Extreme E sees record audiences
March 28, 2024
Racing series Extreme E delivered significant audience growth in 2023, rising to a global audience of more than 144 million viewers, according to an analytics report from YouGov.
The increase in the series’ audience figures stems from a thrilling third season, where a record five-teams competed for the 2023 Extreme E championship at the final event – won by Nico Rosberg’s Rosberg X Racing team.
The series’ global audience grew by six per cent from 2022, where the viewership stood at 135 million. Extreme E’s unique mandatory gender-equal format of one male and one female driver per team – a first in motorsport – has also ensured that the split between male and female viewers is significantly greater than the motorsport industry average of 90 per cent males to 10 per cent females. The Extreme E Media Results 2023 report shows that female viewership increased once more to 34 per cent in Season 3, rising from 29 per cent in 2022.
The series’ short-form racing platform is recognised as a key contributor to audience growth in Season 3, with some of the biggest teams and drivers in motorsport battling it out across some of the world’s most dramatic locations.
The championship’s digital audience grew further still in Season 3 as Extreme E delivered its most competitive on-track year yet. A total of 36,334 social media posts were published about the 2023 Extreme E campaign, resulting in 2.1 billion potential impressions and 109.8 million engagements. In additional data provided by Little Dot Studios, the series’ overall social media following grew substantially from 2022, increasing by 71 per cent with a total of 1.2 million online followers.
Across all owned and non-owned social media posts, compared to Season 2 there was an 18 per cent increase in the number of engagements on social media. Among the three major platforms on social media, X stood out with the highest number of engagements and potential impressions, generating 53.7 million engagements and 699.7 million potential impressions.
In comparison to Season 2 there was a 35 per cent increase in social media video views, with 3,551 videos related to Extreme E posted on social media accumulating 104.7 million views, an increase on 77.5m from the previous campaign.
Ali Russell, Managing Director of Extreme E, said: “We are proud to announce that Extreme E’s audience has grown substantially once again following the conclusion of Season 3. We have already got our fourth season underway for 2024 with a spectacular opening Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia, and we are encouraged that the pace at which our championship is growing mirrors that of our worldwide audience. The popularity of Extreme E continues to grow year-on-year, and with the launch of Extreme H on the horizon I am delighted by the wider exposure our pioneering racing series has received. This is best demonstrated among our dedicated fanbase and our increasing audience engagement figures. Despite only launching in 2021, the championship is recognised as a respected motorsport series and this latest report evidences that, particularly in terms of audience growth on TV and via social media. We are looking forward to increasing our audience further as our championship moves towards a new era with another world first, our transition to hydrogen power – Extreme H – and an exciting future in the years ahead.”
Dr Sarah Melville, Media Director, YouGov Sport, added: “Since we started working with Extreme E in 2021 – across audience trends to social media tracking, and sponsorship valuations – we have seen notable year-on-year growth. One of our key insights from Season 3 was the level of viewer engagement Extreme E generated and Season 4 is set to do the same.”
The 144.4 million figure can be broken down as follows:
- 89.7 million viewers on linear TV
- 54.6 million watching on the championship’s digital platforms
These viewers were derived from a global total of 12,494 hours of programming, with the championship shown across more than 184 broadcast markets worldwide.
The season-opening Desert X Prix, the inaugural X Prix of 2023, drew the largest audience in the championship’s history with 28.2 million viewers tuning in, making it the most-watched event.
The US, supported by outputs from Fox Sports, had the largest TV news audience, comprising 250.1 million viewers and subsequently 50 per cent of the total TV News audience. This audience was generated from 1,449 TV news features, the highest number among all markets.
Extreme E will make its long-awaited US debut later this year, with the Season 4 finale to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 23rd-24th.
Live coverage proved to be the favoured programming choice, drawing in 53.4 million viewers, which accounted for 37 per cent of the total audience. Following closely behind were highlights packages of the championship’s 10 races, attracting 43.2 million viewers, comprising 30 per cent of the total audience. Magazine programming totalled 18.9 million viewers, comprising Electric Odyssey broadcasts as well as Review programming.