F1 for sale?

Slam62 · 22 Apr 2011 at 21:38

yes, if Bernie wants more money he normally says 'there's no way we are doing that'

probably a done deal or a wheeze to get more money out of the BBC, take your pick, it's all about the money though, always is.

~Mike~ · 25 Apr 2011 at 17:55

Update.

Seems Bernie is ready to get his pension.

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/6894945/Ecclestone-Hits-At-F1-Sale-His-Own-Exit

arknor · 25 Apr 2011 at 18:30

"I'm old enough to get a pension, so I don't have to get a job," the 80-year-old F1 supremo told the newspaper.

if i had his bank balance i wouldnt have to get a job either

FreeStream · 25 Apr 2011 at 23:53

I don't care who owns it as long as it's on the BBC.

The adverts and generally poor show ITV did meant I rarely watched, once it was on the BBC i've seen every race since!

FrankJH · 26 Apr 2011 at 09:30

Not sure if the current Concorde Agreement ends this season or next (although I know BBC's agreement ends in 2013) but really hope F1 stays on FTA tv (which makes sense for all involved as far as I can see)

Real pity the BBC cant afford to keep it - as they are doing a stand-up job so far, ads will not be kept from interrupting the race - stop dreaming if you think that will ever happen.

CaptainRAVE · 26 Apr 2011 at 09:43

Would be a disaster if this went over to Sky. BBC have been great so far. No way would I pay for it on Sky though.

Dave M · 26 Apr 2011 at 09:47

Hmm, my instincts say Sky would kill F1 in the UK, but then again football has done quite well out of it.

Not sure I could ever see pubs showing F1 like they do football though.

Slam62 · 26 Apr 2011 at 09:58

it all depends on the money and the business case, as I understood it Sky were looking to buy the rights, so would probably be cheap(er) than originally cost. Sky could look to fund it through subscriptions or carry on Bernies business model of making the circuits and FTA TV pay.

If it's still FTA on RTL or RAI, then I would watch one of those.

Skeeter · 26 Apr 2011 at 10:09

Telescopi said:
Hmm, my instincts say Sky would kill F1 in the UK, but then again football has done quite well out of it.

Not sure I could ever see pubs showing F1 like they do football though.

Football and Cricket have done very well out of Sky. However, they don't seem to have the same interest in Motorsport. Personally, I can't see a move to Sky being good for F1.

However, if News Corp were to buy F1, then I don't think they would be allowed to broadcast (solely) on Sky on competition legislation grounds. So bizarly, the best thing that could happen to keep F1 on free TV is for Rupert Murdoch to buy it!

Fr0dders · 26 Apr 2011 at 12:26

Mike306 said:
Update.

Seems Bernie is ready to get his pension.

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/6894945/Ecclestone-Hits-At-F1-Sale-His-Own-Exit

haha

the critics were right

"I'd have to be sure the people (who end up owning F1) are people I would like to work with and whether they would want to work with me."

he's just playing games.

Its obviously on the table - lord knows how it will all end.

Skeeter · 26 Apr 2011 at 12:49

Of course its on the table. Bernie isn't immortal.

Its also worth noting that Bernie doesn't own F1, he runs it (well, he owns a little bit of the shares). There could always be the situation where the owners change, but Bernie still remains at the head.

You also have to remember that 'Owning F1' and 'Having the broadcasting rights to F1' are 2 very different things. If News Corp 'Owned' F1 then it is almost impossible for them to give the boradcasting 'rights' to Sky due to competition law. However, there is nothing to stop Sky getting the broadcasting rights to F1 at any point now, or when F1 is owned by anyone other than News Corp.

Who 'Buys' F1 and who 'Broadcasts' it are totally seperate, and in the case of News Corp/Sky, are mutually exclusive.

Emlyn_Dewar · 26 Apr 2011 at 14:29

If F1 went to Sky then I'd simply have to find something else to do with every other weekend.
It and Top Gear are the only reason I need a TV license. I'd certainly not be paying for another package on-top of that.

Tweaker · 26 Apr 2011 at 14:37

I don't see why sky don't get the rights too, i mean if you have the choice between BBC and Sky, then it is down to who makes the best show, which is surely better for us to have 2 good shows competing.

therealnerd2 · 26 Apr 2011 at 14:49

Sky sports costs LOADS of money, which is why it's bad if they have it.

deuse · 26 Apr 2011 at 17:35

Tweaker said:
I don't see why sky don't get the rights too, i mean if you have the choice between BBC and Sky, then it is down to who makes the best show, which is surely better for us to have 2 good shows competing.

In the concorde agreement it contains a clause which dictates that, in major territories, F1 has to be broadcast on free-to-air television
so why pay when it is free to watch and free of adverts

FrankJH · 26 Apr 2011 at 22:52

Skeeter said:
...However, there is nothing to stop Sky getting the broadcasting rights to F1 at any point now, or when F1 is owned by anyone other than News Corp.

Who 'Buys' F1 and who 'Broadcasts' it are totally seperate, and in the case of News Corp/Sky, are mutually exclusive.

Surely the PRESENT concorde agreement stops Sky from getting the broadcasting rights at present?

F1 HAS to be available to freeview at present where available, which means Sky cant have the rights

arknor · 26 Apr 2011 at 23:21

therealnerd2 said:
Sky sports costs LOADS of money, which is why it's bad if they have it.

theres no way i would pay for a sky sports or any other subscription just to watch f1 its the only sport i watch i couldnt give a crap about football so nthe value just wouldnt be there.

i'd happily miss watching the race live and watch it other ways

CaptainRAVE · 27 Apr 2011 at 09:33

On the plus side, last time Sky had a pay-per-view F1 channel it lasted only a year and faiiled miserably - I hope they keep this in mind

Skeeter · 27 Apr 2011 at 10:21

FrankJH said:
Surely the PRESENT concorde agreement stops Sky from getting the broadcasting rights at present?

F1 HAS to be available to freeview at present where available, which means Sky cant have the rights

Yes, I know. There was the exact same type of agreement in place for the Ashes too...

The Concorde agreement is between F1, the FIA and the teams. If Sky really wanted to show F1 they could get it, they just have to get F1, the FIA and the teams to agree to change the Concorde agreement. Its quite simple really, just offer them more money.

But what people are missing is that News Corp buying F1, and Sky broadcasting F1 are 2 very different, potentally mutually exclusive things. This thread is about the rumor of News Corp buying F1, which has absolutely nothing to do with what TV channel F1 is shown on.

Hxc · 27 Apr 2011 at 10:23

CaptainRAVE said:
On the plus side, last time Sky had a pay-per-view F1 channel it lasted only a year and faiiled miserably - I hope they keep this in mind

It was however, fantastic. It lasted much longer than a year, too.