Formula 1®, ESPN, and College Football Unite in a ‘Texas Takeover’
Formula 1®, college football and their mutual US broadcast partner, ESPN, are set to create a ‘Texas Takeover’ in Austin this weekend as the Texas Longhorns face the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday 19 October and Formula 1 takes to the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday 20 October.
Over the weekend, ESPN will feature on-site broadcasts showcasing the crossover of the two sports on College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, SportsCenter, Good Morning America, The Elle Duncan Show, and ESPN Deportes’ Ahora o Nunca. The collaboration promises to deliver high-energy and fun programming and activations that will introduce fans of each sport to the other.
The first clue to the ‘Texas Takeover’ will be the arrival on the University’s campus this week of a bespoke F1 car in the burnt orange and white colours of the University of Texas – including a prime spot on BEVO Blvd presented by HEB on gameday – with F1 prizes to be won.
The athletes are getting in on the action too as drivers head to the Texas campus, before welcoming the football stars to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in return. Passers-by may be surprised to see former Alabama football coach and ESPN sports analyst, Nick Saban, enjoying a spin around the track or McLaren’s Oscar Piastri testing his ball throwing skills with Texas players.
GRAMMY-nominated artist Quavo will also be on-site for various College Football and F1 integrations, including garage tours, hot laps, and appearances across ESPN programming. There will also be activations such as a watch party at F1 Arcade in Boston, and the race will air on the ABC SuperSign in Times Square in New York so its set to be a weekend full of entertainment for sports fans both in Austin and beyond.
Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer at Formula 1, said:
“The US is a nation of sporting fans so we couldn’t miss the chance to join forces with the University of Texas and ESPN in Austin. College football has a huge following and Formula 1 is experiencing phenomenal growth too – America represents our largest audience on social platforms, and millions tune in to watch the races. We believe there are even more potential fans out there that we can reach via this Texas Takeover and hope they can join us at the next US race in Las Vegas this November.”
Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation at Formula 1, said:
“When we came up with the concept of collaborating with ESPN and college football on a Texas Takeover, we knew it would be a fantastic opportunity to unite sports lovers and introduce F1 and college football to one another’s respective fans. The programming over the weekend is going to have something for everyone, from features on Good Morning America and Elle Duncan, to in-depth coverage from SportsCentre and College Gameday, as well as activations both on-site in Austin and around the US. It’s truly a sports fan’s dream weekend.”
Drew Martin, Executive Sr. Assoc. Athletics Director at the University of Texas/Texas Longhorns, said:
“The motto of the University of Texas is ‘What Starts Here Changes the World,’ and through this epic relationship and collaboration, the world will have all eyes on Texas this weekend. No where else in the U.S. or the world can you find two sporting events as powerful as the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix and Texas Football in the same weekend. And with the SEC’s and Formula 1’s broadcast partner in Disney/ABC/ESPN leveraging its programming across multiple platforms, the Texas Takeover will shine a bright spotlight on Austin, one of the fastest-growing cities in America.”
Tina Thornton, EVP, Creative Studio and Marketing at ESPN, said:
“The ‘ESPN Texas Takeover’ is a perfect example of our unparalleled ability to bring together and create unforgettable sports moments infused with pop culture. As the home of F1 and College Football, we’ll connect and engage fan bases across these sports, expanding audiences through the powerful lens of ESPN and The Walt Disney Company.”
U.S. fans looking to experience a home race can still buy tickets to Las Vegas Grand Prix and choose from a range of hospitality options at f1lasvegasgp.com.
The full ESPN programming schedule is as follows:
College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will broadcast live at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday from the University of Texas.
Editions of SportsCenter will air live from the COTA set on Friday (2 p.m. and 6 p.m.ET) and Saturday and Sunday at 7 a.m.
ABC’s Good Morning America reporter Ashan Singh will report from Austin on Friday.
The Elle Duncan Show will be on-site from COTA with episodes dropping Friday and Monday, featuring interviews with F1 drivers and special segments. Legendary motorsports pioneer Mary McGee to be a special guest, with others potentially joining during the weekend.
Deportes Ahora o Nunca will broadcast live from COTA on Friday from 5-7 p.m. ET.
Activations & Events:
Quavo’s Musical Integration: GRAMMY-nominated artist Quavo will be on-site for various College Football and F1 integrations, including garage tours, hot laps, and appearances across ESPN programming. He will be featured in a custom game open for Georgia vs. Texas and throughout promotional content.
On-Site Fan Experiences:
Fans can enjoy F1 car displays at COTA and the University of Texas.
Cosm x College Football: Cosm, the new, immersive entertainment experience that offers fans a front row seat to watch live sports and events in an innovative way, will feature the Georgia-Texas game within its Dallas venue.
F1 Race x Times Square: The F1 United States Grand Prix at COTA race will air on the ABC SuperSign in Times Square in New York City. The race begins Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
Watch Party: F1 Arcade Boston is hosting a watch party for the F1 race Sunday. ESPN will have a fan cam on location in Boston and the crowd will be included within the digital pre-show coverage from Austin. An ESPN host will also be on-site at F1 Arcade.
Texas Business of Sports Summit 2024: ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus and popular on-air voices Rece Davis, Elle Duncan and Kevin Negandhi are scheduled to participate in the Texas Business of Sports Summit 2024 on Friday, Oct. 18, during ‘ESPN Texas Takeover’ weekend. Hosted by The University of Texas at Austin, the premier event of the Texas Business of Sports Institute brings together some of the most forward-thinking minds at the intersection of leadership and sports.
Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix ESPN race programme:
Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix | Racing | Date | Start time | Finish time | Channel | ESPN+ Simulcast |
Practice 1 | October 18, 2024 | 1.25pm | 2.30pm | ESPN2 |
| |
Sprint Qualifying | October 18, 2024 | 5.25pm | 6.30pm | ESPN2 |
| |
Sprint | October 19, 2024 | 1.55pm | 3pm | ESPNEWS / ESPN+ |
| |
Qualifying | October 19, 2024 | 5.55pm | 7pm | ESPNEWS / ESPN+ |
| |
Grand Prix Sunday (pre-race) | October 20, 2024 | 1.30pm | 2.55pm | ABC | Yes | |
Race | October 20, 2024 | 2.55pm | 5pm | ABC | Yes |
Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL60 Mercedes leads Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Ferrari SF-23 and the rest of the field during the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Formula 1 racing at Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
ENDS
Notes to editors:
*The University of Texas’ football team, the Texas Longhorns, are set to face the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday 19 October and the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2024 will take place on Sunday 20 October.
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