FIA Takes Over WRC

[cosworth151]

The FIA has taken over the promoter's role in the World Rally Championship. The WRC has been without a promoter since North One Sports went bankrupt last December.

"The FIA regrets to announce it has not proven possible to find an international promoter as well as a global broadcaster for the 2012 World Rally Championship season at this stage in time."

There have also been reports that the FIA have told the WRC events that they should each make their own TV deals.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120204/WRC/120209935#ixzz1lhZTNiXV

[Scott]

...really?  Or they couldn't find an "acceptable" promoter?  FIA as officiating body and promoter is a bit of a conflict.  Is it Todt wanting to get his paws back on something in WRC perhaps?  Maybe sees himself as an eventual Bernie of WRC when he retires from the FIA?

Isn't one of the promoters key roles to make the TV deals???  Telling each event to arrange their own coverage is going to make the televising of it a disaster in the making.

[Jericoke]

...really?  Or they couldn't find an "acceptable" promoter?  FIA as officiating body and promoter is a bit of a conflict.  Is it Todt wanting to get his paws back on something in WRC perhaps?  Maybe sees himself as an eventual Bernie of WRC when he retires from the FIA?

Isn't one of the promoters key roles to make the TV deals???  Telling each event to arrange their own coverage is going to make the televising of it a disaster in the making.

The rights are 'owned' by the FIA to lease as they choose.  If no one leases them, it's up to the FIA to step in.

Personally, I feel that the fewer fingers in the pie is better for a sport in general.  I don't think that Formula One benefits from having the FIA, FOM and FOTA.

Having just the FIA means that they can make decisions (right or wrong) with the entire sport in mind, not just their own piece and having to fight with anyone else to effect changes.

Plenty of sports operate as a single officiating/promotion entity just fine.

As for individual races doing their own deals?  Sounds fantastic to me.

[lkjohnson1950]

WRC is hard enough to find now, and consists largely of post stage interviews. Imagine if 2 or 3 are on SPEED, a couple on Velocity, a couple on NBC/VS. 

[cosworth151]

Just like NASCAR was in the 80's. The tracks each cut their own TV deals. Some were on ESPN, some on Speedvision, NBC, CBS, etc. Some coverage was great, some was rotten and some in between. The smaller racer often weren't on at all.

[Scott]

That was exactly my point...

[Jericoke]

WRC is hard enough to find now, and consists largely of post stage interviews. Imagine if 2 or 3 are on SPEED, a couple on Velocity, a couple on NBC/VS. 

Better for some to be good than all to be bad.

Whatever the sport was doing before wasn't working.  This gives a chance to do some experimenting and turn what could have been a lost season into the beginning of something new.