Advanced Television

W Series targets global TV coverage

April 26, 2019

By Colin Mann

W Series, the single-seater race series for female drivers only set to debut in 2019, has appointed leading sports marketing agency, Pitch International, to sell rights to broadcast W Series around the world.

The inaugural six-race W Series championship, which aims to identify and develop a new generation of elite female racing drivers, will kick off on May 4th at Hockenheim, Germany, and conclude at Brands Hatch, UK, on August 11th – taking in iconic tracks across Europe along the way. The winner of the series will take away a cash prize of $500,000 (€448,810).

Nearly 900 men but only two women have ever started a Grand Prix in the 70-year history of Formula 1, but W Series, backed by ex-Formula 1 driver, David Coulthard, has been established specifically to address this gender imbalance and support more female drivers as they work towards entering elite motorsport formulae, and to show that speed, determination and driving skill have no gender.

Pitch International will seek broadcast deals for W Series in all markets outside the UK. It already works with a range of elite sporting properties, including the World Rally Championship, the FA Cup and Guinness Six Nations Rugby.  W Series announced April 23rd that it had secured live, free-to-air coverage on UK PSB Channel 4.

“Pitch International has unrivalled experience and we hope that there will be significant interest in broadcasting the inaugural season of W Series, not only in the UK and Europe but also internationally,” commented Catherine Bond Muir, Chief Executive of W Series. “Our aspiring drivers come from all over the world – from the UK and Europe to the US, Japan, South Africa and Australia – all markets with a growing interest in elite women’s sport. This year, our priority is to ensure that W Series reaches the widest possible range of potential viewers globally, contributing to the popularity of the series over the longer term.”

“We share the belief that W Series can change the future of Motorsport and are delighted to be behind such a ground-breaking concept,” declared Faïna Msellem, Commercial Manager of Pitch International’s new women’s sports division. “The opportunity that W Series is providing the athletes is remarkable, but it also gives motorsport fans the unique chance to connect with the best female drivers in the world.”

“The ambitions and values of W Series are something we’re passionate about supporting and we look forward to being a part of the growth of this innovative new championship.”

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