For the uninitiated, the races consists of minute-long heats that see pilots -- with monikers, like "Jet" and "ShaggyFPV," that wouldn't look out of place in an eSports tournament -- flying custom-built drones through neon-lit shapes on winding tracks at speeds over 90 miles per hour. A total of 18 pilots compete across the season, but only 10 make it through to the World Championship where a winner is crowned.

The brevity of the races makes the DRL ideal for attention-starved social media users. And the real-time tweets from fans, and sponsors, should also help create more word-of-mouth for the league. The new broadcasting deals follow the DRL's recent three-year, international pact with China's Youku livestreaming service, which is estimated to have more than 374 million viewers.