Sport TV Portugal confirms deal for debut season

LAC ROSE, SENEGAL - MAY 30: Catie Munnings (GBR)/Timmy Hansen (SWE), Andretti United Extreme E, leads Sara Price (USA)/Kyle Leduc (USA), Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing during the Ocean X-Prix at Lac Rose on May 30, 2021 in Lac Rose, Senegal. (Photo by Colin McMaster)
© Colin McMaster

Ground-breaking electric SUV race series, Extreme E today announces its latest broadcast agreement with Portugal’s Sport TV. Lisbon-based Sport TV is televising all of Extreme E’s X Prixs plus race highlights, on its linear channels in both English and Portuguese. In addition, the championship’s thrilling race action is streaming live on Sport TV’s digital platform www.Sporttv.pt.

Sport TV is Portugal’s leading sports-orientated cable and satellite television network with five premium channels and one sports news channel. As well as its extensive sporting coverage in Portugal, the station’s broadcast reach also extends to regions in Africa including Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé, Principe and Equatorial Guinea where Portuguese is the official language.

Like many countries, Portugal is under pressure to drastically reduce harmful carbon emissions as part of its agreement with the European Commission. One of the ways in which it has done this, is by increasing access to electric-powered public transport - a move that has already helped to dramatically lessen CO2 levels overall, predominately in more urban areas. 

Extreme E, via its top tier broadcast package, aims to showcase electrification and performance whilst raising awareness, inspiring action and highlighting the impact of climate change. By focussing on the environment through racing it encourages consumers to consider electric transport, to reduce their own carbon footprint and help slow down the climate emergency.

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “Extreme E is delighted to be joining Sport TV’s existing and wide-ranging sporting line up in Portugal along with the Portuguese-speaking regions within Africa.

“Extreme E’s mission to race without trace whilst simultaneously raising awareness of climate issues, means it is vital that our series reaches as many audiences on as many platforms as possible throughout the world. Working with Sport TV not only provides viewers in Portugal and its African regions with a thrilling and innovative motorsport championship, but also helps convey the benefits of electrification through our brilliant and entertaining broadcast package.”

Not only does Extreme E feature short, sharp, exciting wheel-to-wheel racing, there is a wider purpose to the championship around the environment which is unfortunately under threat. The series visits five locations altogether this year, all of which have been affected by environmental issues such as desertification, melting ice caps, plastic pollution, and rising carbon emissions.

Extreme E shines a spotlight on these issues through its sustainable motorsport which utilises a variety of methods to reduce its carbon footprint, from racing electric SUVs to zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell car charging, but it goes further and aims to be net-carbon zero by the end of its debut season.

The third X Prix – the Arctic X Prix – takes place in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland from 28-29 August.