Catalan TV to broadcast 2024 F1 and MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix free-to-air in Catalan
Public broadcasters TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio reach deal with DAZN for broadcasting rights
Catalan public broadcasters TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio will, for the first time, do a joint broadcast of the 2024 F1 and MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix, as announced on Wednesday.
Both events take place at the Circuit de Catalunya race track, from May 24 to 26 for the MotoGP and June 21 to 23 for the Formula One championship.
The deal between 3Cat –the company that manages both broadcasters – and DAZN – the owner of the broadcasting rights of the competitions in Spain– will mean that the event will be live-streamed free-to-air in Catalan on TV3, Catalunya Ràdio, and online.
The rights are only for the 2024 edition after a deal between the Catalan business ministry and DAZN for both championships, including Dorna Sports in the case of the MotoGP race.
This is a "historic event that will have a level of technical and personnel deployment never seen before," the 3Cat team said.
"This step forward shows the 3Cat group's support for large sporting events taking place in Catalonia and, at the same time, shows the strength and talent that the territory has to explain, in Catalan, a sporting competition of such magnitude and importance," Rosa Romà, president of 3Cat, said during a press conference.
"We are regaining the broadcasting rights of content with international reach to explain it in Catalan, bringing together all of our efforts and counting on the best experts on races in the sports sections from Catalunya Ràdio and TV3," she added.
Noel Rodríguez, Damià Aguilar, and Laia Ferrer will be among the presenters. Sito Pons, Jaume Alguersuari, and Belén García will be some of the analysts.
Formula 1 on TV3
The broadcasting of Formula 1 races on TV3 returns after a decade-long hiatus. Between 1997 and 2015, the Catalan public broadcaster showed all of the world championship races, a total of 19 seasons.
Some races were also shared with other Spanish broadcasters, such as Spanish public broadcaster TVE, or privately-owned television stations, such as Telecinco, Antena3, and La Sexta.
Later, Movistar+ and DAZN appeared, and Formula1 races were only available to pay-per-view subscribers.