Cesium Powers AR for Electric Boat Racing

The E1 Series is the world's first all-electric powerboat championship and was co-founded by Alejandro Agag, who is also the force behind Formula E and Extreme E. The series is financially backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) as a principal partner. This investment is part of PIF's broader strategy focusing on inclusivity, sustainability, youth, and technology. The league has attracted a roster of high-profile team owners, including NFL legend Tom Brady, tennis star Rafael Nadal, actor Will Smith, and NBA superstar LeBron James. This celebrity involvement is a core part of E1's marketing strategy to build a global fanbase and attract sponsors. For instance, a TikTok video announcing the celebrity owners garnered 5.4 million views, a significant jump from the typical 1-50k views on other posts. The broadcast rights for the E1 Series have been secured by major players, including a multi-year global agreement with DAZN to stream all sessions for free in over 200 markets. This strategy aims to maximize viewership and engagement for the nascent sport. The Lagos race, in particular, demonstrated significant audience potential, with 75,000 livestream views during qualifying, a figure that surpassed other venues by a considerable margin. London-based BADASS Studios, founded in 2020, operates on a B2B model, creating extended reality (XR) avatars, worlds, and experiences for brands in gaming, esports, and sports. Their work with the E1 Series showcases their capability in building real-time immersive experiences. This partnership is a key example of how sports leagues are leveraging XR to create new forms of entertainment and fan engagement. Cesium's 3D geospatial technology is not only powering the AR for the E1 Series but has also been utilized by major broadcasters like NBC Sports for the Olympic Games and by Boost Graphics for Premier League broadcasts. This demonstrates a growing trend of using geospatial data to provide dynamic and context-rich viewing experiences in live sports. The E1 Series is actively seeking further investment to expand its operations, with a target of raising around €20 million to fund a second fleet of their RaceBird boats and expand the race calendar to 15 events. The series is aiming for a valuation of nearly $700 million by 2030. This expansion highlights the growing market for sustainable and technologically advanced sports properties. To further engage a younger demographic, the E1 Series has partnered with Roc Nation Sports International. This collaboration aims to create content that bridges the gap between the sport and music, lifestyle, and entertainment, integrating E1 athletes and teams into Roc Nation's ecosystem.