The end of Formula 1?

[Wats-on]

I wrote this... In my best English.

Dear ms(s) Slater,

I recently learned for a relyable source, that BBC will be broadcasting F1 only for 50% (of each session!!) after next year. That surprises me in not the most funny way, because how can the BBC truly believe that people will see only 50% of the qualifying and 50% of the race? People won’t look any more. Also Sky won’t be the best idea, for people won’t pay for it.

Hope you reconsider the plans, for you will be losing lots of viewers. Most of the people I talk to – mostly Dutch and British – are looking for an alternative to drop both BBC and Sky. At least I get the alternative of the German RTL, but I like the British crew and I prefer English over German. No doubt however that I will switch to German if your plans won’t be changed!

Kind regards,

E. van Delft
evdelft@zonnet.nl

[Jericoke]

Welcome to our world. This is why some of us spend so much time on Sunday mornings looking for streaming links. Here in the States, F1 is mostly on Rupert's Speed TV. It isn't even available in many areas (like mine.)

Star Sports isn't BBC, but it's not bad. And, it's in English.

I haven't read if they will use separate broadcast teams or will share the same broadcast.

In Canada F1 is carried by TSN (ESPN Canada in all but name).  It's a '1st tier' cable channel.  It costs about $50 a month to get TSN (including all other basic and 1st tier cable channels).  However, TSN's coverage of F1 starts 5 minutes before the red lights, and ends with the words 'Sebastian, now a few words in your own language'.  We get qualifying, but we don't get practise.  For $5 more we can get digital cable, which includes Speed, which does have practise, but all other F1 content is blacked out.

We get the BBC feed with Martin and DC, although we only get to hear from EJ if there is a rain delay.  We also get commercial breaks where they make the F1 race tiny, and we can't hear what's going on.  (They usually time these for strategic pit stops or when the leaders are within 1/2 second of each other.  )

[cosworth151]

We don't have to pay a licence fee. However, the government let broadcast TV go all digital and cut power a few years back. For people who live outside of major metro area, especially in the mountains (like Claw-grrrl and I) it's pay for cable, pay for satellite or do without. Basic cable here is about $70 / month. Then, like Dare said, it takes several up charges to get Speed, if it's available at all. Where it is, it works out to well over $100 / month.

[Alianora La Canta]

This is the real pits.    How can the BBC think that half the races is good coverage, don't suppose they will consider just covering half the Olympics.  

If it got the choice, it probably would. It already covers half the World Cup and Euro Cup, after all.

Bernie was saying up until a couple of weeks ago that F1 would not go to pay TV. This is a quote atributed to Bernie, from a piece by Jonathan Noble on Autosport.com, 18th July 2011; - He added: "It isn't possible that F1 could go on to pay TV, we wouldn't want to do that."

Why say that when clearly at that time he knew that this carve up in favour of pay Tv was ready to happen, a deal like this doesn't get cobbled together in a few days.

This is what bugs me. Bernie shouldn't have said that. He's just guaranteed that no TV company will ever trust him again. I hope he's willing to sell F1 to Sky cut-price becuase that's the path he's put F1 on, intentionall or otherwise.

Personally, I'm going to have a lot of trouble watching F1 next year. My house can only have one dish on it and it already has a Freesat one for the digital conversion. This has some channels not available on Sky that Mum watches, so there's no chance of it being removed. In other words, not only would I have to pay an extortionate amount for Sky to come into my house, but I'd have to buy a house (at a price of about £120,000 to live in a basic house in my area) in order to be able to get Sky in the first place. Clearly this isn't going to happen.

Dad's already said he refuses to watch the BBC rounds unless the BBC has all the races. This means that I will not be able to watch any F1 on the TV. I'm looking to have to stream half the races with only low amounts of knowledge about the rest of the races. Is it worth it? Let's put it this way: it is only my near-obsession with motor racing that even allows me to consider the option.

When F1 has worse coverage than sportscars despite charging many times more to competitors and receiving channels alike, it's time to consider whether I'm focusing on the right sport.

[Airstriker]

Okay guys, instead of just whinging about this in here and other forums, we can do something.  As you probably know FOTA are a major player in allowing these 'deals' to go ahead.  They are the ones to pressurise, not the BBC or SKY who are both working for their own best interests.  You can visit my facebook page that I have set up just for this at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-F1-free-for-all/241783269176960?sk=wall

You can email FOTA directly to complain at:

http://www.teamsassociation.org/contacts

Please pass this on to as many people as possible!  Thanks.

[cosworth151]

It looks like this came as a surprise to almost everyone. On second practice this morning, the BBC presenters sad that they first heard about it when they got to the track this morning. Judging by the non-committal responses of the teams, I think they were caught off guard, too. 

Maybe politely worded messages of concern to FOTA would be a good idea.

[Ian]

Already emailed the BBC this morning, not they will give a toss, and just emailed FOTA, perhaps as airstriker says, if enough people do lodge a complaint there it may just help. Otherwise I have a choice next season, do I watch half a season or not bother at all ?

[Jericoke]

Already emailed the BBC this morning, not they will give a toss, and just emailed FOTA, perhaps as airstriker says, if enough people do lodge a complaint there it may just help. Otherwise I have a choice next season, do I watch half a season or not bother at all ?

I posted on another thread that corporations respond to posted mail more than email.  Email can be dashed off for free in 10 seconds, but a postcard requires a purchase, and effort to fill in and mail.  Corporations DO respond to the effort, because it shows you care more than a 10 second fit of pique.

Might I suggest going after F1 where it really hurts:  the sponsors.  Send your postcards to Vodaphone, Santander and Red Bull.

[Canada Darrell™]

Hmmmm,

I wonder what is going to happen to F1 on TSN? Maybe over here we won't even notice the change.

Are MB and DC still going to be at the races commentating?

Shoot....F1 and hockey are the only sports I follow with any interest anymore and already I'm thinking I may take next year off watching hockey....and now maybe F1???

More time flying I guess!

[Scott]

I think Jeri's right, but really, isn't it too late?  Bernie's not going to just hand over the other half of the races to the BBC, especially as Sky is already bragging about being the only place to see the 'entire season' of F1. 

I'm a bit surprised the teams either weren't informed, or if they were, didn't make a stink themselves.  Most of them are based in the UK after all, they are certainly going hear about it from everyone in the area with a mouth (their support staff, local restaurants and bars...etc, etc.). 

But sending postcards to the sponsors sounds like the best idea.  I hope they like our hotel picture on the back 

Here are a few addresses to get us started:

Complaints
Santander UK PLC
PO Box 1125
BRADFORD
BD1 9PG

Pirelli Tyres Ltd.
Derby Road,
Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
DE 13 OBH

Renault UK,
Rivers Office Park,
Denham Way,
Rickmansworth, Herts,
WD3 9YS

Vodafone Customer Care
Vodafone House,
The Connection,
Newbury, Berkshire
RG14 2FN

Shell U.K. Limited
Shell Centre
London
SE1 7NA

Virgin Mobile
PO Box 2692
Trowbridge
BA14 0WX

AT&T Business, Level 4, Cardinal Place,
80 Victoria Street,
London SW1 5JL

[Jericoke]

Hmmmm,

I wonder what is going to happen to F1 on TSN? Maybe over here we won't even notice the change.

Are MB and DC still going to be at the races commentating?

Shoot....F1 and hockey are the only sports I follow with any interest anymore and already I'm thinking I may take next year off watching hockey....and now maybe F1???

More time flying I guess!

The switch between ITV and BBC was pretty seamless.... although ITV had its own commercial breaks that TSN used.

I don't know how TSN's rights are structured, if they have a separate deal with BBC and FOM.  In which case, I'm sure they'll have to work something out with Sky... or Speed.  (TSN did use Speed coverage for a couple races last year, or maybe 2 years ago.  It was awful, but if the British coverage requires multiple deals, it might be easier to deal with Speed.  Or maybe we can talk TSN into sending us to cover the races live!  We'd have to miss chat though )

[markfarrell9572]

Question: why are BBC bothering to show 50% of the race?  If a person is paying  a fortune to watch it on sky, are they going to then abandon it for free to air, when there is a clash?  Britain is F1's heartland, and the decision today has really been a big attempt to kill it there.  

I'm livid at this, really really f-ing angry.  We have been lied to out and out lied to.

Plan:  I'm going to mention inland revenue to Bernard, and when he gives me £44m I'll stump up for everyone here's sky sport subscription.

[Wizzo]

I think the responses to this statement by the BBC pretty much sums up how we feel in the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sporteditors/2011/07/f1_coverage_to_be_shared_betwe.html

[Canada Darrell™]

Wait, what? I thought that BBC would be showing 50% of the RACES...as in they'll show 9 of 18 events but now I'm reading closer. You mean to tell me they are going to show only 50% of the race and then switch off?? ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING?????

Holy crap, what kind of gorilla marketing is that?

[Andy B]

I may benefit from this by having pre and post race programes.

Wizz how can you get to six GP's for the cost of Sky? I have Sky and obviously Sky Sports for F1 but the cost would not fund trips to GP's. When F1 went to Sky before I paid for the coverage then as it cost less than going to a GP so for me it see a single race or the whole season.

I think going to Sky is better than going back to ITV!!
Just my honest opinion.