F1’s Sphere takeover: from traffic snarls to the ‘incredible backdrop’ of the Las Vegas GP

From the day F1 announced the Las Vegas Grand Prix, images of cars driving down the Strip at night have captured the imagination.

But the upcoming Formula 1 circuit will also pass through another element that will capture the attention of viewers worldwide: the new Sphere, a 20,000-capacity entertainment venue that is the largest spherical structure in the world and cost 2.3 billion cost to build.

For F1 fans, The Sphere will not be missed. That’s true for every Las Vegas visitor who’s visited the city since the Sphere’s “exosphere” — its external LED screen — started lighting up in July.

Next week, when F1 comes to town, the Sphere will be on track near Turns 5, 6 and 7 – adjacent to a fan area with both general admission and grandstand seating, called ‘T-Mobile Zone at Sphere ‘. That zone will be the main area for concerts and other entertainment during the weekend. (It’s also true The AthleticsMichael Dominski will report on the race.)

“We are excited to present Sphere to the millions of Formula 1 fans who will be watching around the world,” said James Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere, during an investor call this week. “As part of our agreement, F1 will have a multi-day acquisition of Sphere, including the use of the exosphere (to) display racing-related content and attractive brand activations.”

What does that mean? Well, the exterior of the structure features 1.2 million puck-sized LEDs, providing a blank canvas for creative content possibilities. That is an area where F1 has a lot of experience.

Organizers of the Las Vegas GP plan to use the Sphere extensively during the pre-race build-up and anthem, although the images will need to be toned down during on-track sessions to prevent drivers from detecting anything in the exosphere for a yellow or red flag. .

(Dan Istitene/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

“It will serve as an incredible backdrop to our Sphere Grandstands, where you have a number of turns and a chicane – it will be an incredible place to get a ticket,” Las Vegas GP CEO Renee Wilm said The Athletics. “…We’re just going to continue the momentum around their global exposure. It will be great racing and a great customer experience.”

Of course it’s not all positive. Concerns range from environmental (light pollution, energy consumption) to increased traffic along busy Sands Ave.

Vegas taxi driver Dale Corson said there have been stories of rides taking 90 minutes to reach the Sphere entrance before the events because traffic was so backed up.

“There’s no parking because they have the race setup in the parking lot,” Corson said last month. “So you can’t even get there to park.”

Although the exosphere has received a lot of attention, it seems like everything from a giant basketball during the NBA Summer League to a emoji that appears to be peeking into hotel rooms – it is the theater in the Sphere that has generated a lot of buzz since its opening on September 29 with a series of U2 concerts. It also includes a cinematic experience from director Darren Aronofsky called ‘Postcard from Earth’ – which, like the U2 residency, has created breathtaking images on the enormous screen that envelops the audience.

‘It’s probably the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life’ — U2 kicked off its residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in September, seven years after the venue was first conceptualized pic.twitter.com/5UE8yNJISD

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 7, 2023

Dolan said “Postcard from Earth” and the U2 shows helped The Sphere generate $1 million in daily ticket revenue through October. Both shows will go dark during race week, but the Sphere itself will still be an attention grabber.

“We are already seeing Sphere’s ability to inspire awe and wonder, and the location has become a landmark destination in Las Vegas,” Dolan said. “But we’re just getting started and are excited about how much further we can take these new entertainment media in the future.”

That includes building additional Sphere locations around the world, although it’s a pretty expensive proposition. The globe grabbed headlines this week when the quarterly earnings report showed an operating loss of $98.4 million (though that wasn’t factored into the October shows). The company’s CFO Gautam Ranji also resigned.

But during F1 week, Sphere-related conversation will likely range from “What the heck is that?” to “Did you see what they put on the outside this time?”

“The exosphere will be used in many different ways, both from an entertainment perspective and to support our sponsors who have invested in our race,” Wilm said. “And also to draw attention to some parts of the race itself.”

Dolan said: “Our journey with Sphere is just beginning. And while it will take some time for Sphere to realize its full potential, we are off to a great start.”

(Main image: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images; Design: Eamonn Dalton/The Athletics)