Electric utility company Florida Power & Light has signed on as the official solar energy provider of the FIA Formula E race in downtown Miami. The sponsorship deal for the first electric car race held in the U.S. was announced on Monday. Andretti Sports Marketing, organizer of the Miami ePrix, secured the deal with FPL, which will power the series' single-seater cars when they take to the streets on March 14. Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag told SBD Global that FPL will also have a presence at the eVillage on raceday. The eVillage is a festival area that provides Formula E teams and sponsors with the opportunity to showcase and promote their affiliation with the electric racing series. The eVillage is open to any ticket holder. FPL's deal with the Miami ePrix is initially only for this year's event, however, Andretti Sports Marketing CEO & Chair Michael Andretti said that FPL is doing a long-term deal pending that Formula E returns to Miami. Andretti: "If it happens they will be a sponsor." The 2.17km-long, temporary street circuit features eight turns and is situated along Miami's Biscayne Bay.
SOMETHING GREEN: While most of the sponsorships are handled by Formula E itself, Andretti Sports Marketing has been able to ink some local deals for the Miami ePrix. Andretti said that part of the pitch is educating potential sponsors on Formula E's unique concept. "Whenever we mention what it is and the whole format, people perk up and all of a sudden they get more interested than if it was just a normal car race because it is something different," he said. "It’s green, which is a big deal for major cities. It definitely gets attention when we start talking about the green initiative." Andretti, who also owns one of the 10 participating teams in the sport, added that sponsorship packages are still available for this year's event. Andretti: "There are always places to sell. I don't think you can ever be sold out."
