ESPN is bringing drone racing to TV
ESPN is taking drone racing to the masses.
The network on Wednesday announced it's struck a multi-year deal with The International Drone Racing Association (IDRA) to bring the emerging sport to TV.
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Citing an "unprecedented rise in popularity," the network said in a release it positioned the sport as the next great racing sport, alongside NASCAR and Formula 1.
"Drone racing gives anyone the ability to fly like a superhero," Scot Refsland, chairman of the IDRA said in a statement. “Because everyone can experience the thrill of racing as if they were sitting in the drone cockpit, the sport is skyrocketing. To go from a first ever, US national drone race to partnering with ESPN for international distribution in eight months is truly a sign of great things ahead."
The first event to be shown on the network will be the 2016 U.S. National Drone Racing Championships, which will crown the fastest drone pilot in the United States. The event is set to take place in New York City August 5-7.
“We look forward to providing drone racing fans a larger platform to access this exciting world,” Matthew Volk, ESPN's director of programming and acquisitions, added. “Drone racing is an opportunity to reach and connect with a growing and passionate audience.”
Other events, like the 2016 World Drone Racing Championships, are set to be live streamed on ESPN3, followed by televised one-hour specials on ESPN.
Bonus: Watch professional drone racing in an abandoned mall
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Sandra Gonzalez was a Senior Television Reporter at Mashable. A Texas native, she spent almost four years in New York City before leaving the land of superstorms for Los Angeles, where she was introduced to these terrifying things called "rolling earthquakes."Previously, she was with Entertainment Weekly, where she wrote about every show that could fit into her perfectly crafted TV schedule and anything ever touched by Shonda Rhimes.You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @theSandraG
