The International Drone Racing Association (IDRA) and ESPN have announced a multi-year media to broadcast the 2016 U.S. National Drone Racing Championships which kick off in New York City on 5 August.

Under the deal, these championships as well as the 2016 World Drone Racing Championships in Hawaii in October will be streamed live online on ESPN’s multi-screen sports network ESPN3. Following each event, there will also be a one hour special across the ESPN network.

With the sport just eight months old and not yet in the mainstream, it’s a landmark deal that will likely see the sport explode in popularity with stakeholders predicting that the sport will eventually receive as much exposure and gain as much popularity as the NASCAR series and Formula 1.

ESPN Director of Programming & Acquisitions Matthew Volk said they are delighted to give drone racing fans a platform to watch the sport.

“Drone racing is an opportunity to reach and connect with a growing and passionate audience. Drone racing is an exciting world,” he said.

Chairman of the IDRA Dr Scot Refsland said that considering the infancy of the sport, to have 35 participating countries in the association and a deal with ESPN is a tip of the hat to the future of drone racing.

“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,” he said.

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