Free to air F1 likely to end

[Duke]

We knew it was coming, but could be sooner rather than later - http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/07/bernie-ecclestone-formula-one-free-bbc

Bernie Ecclestone has signalled that Formula One could drop its free‑to‑air television coverage on the BBC since the exposure it gets through the pay‑per‑view broadcaster Sky is sufficient on its own. It follows the announcement on Thursday that the rights to broadcast live F1 races in Italy have been sold to Sky Italia in a deal which further reduces the sport's free-to-air coverage.

This year, for the first time in the modern history of F1, not all races are being broadcast in full on free-to-air TV in the UK. At an estimated cost of £25m annually Sky is broadcasting all races, qualifying and practice sessions live while the BBC is paying around £15m to show half of the races live with delayed highlights of the others. "We will never move all countries to pay‑per‑view only though it wouldn't make any difference here in the UK," said Ecclestone.

I can't remember how many years the BBC had left on the original contract, but it seems to be changing again.

 

[Kenai]

Next year it won't be on the BBC and Sky will have adverts, we all knew it was going to happen.

"We will never move all countries to pay‑per‑view only though it wouldn't make any difference here in the UK,"

Nope, just the ones with enough money floating around. No point making it PPV in places where they can't afford it rather than won't afford it.

 

[steve45]

just means i will no longer watch F1, so no great loss, i rarely get a chance to watch a full race weekend these days as it is.
not a hope in hell i'd pay for it in its current package, no interest in the other sports channels and there is often a strong chance i will not be able to watch a full race weekend.

if sky changed the package so that i could pay for access to that channel on a race by race basis and be advert free i'd be quite happy to pay that.
but until then sky can just do one, its just not worth it just now for what they are asking.

 

[arknor]

how cab sky get enough viewers?
malaysia
2012
Qualifying
Sky Live - 456k
BBC Highlights - 1.83m (23.0%)
Total = 2.29m

Race
Sky Live - 960k
* 15-minute peak: 1.50m at 11:15
BBC Highlights - 2.73m (27.8%)
* peak: 3.20m
Total = 3.69m
* combined peak: 4.70m

Bahrain
2012
Qualifying
Sky Live - 462k
BBC Highlights - 2.99m (18.1%)
Total = 3.45m

Race
Sky Live - 738k (6.2%)
* race average - 1.4m
* peak - 1.6m
BBC Highlights - 3.65m (20.2%)
Total = 4.39m

the whole season is like that bbc always have far more viewers than sky do

 

[ci_newman]

just means i will no longer watch F1, so no great loss, i rarely get a chance to watch a full race weekend these days as it is.
not a hope in hell i'd pay for it in its current package, no interest in the other sports channels and there is often a strong chance i will not be able to watch a full race weekend.

if sky changed the package so that i could pay for access to that channel on a race by race basis and be advert free i'd be quite happy to pay that.
but until then sky can just do one, its just not worth it just now for what they are asking.

And evidently based on the viewing figures produced by Sky, you are in the minority. The pre-show stuff isn't as good as the BBC, but I don't mind the race commentary and Sky show far more content live than the BBC did, allowing me to record it.

 

[GravyMonster]

the whole season is like that bbc always have far more viewers than sky do

Yes but BBC have nearly 3 times the total audience as Sky.

When viewed as a % of total audience, Sky is about the same or a little ahead IIRC.

 

[ci_newman]

how cab sky get enough viewers?
malaysia
2012
Qualifying
Sky Live - 456k
BBC Highlights - 1.83m (23.0%)
Total = 2.29m

Race
Sky Live - 960k
* 15-minute peak: 1.50m at 11:15
BBC Highlights - 2.73m (27.8%)
* peak: 3.20m
Total = 3.69m
* combined peak: 4.70m

Bahrain
2012
Qualifying
Sky Live - 462k
BBC Highlights - 2.99m (18.1%)
Total = 3.45m

Race
Sky Live - 738k (6.2%)
* race average - 1.4m
* peak - 1.6m
BBC Highlights - 3.65m (20.2%)
Total = 4.39m

the whole season is like that bbc always have far more viewers than sky do

Where have those figures come from, as they aren't especially clear:

Sky Live - 738k (6.2%)
* race average - 1.4m
* peak - 1.6m

So if the race average is 1.4m, what is the 738k figure being quoted?

 

[scorza]

how cab sky get enough viewers?
...

Difference in the value of each type of viewer, BBC pays a lot less per viewer for F1 than Sky can.

Despite having Sky F1 by virtue of my Sky HD package (only a matter of time before it's Sky Sports only though), I only watched it for the first race on it and then decided I wasn't really that interested in F1 any more. I actually find it too much hassle to find the F1 channel through the EPG so I'll just watch the highlights on the BBC if I'm in, or else just not bother at all.

 

[ci_newman]

Yes but BBC have nearly 3 times the viewers as Sky.

And next year, Sky will have 1.4m times the viewers than the BBC

 

[Duke]

if sky changed the package so that i could pay for access to that channel on a race by race basis and be advert free i'd be quite happy to pay that.

I think they need to have something like that in the contract with FOM. Some sort of pay per weekend/season for those that don't want the whole sports package.

 

[Kimi]

Wouldnt be so bad if the sky coverage was any good

 

[GravyMonster]

I think they need to have something like that in the contract with FOM. Some sort of pay per weekend/season for those that don't want the whole sports package.

Just get the HD pack as it's only £10 and gets you SSF1 - it's what I do.

The only things I miss from the sports pack are Eurosport for MotoGP, WTCC and Le Mans, and SS2 for NASCAR and Indycar.

 

[ThestigGT999]

**** sky

online streams for the WIN

 

[this_is_gav]

The only things I miss from the sports pack are Eurosport for MotoGP, WTCC and Le Mans, and SS2 for NASCAR and Indycar.

My sister's not got the sports pack, and she gets the Eurosport channels and Motors.

 

[Kevin Clark]

My sister's not got the sports pack, and she gets the Eurosport channels and Motors.

Yep, I didn't have the sports pack until the start of this season but had Motors and Eurosport. Pretty sure I wasn't paying extra for them with any other packs unless they're part of the entertainment one.

 

[Westyfield2]

I can't remember how many years the BBC had left on the original contract, but it seems to be changing again.

It was five years, starting in 2009. Not that the BBC let that bother them though.

Maybe this time the BBC will remember that they're meant to be a public service broadcaster and not block an offer from 'rival' Channel 4 to show F1 on terrestrial free to air.

 

[Skillmister]

Guess i'll just have to stream every race then no big loss

 

[Nismo]

I actually find it too much hassle to find the F1 channel through the EPG

Eh?

408, done.

 

[Stoner81]

To be expected to be honest it seems the BBC is trying to shaft everybody these days

Stoner81.

 

[TehBluebear]

Oh for ****'s sake.