F1 for sale?

Duke · 27 Apr 2011 at 10:44

Bernie has to give up the reigns at some point, but I expect there will need to be a fairly long hand over period.

FreeStream · 27 Apr 2011 at 14:31

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

Well some of the Sky channels are free-to-view, Sky 3, for example.

Surely if Sky got it and this Concorde Agreement is renewed then they'd have to put it on a free view channel.

If it ever went to a paid channel then I'd either download it afterwards without adverts or not watch it.

MissChief · 27 Apr 2011 at 23:42

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

When they tried it they really underestimated how many people would sign up. F1 is more popular now than it was then and Sky have amny more customers than they did as well as there being millions more digital capable sets out there. Surprised someone hasn't tried it again TBH.

~Mike~ · 2 May 2011 at 10:32

Update

Update here:

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/6905320/A-Close-To-Zero-Chance

"If, and I think the chances are close to zero, but if Murdoch was to buy certainly he'd have to broadcast some free-to-air like it is now."

Fr0dders · 3 May 2011 at 07:09

Mike306 said:
Update here:

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/6905320/A-Close-To-Zero-Chance

so from that we can read two things

1) Murdoch intends to show it almost exclusively on Sky Sports, like Football and Cricket

2) he's offering an amount bernie considers too low and one that Murdoch can make a profit on. He considers the chances as close to zero because murdoch won't pay the current market value of F1, as then there's no profit in it for him.

Westyfield2 · 3 May 2011 at 19:24

News Corp & Exor....

Tweaker · 3 May 2011 at 19:24

Cant believe this is happening, if this happens, we will more than likely see an end to F1 as we know it. I thought the viewer was the focus of F1, by moving to Sky you could lose millions of viewers, which is not good. Having said that, i am a Sky customer, so i can watch it, but i will only watch the race as the current format that BBC has is impossible to beat.

Skeeter · 3 May 2011 at 19:37

Why are people completely missunderstanding this!

If News Corp OWNS Formula 1, then it will not be allowed to BROADCAST Formula 1 on its own network without falling foul of competition regulations.

If Murdoch wants to buy F1 to be able to show it on Sky then it wont happen. It cant happen.

People need to stop thinking that Murdoch buying F1 will mean it will be shown on Sky! This story and the talk is about who will own Formula 1 as a business and all the trademarks and licensing of it, not who will show it on TV.

Slam62 · 3 May 2011 at 19:56

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/13274848.stm

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and an Italian investment firm linked to Ferrari are working on a possible bid to take control of Formula 1

ha ha .... oh ****, the one of few options you wouldn't prefer to Bernie

~Mike~ · 3 May 2011 at 20:04

Skeeter said:
Why are people completely missunderstanding this!

If News Corp OWNS Formula 1, then it will not be allowed to BROADCAST Formula 1 on its own network without falling foul of competition regulations.

If Murdoch wants to buy F1 to be able to show it on Sky then it wont happen. It cant happen.

People need to stop thinking that Murdoch buying F1 will mean it will be shown on Sky! This story and the talk is about who will own Formula 1 as a business and all the trademarks and licensing of it, not who will show it on TV.

But we don't wan't Murdoch owning F1 either.

Tweaker · 3 May 2011 at 20:39

Mike306 said:
But we don't wan't Murdoch owning F1 either.

+1

Also, any change in ownership is because of a motive, what ever that is, until the smoke settles on what Murdoch wants out of F1, nothing is sure.

Fr0dders · 3 May 2011 at 20:46

Skeeter said:
Why are people completely missunderstanding this!

If News Corp OWNS Formula 1, then it will not be allowed to BROADCAST Formula 1 on its own network without falling foul of competition regulations.

If Murdoch wants to buy F1 to be able to show it on Sky then it wont happen. It cant happen.

People need to stop thinking that Murdoch buying F1 will mean it will be shown on Sky! This story and the talk is about who will own Formula 1 as a business and all the trademarks and licensing of it, not who will show it on TV.

why has bernie gone on record saying that broadcasting F1 on a Free To Air channel is an issue then.

If he wasn't proposing it why is it an issue for them ?

FrankJH · 3 May 2011 at 20:50

BBc article mentions the chairman of Fiat joining the bid - Im sorry that just shouldnt be allowed on any grounds at all (any team owning F1 , even in part, is a disaster waiting to happen)

Tweaker · 3 May 2011 at 20:53

FrankJH said:
BBc article mentions the chairman of Fiat joining the bid - Im sorry that just shouldnt be allowed on any grounds at all (any team owning F1 , even in part, is a disaster waiting to happen)

Or they could all be offered an equal share? Part ownership could be an interesting thing if more teams got in.

~Mike~ · 3 May 2011 at 20:55

Tweaker said:
Or they could all be offered an equal share? Part ownership could be an interesting thing if more teams got in.

Nice idea but could you imagine all the teams owning a share of F1?

How would they agree to run it?

FrankJH · 3 May 2011 at 21:00

Tweaker said:
Or they could all be offered an equal share? Part ownership could be an interesting thing if more teams got in.

but there arent enough teams who could afford it - and it would just split the grid even further - so while I appreciate your view, I think thats just as bad an idea personally

Tweaker · 3 May 2011 at 22:05

FrankJH said:
but there arent enough teams who could afford it - and it would just split the grid even further - so while I appreciate your view, I think thats just as bad an idea personally

What i mean is, that if Murdoch buys it, he has to give all the teams a share, that way he couldnt make a sweeping change, if the teams dont like what he does, they can speak up, Murdoch would still control it, just give the teams a small amount of blocking power should he want to bring something in. In the end, if the teams feel they have their backs against the wall, they could leave and start a new series, its not like that hasnt been talked about before.

Skeeter · 3 May 2011 at 22:23

MrLOL said:
why has bernie gone on record saying that broadcasting F1 on a Free To Air channel is an issue then.

If he wasn't proposing it why is it an issue for them ?

Probably because Murdoch has suggested buying F1 and broadcasting on Sky, and Bernie knows that this cant happen, hence the reason he believes there is zero chance of it happening.

And what massive changes to people think Murdoch could impliment? The rules and regulations of Formula 1 are defined by the FIA. Formula 1 Group own the licencing, broadcasting and commercial rights to the sport and decide where they go to race and who can show it on TV, but not the regulations of the Formula. However, they do control the money and who gets what, so that could upset a few people (or win them over if he gives out more).

FrankJH · 4 May 2011 at 07:00

Tweaker said:
What i mean is, that if Murdoch buys it, he has to give all the teams a share, that way he couldnt make a sweeping change, if the teams dont like what he does, they can speak up, Murdoch would still control it, just give the teams a small amount of blocking power should he want to bring something in. In the end, if the teams feel they have their backs against the wall, they could leave and start a new series, its not like that hasnt been talked about before.

Would Murdoch give anything away though (I cant see it myself after spending what sounds like £2bn or there abouts

ShakenNstirred · 4 May 2011 at 07:50

its not even for sale
just because they would like to buy it doesnt me they will