant and honorary American Daniel Ricciardo.... but both of which have lost their seats in Formula 1. AND although Haas is an American team, the drivers and key figures that represent their team are notably NOT-American or... very popular. Maybe this will change next year with Rookie Ollie Bearman...

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ESPN's Licensing of Formula 1 Race Coverage

I have brought up THE American Sports Network, ESPN, many times throughout this article... so let's talk about the role that they play... because it's MASSIVE. As much as Formula 1 and Liberty Media have moved the needle on breaking into the U.S. market - no one has moved the needle more than ESPN. Keeping in mind, of course, that ESPN's most watched sport consistently is football, the NFL.

As of 2018, ESPN began airing every single F1 race and session across the season. The races are broadcast across ESPN's networks, primarily ESPN, ESPN2, and sometimes on ABC for major events like the Monaco Grand Prix or U.S. Grand Prix. They’ve increased coverage and partnered with the Miami Grand Prix, the U.S. Grand Prix, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This doesn't just mean streaming the race though, the Miami Grand Prix in particular saw ESPN air special features and offer more promotional tie-ins with the NFL directly in the broadcast.

Additionally, most of the races do occur during Sunday NFL Weekends - so if a fan happens to tune in for their NFL game early or late, they could easily catch some F1 coverage. Beyond that, ESPN THIS WEEKEND sent creator Lissie Mackintosh to the aforementioned Georgia x Texas Football games to cover the NFL game while she was attending the US Grand Prix! The football game even featured model F1 cars with Texas livery in front of the stadium.

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Team partnerships, sponsorships, and investments

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The ties between F1 and the NFL are also reflected in high-profile business deals. Notably, NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have invested in the F1 team Alpine, underscoring how American athletes are taking an interest in motorsports as a new area for expansion. Especially when we're talking about 3 time Superbowl champions with the added bonus that ONE OF THEM is Taylor Swift's boyfriend.... I just had to include that...

Conversely, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton has become a part-owner of the Denver Broncos, and former (extremely popular honorary American) driver Daniel Ricciardo is admittedly best friends with Buffalo Bills Quarterback, Josh Allen.

Additionally, although not a direct monetary partnership, during each F1 weekend in the United States we have seen HEAPS of content of NFL players in the Formula 1 Paddock. Not just interacting with drivers or 'hanging out', but doing challenges, competing in fun games, working with members of the team, and learning more about Formula 1 culture. For example, Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys competed in a reflex challenge with Alex Albon's trainer Patrick Harding this past weekend in Austin:

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These investments of time and money are not merely symbolic, but speak to the significant benefits both sports stand to gain by leveraging each other’s global appeal. F1’s rapid rise in the U.S., bolstered by the success of the Netflix series Drive to Survive, has made it an attractive opportunity for American investors. The NFL, in turn, gains visibility in new markets by associating with F1, which remains one of the most international sports in the world.

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Future Potential for Both Sports

Is the alignment of F1 and the NFL likely to slow down or stop? Absolutely not... Not if Liberty Media has anything to say about it.

As F1 continues to expand its influence in the U.S. and the NFL seeks to further globalize, the synergy between the two sports is likely to deepen. Shared venues, joint business ventures, and strategic partnerships create mutual benefits that can enhance each sport’s global appeal. The rise of Vegas as a sports hub, the expansion of fan engagement through both traditional and social media, and cross-sport investments by athletes all point toward a future where F1 and the NFL continue to shape each other’s growth.

The blending of F1 with the NFL is more than just a marketing move. It’s a strategic alliance that leverages each sport's strengths, helping them grow both in terms of business and fan engagement, and opening new avenues for expansion across borders. As these relationships continue to develop, the global sports landscape will become increasingly interconnected, creating a richer experience for fans and athletes alike.

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