The near future of F1 is looking dull..

[413x]

But won't almost all of you guys carry on watching it?

I made the switch to casual viewer last year (watching highlights)
Combination of too much tedium, artificial overtakes, no sky TV, overall result kind of known years in advance.

Seems like almost everyone thinks 2016 is an overall downwards step from the threads on here
And then 2017 another downwards step

Just would be interested in seeing how bad it would have to get for you guys to turn off?

 

[413x]

So really it although it isn't good, the hardcore fans will keep watching.

I wonder on F1 what proportion of viewers are casual?
It doesn't strike me as a casual viewing sport

Also if people are still watching no real need to worry for the owners as money still comes in.

Although does seem a fair few are starting to wane.
Haven't a clue about other countries

Ill also probably watch the opener, Canada and spa.

 

[413x]

Got you
I knew it wasn't an issue at the tracks
But forgot sky have the clout to just throw money at it to get a few more subscribers
I guess if enough people stopped watching sky they would dump it though.. Although I expect that's a way off

 

[413x]

The annoyance for myself is this

I find it hard enough to talk to anyone about motorsports.. And F1 is still most popular (but it's cack) even on here the other formula are not really discussed like f1

And then it's TV availability to for other formula

There are so many better choices.. But part of the fun is talking to people about it

I like Btcc best, but because I can watch it, appreciate it, and be entertained. I don't need to watch series to enjoy races, but equally I'm not setting a reminder to watch it
It's a shame for. Motorsports in general.. A shame F1 to most UK people is motorsports

 

[413x]

There has to be a tipping point.

If enough fans desert the value to the ppv TV broadcasters will be too low
And F1 will have to drop it's prices

Probably a long way from that now..

 

[413x]

The PPV broadcasters will just do what Sky does, bundle F1 into a larger package that covers its cost.

Sky Sports F1 is only available in the Sports pack now, and is utterly insignificant in that given the other sports (Football) that dominate the 7 channels. I expect 90% of the people who have SSF1 never watch it.

I have no idea of football costs and I expect it's probably worth it to sky just to boost its monopoly?

I dunno, you would think if a fraction of a percentage watched it, it wouldnt be worth it.

As always I'll watch the first race, decide if it predicts the Wdc and WCC and then (as I'm sure it will) just watch the odd highlights show like last year

 

[413x]

As is human nature I moaned a bit last couple of seasons, but now I'm putting my moaning into practice.

 

[413x]

My point is, if you pay Sky for the F1 channel, they don't care if you then watch it or not.

Whereas commercial/free to air channels like Channel 4 need to ensure people tune in every week to watch in order to keep the viewing figures high in order to keep people paying for adverts.

Sky get the same money is they have 1 million subscribers to the Sport Pack and 1 person watches F1 as they would do if they had 1 million subscribers and 1 million of them watch F1.

Once you move to Pay TV, viewer numbers become less important, and subscribers numbers is the key metric. I wonder how many people have the Sports Pack?

Edit: There aren't any absolute numbers, but people have extrapolated the figures based on viewers of big Football matches to assume 50%+ of Sky customers have Sports. With around 10 million subscribers, that means about 5 million people with Sports, all paying for the F1 channel.

I'm for thinking for sky that if only one viewer watches sky F1 then sky is making a massive loss on paying for F1 rights. As they'd only lose one viewer and save the cost of the F1 contact

At some point they must look at that

 

[413x]

What you really have to do is provide things that aren't going to be used equally amongst all drivers
Maybe unlimited DRS.. Who has the balls to open it down a small straight, and brake late! Maybe even that wouldn't do it.

The tyre rules have helped as most people knew they would

But it's hard to break the driver from the car. To be able to let a good driver in a poor car beat an OK driver in an OK car

It has to be too hard to model pre race. And we all know how much money and resource goes into that

 

[413x]

Personally I wouldn't care if it was for the lead or for 10th place, if there's great wheel to wheel racing going on, I like to watch it.

Same, I don't care if the lead car gets no air time. As long as there's a good scrap around mid field with good wheel to wheel action in happy

 

[413x]

DRS by design is there to prevent a faster car being stuck behind a slower one.

Its not perfect, but broadly speaking it works. And its much better than the alternative, which is long processional races with no overtaking.

You can't simply "remove DRS" without solving the issue of following cars another way.

Tha the thing for me. It is perfect, but it's better than just not having it.