BBC possibly to drop F1 coverage...

[Irish_Tom]

Thats exactly it, and the BBC haven't tried to hide this either

They are freeing up airtime for programs that are cheaper to make, as the money available to them is different now to what they were forecasting when they first took on F1.

Theres nothing dodgy about the BBC deal at all. They had to reduce costs, and reducing F1 coverage was one of many options. They are doing the best they can to reduce the cost of the coverage, while also ensuring they don't break the contract they had with Bernie (which would come with massive penalty charges).

Yeah I see what your saying. My comment was more to do with your surprise that they aren't covering all of the European races. It makes little-to-no odds which of the ten races they chose to cover in full if they are sending the whole team to every race anyway...

It's all well and good saying they are saving money by making cheaper programmes but if they are still sending the whole team to every country on the calendar they can't be saving that much.

Unless of course, as Demon and Spunky suggest, it's the rights-to-air which are the really expensive deal breaker.

In which case, ONLY cover the European races and save both rights and production costs by not leaving the EU...

It all leaves a bitter taste in my mouth though when the BBC have spent £900m moving to Salford only to have to ship everyone back to London all the time to cover anything remotely interesting.

 

[Skeeter]

I wasn't aware that the full team would be at each race. If they are, then can pick and choose the ones that make the best TV.

I would imagine the rights to the Live feed are a considerable saving in the new contract. And anything they do will be cheaper than breaking the contract and being sued by FOM.

 

[I_M_Weasel]

wouldnt suprise me seeing as the figure floating around is that sky need to get an extra 150,000 customers to actually offset the cost of buying f1

I've just left sky because of the F1 coverage and gone to virgin, yes they'll still get some cash off me for sky sports but I was paying them £46 a month, now it'll be a 3rd of that.

 

[Skeeter]

wouldnt suprise me seeing as the figure floating around is that sky need to get an extra 150,000 customers to actually offset the cost of buying f1

I'm in.

Only 149,999 to go...

But that figure is rubbish anyway. This is a new channel, the advertising on it alone will more than pay for the contract cost.

 

[Damien.]

I wonder if they will allow sky customers to buy the F1 channel without having to subscribe to sports 1 and 2.

 

[arknor]

I'm in.

Only 149,999 to go...

But that figure is rubbish anyway. This is a new channel, the advertising on it alone will more than pay for the contract cost.

how many adverts are sky going to really risk on a channel like that?
have they said no adverts during races yet?

 

[Skeeter]

I wonder if they will allow sky customers to buy the F1 channel without having to subscribe to sports 1 and 2.

Sky Sports F1 is available to subscribers of either Sky Sports 1 and 2, or the Sky HD pack. It is not available on its own, or on Freeview or Freesat.

No news on Virgin yet.

So no, its not available on its own, but the HD pack is the cheapest way to get it if you already have Sky (its £10.25 a month).

how many adverts are sky going to really risk on a channel like that?
have they said no adverts during races yet?

No adverts during races. But its Sky, so expect a 3 minute ad break every 10 minutes for the rest of the program (just look at the Football coverage).

 

[Basher]

Sky Sports F1 is available to subscribers of either Sky Sports 1 and 2, or the Sky HD pack. It is not available on its own, or on Freeview or Freesat.

No news on Virgin yet.

So no, its not available on its own, but the HD pack is the cheapest way to get it if you already have Sky (its £10.25 a month).



No adverts during races. But its Sky, so expect a 3 minute ad break every 10 minutes for the rest of the program (just look at the Football coverage).

They'll also prob be an ad break during the formation lap. Just like the ad break literally just before the football kicks off.

 

[MissChief]

Currently the cheapeast way if you don't already have sky is £30.25 a month for the entertainment pack and the HD pack. Box and install are free.

 

[ps3ud0]

I'm in.

Only 149,999 to go...

But that figure is rubbish anyway. This is a new channel, the advertising on it alone will more than pay for the contract cost.

Possibly not, as the value to advertisers of a one sport channel isnt going to be as great as if it was Sky Sports or a terrestrial channel - especially when that channel constitutes of some sort of premium...

Also we still havent got a clear idea what the programming will be (if any?) outside of F1 therefore the advertising space isnt that great nor is it going to be that valuable...

ps3ud0

 

[Skeeter]

Whatever the figures, its not like Sky are going to be making a loss on it.

 

[ps3ud0]

Whatever the figures, its not like Sky are going to be making a loss on it.

Lets just say dont be surprised when the HD pack gets a price change next year

ps3ud0

 

[Skeeter]

With VM offering HD channels for free, the only way the HD pack price can go is down.

 

[Basher]

With VM offering HD channels for free, the only way the HD pack price can go is down.

Not if the VM HD pack doesn't include Spy Sports F1

 

[Skeeter]

Not if the VM HD pack doesn't include Spy Sports F1

I meant in general. I can't see Sky being able to charge much for HD channels for much longer. They charged when they were the new premium service. That is now 3D, so HD should filter into 'normal' packages soon.

 

[Shimmy]

I meant in general. I can't see Sky being able to charge much for HD channels for much longer. They charged when they were the new premium service. That is now 3D, so HD should filter into 'normal' packages soon.

Afaik the 3D channels are free when you have the HD package and there is little content, besides I don't know a single person who owns a 3D tv.

 

[Duke]

I meant in general. I can't see Sky being able to charge much for HD channels for much longer. They charged when they were the new premium service. That is now 3D, so HD should filter into 'normal' packages soon.

Yep in the same way that Sky+ was charged for, before HD was available etc.

 

[ps3ud0]

With VM offering HD channels for free, the only way the HD pack price can go is down.

VM have had HD channels for a number of years now, so I very much doubt that will lead to Sky reducing their HD surcharge (it should already be happening if that was the case no?), especially as they are the content creator for a lot of those channels and quite a few remain exclusive to Sky.

All Im saying is that with this HD surcharge absorbing other features like 3D capability and now this F1 channel dont be surprised that it still remains. At best once HD becomes the norm theyll just label the surcharge differently and move the HD channels out but still expect to be paying for the remaining content...

Sky make, wholly own and 'distribute' that content and without OFCOM stepping in, will ensure any competitor that wants that content agree to their wholesale pricing and terms. Sky have actively moved to ensure they own a lot of the content, while VM have moved to being far more the conduit - sooner rather than later Sky will have VM over a barrel when it comes to wholesale TV content pricing...

ps3ud0

 

[Kol]

Possibly not, as the value to advertisers of a one sport channel isnt going to be as great as if it was Sky Sports or a terrestrial channel - especially when that channel constitutes of some sort of premium...

Also we still havent got a clear idea what the programming will be (if any?) outside of F1 therefore the advertising space isnt that great nor is it going to be that valuable...

ps3ud0

What are you talking about? Whoever has the job of selling airtime on this channel has the easiest ad sales roles ever. It's a captive audience with a very specific interest.

There is no easier channel to sell airtime for, as all others have too diverse an audience.

 

[ps3ud0]

What are you talking about? Whoever has the job of selling airtime on this channel has the easiest ad sales roles ever. It's a captive audience with a very specific interest.

There is no easier channel to sell airtime for, as all others have too diverse an audience.

Huh when was diversity a bad thing? All Im saying is that the advertisers interested in buying that ad space are going to be specific to that target demographic, so limits who would be interested in buying that space. I guess though thats still quite a large limit, so perhaps Ive under-estimated that value...

For example you are unlikely to see female beauty ads arent you? Though expect plenty of car ads .

I never said it wouldnt be easy to sell? Im sure youll do fine. TBH a lot of what I said was an educated guess, Im no expert on advertising and probably way off the mark...

ps3ud0