The F1 thread

Paul_C

Moto GP leaving British Eurosport and the BBC means I only follow it vaguely now whereas I used to watch/listen every practice session and race, I certainly won't be paying anyone to watch F1 as it's far less entertaining.

chillidoggy

Fretwired said:

boogieman said:

holnrew;793214" said:

The move to sky was a bad idea.

The BBC losing all F1 coverage from next season will screw the viewing figures even more. I can't imagine a huge number of people will get a Sky package just to watch it. Very bad move IMO.

Well that will be me gone ...

Yup, I'm out. I'd rather throw meself off a cliff than contribute anything to Sky's already overinflated coffers.

I reckon, that will be the end of it.

holnrew

I'd be able to watch it if it moved to BT Sports, but I haven't even bothered when it's been on the BBC since they've been sharing the rights.

MattFGBI

Whoa, you're telling me F1 is not on the BBC at all next year? 

FX_Munkee

boogieman said:

holnrew;793214" said:

The move to sky was a bad idea.

The BBC losing all F1 coverage from next season will screw the viewing figures even more. I can't imagine a huge number of people will get a Sky package just to watch it. Very bad move IMO.

I think Bernie might have realised this though. He's recently done a deal with RTL in Germany for their next contract which is similar to the BBC's. The RTL deal is half the price they paid for exactly the same deal 10 years ago. He maybe a devious little knobhead but he's not thick, he knows losing the terrestrial broadcasting in UK, Germany and probably Spain would just about kill F1 in Europe.

bobblehat

FX_Munkee said:

boogieman said:

holnrew;793214" said:

The move to sky was a bad idea.

The BBC losing all F1 coverage from next season will screw the viewing figures even more. I can't imagine a huge number of people will get a Sky package just to watch it. Very bad move IMO.

I think Bernie might have realised this though. He's recently done a deal with RTL in Germany for their next contract which is similar to the BBC's. The RTL deal is half the price they paid for exactly the same deal 10 years ago. He maybe a devious little knobhead but he's not thick, he knows losing the terrestrial broadcasting in UK, Germany and probably Spain would just about kill F1 in Europe.

It will be on terrestrial in the UK somewhere next year I am sure. Bernies not a fool.

Something similar just happened to the NFL coverage. SKY bought up all the rights and C4 got dumped. omeone at the NFL must have realised the American Football fans in the UK are'nt going to cough up for a subscription and all the work they've done over the last 5 years to establish a UK market was about to go down the shitter. They have no at the eleventh hour signed a deal with the BBC starting in November. F1 Fans and NFL fans are not your typical Sky sports subscriber!  

Heartfeltdawn

Fretwired said:

Exactly, although if Cosworth built a really competitive engine then teams could be competitive as they could tweak the aero and other design features - Williams are doing pretty well on a small budget. The smaller teams could also share expensive wind tunnel sessions. But at least there could be racing and maybe points awarded to the teams at the back.

Bernie will have to do something as the viewing figures are dropping away - the Singapore grand prix had the lowest UK viewing figures ever (Sky + BBC highlights).

Just like cricket, F1 has to learn the hard way that if you keep throwing your coverage onto pay channels then you will lose large audience figures. 

All these little sub-deals are interesting. I don't mind if the BBC loses live sport. What is essential if some form of terrestrial highlights package. The Premier League has been so well served by Match of the Day. An F1 highlights package on the BBC would suit me fine. 

hotpot

Does the BBC have a sports department anymore!....... Oh yeah Tennis.

boogieman

MattFGBI said:

Whoa, you're telling me F1 is not on the BBC at all next year? 

Yup, they bailed out of the bidding because the price was too high.

Tbh, I wouldn't mind a MOTD style highlights package of each race on the BBC either. The practice sessions usually aren't worth watching and the qualifiers don't warrant much more than a half hour's coverage. 90 minutes of highlights of the qualis and the race, without all the pre-race waffle and interviews, would do just fine.

Heartfeltdawn

boogieman said:

Tbh, I wouldn't mind a MOTD style highlights package of each race on the BBC either. The practice sessions usually aren't worth watching and the qualifiers don't warrant much more than a half hour's coverage. 90 minutes of highlights of the qualis and the race, without all the pre-race waffle and interviews, would do just fine.

Practice sessions used to be good on the BBC. Anthony Davison and Crofty were excellent and Karun Chandok was an absolute revelation. On Sky they're a bit dull and dreary. I don't like Sky's coverage at all. Hill and Herbert do nowt for me, Natalie Pinkham is a waste of space, and Brundle/Croft doesn't really spark. Coulthard is by far and away the best of the ex-racing drivers giving out pundit words. 

People can slate the licence fee but the BBC knows how to do sports commentary better than any other service. 

Fretwired

hotpot said:

Does the BBC have a sports department anymore!....... Oh yeah Tennis.

Unfortunately Wimbledon gets a lot more viewers than F1 without the high production costs. F1 viewing has been falling.

Fretwired

Heartfeltdawn said:

boogieman said:

Tbh, I wouldn't mind a MOTD style highlights package of each race on the BBC either. The practice sessions usually aren't worth watching and the qualifiers don't warrant much more than a half hour's coverage. 90 minutes of highlights of the qualis and the race, without all the pre-race waffle and interviews, would do just fine.

Practice sessions used to be good on the BBC. Anthony Davison and Crofty were excellent and Karun Chandok was an absolute revelation. On Sky they're a bit dull and dreary. I don't like Sky's coverage at all. Hill and Herbert do nowt for me, Natalie Pinkham is a waste of space, and Brundle/Croft doesn't really spark. Coulthard is by far and away the best of the ex-racing drivers giving out pundit words. 

People can slate the licence fee but the BBC knows how to do sports commentary better than any other service. 

^^^

This

The BBC should ditch the licence fee and opt for a subscription and have a paid for iPlayer available worldwide. They'd be the richest broadcaster on the planet.

chillidoggy

Suzi Perry is well hot though. I can't take my eyes off her, especially when she's wearing those secretary-type glasses. She could be reading a Watchtower out loud instead of taking F1 stuff, and I'd still be dribbling.

sinbaadi

Fretwired;793677" said:

Heartfeltdawn said:



boogieman said:Tbh, I wouldn't mind a MOTD style highlights package of each race on the BBC either. The practice sessions usually aren't worth watching and the qualifiers don't warrant much more than a half hour's coverage. 90 minutes of highlights of the qualis and the race, without all the pre-race waffle and interviews, would do just fine.










Practice sessions used to be good on the BBC. Anthony Davison and Crofty were excellent and Karun Chandok was an absolute revelation. On Sky they're a bit dull and dreary. I don't like Sky's coverage at all. Hill and Herbert do nowt for me, Natalie Pinkham is a waste of space, and Brundle/Croft doesn't really spark. Coulthard is by far and away the best of the ex-racing drivers giving out pundit words. 

People can slate the licence fee but the BBC knows how to do sports commentary better than any other service. 





^^^



This



The BBC should ditch the licence fee and opt for a subscription and have a paid for iPlayer available worldwide. They'd be the richest broadcaster on the planet.

Only if it was a compulsory subscription. I don't think more than 50% of license fee payers would subscribe to a BBC service if it was optional. It would take some serious investment, putting the corporation at risk, to take it to a level where it can compete with Sky and BT. All you would have as a starting point is a devalued brand.

Fretwired

sinbaadi said:

Fretwired;793677" said:

Heartfeltdawn said:



boogieman said:Tbh, I wouldn't mind a MOTD style highlights package of each race on the BBC either. The practice sessions usually aren't worth watching and the qualifiers don't warrant much more than a half hour's coverage. 90 minutes of highlights of the qualis and the race, without all the pre-race waffle and interviews, would do just fine.










Practice sessions used to be good on the BBC. Anthony Davison and Crofty were excellent and Karun Chandok was an absolute revelation. On Sky they're a bit dull and dreary. I don't like Sky's coverage at all. Hill and Herbert do nowt for me, Natalie Pinkham is a waste of space, and Brundle/Croft doesn't really spark. Coulthard is by far and away the best of the ex-racing drivers giving out pundit words. 

People can slate the licence fee but the BBC knows how to do sports commentary better than any other service. 





^^^



This



The BBC should ditch the licence fee and opt for a subscription and have a paid for iPlayer available worldwide. They'd be the richest broadcaster on the planet.

Only if it was a compulsory subscription. I don't think more than 50% of license fee payers would subscribe to a BBC service if it was optional. It would take some serious investment, putting the corporation at risk, to take it to a level where it can compete with Sky and BT. All you would have as a starting point is a devalued brand.

People are bailing out of the licence fee at a rate of 100,000 a month. Fewer people are paying their Licence Fee due to the growth of digital services. The BBC's income from the Licence Fee will be £150m less in 2016/17 than it was back in 2011.

I see F1 returns to normal after Singapore.

chillidoggy

I heard rumours that Alonso is pissed off and may also be looking to move. Not sure there's anywhere for him to go, though.

Fretwired

chillidoggy said:

I heard rumours that Alonso is pissed off and may also be looking to move. Not sure there's anywhere for him to go, though.

Renault if they buy Lotus or Red Bull?

chillidoggy

Could be. And let's face it, he could hardly do any worse. 

Mind you, bet you that as soon as he does, McLaren will come good!

Fretwired

chillidoggy said:

Could be. And let's face it, he could hardly do any worse. 

Mind you, bet you that as soon as he does, McLaren will come good!

So Fernando is F1's Albatross .. :-)

Could be why Ron hasn't fired Jenson ...

chillidoggy

He must be kicking himself for bailing out of Ferrari. But how is Ron still in post?