Motors The Bit-Tech F1 2016 Thread - Season Complete

No F1 on free-to air tv in the UK from 2019

... well, **** [but surprised it took this long tbh, once sky got it it was only a matter of time...]

 

Well I won't be paying for sky. At least it will free up some of my weekends

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Numbers of viewers seem to dropping, how shall we fix it, charge for it so more people stop watching.

Well done.

 

In all honesty I was expecting it to kick in when it was announced the Beeb were ending their contract early...

but my how things change...

 

Yep F1 is officially dead. Viewers start dropping from sky, sky refuse to pay Bernies ever increasing insane valuations, sponsors drop out and so forth.

Time to invest in a new formula I think

 

GPDA are not happy either, so that may not happen

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/...lete-and-ill-structured-and-call-for-reforms/

I can understand where they are coming from on this but I can see Bernie just burning the letter an ignoring it so he can retire with more money.

 

No one else even offered to cover the races. Sky made a token bid just below what channel 4 got bbcs rights for and won by default.

Can't blame sky if no one else offered to tender for it.

Cost to cover each race to Bernis standards is way too high, if sky's costs are accurate it costs them 10-15million per race weekend. Which is crazy in reality.

 

It's not the BBC's fault their budgets have been slashed and they had to drop F1. It's a shame ITV, channel 4 or BT sport didn't tender for it but as you say it is a huge outlay. Can't see Bernie dropping the prices though.

 

Is it me or does it feel like Bernie is trying to de-value F1's share price in an attempt to wrestle control back to himself from CVC at a knock-down bargain price?

 

TL;DR FTFY

Yes

 

No he's trying to get premium sponsors who want premium viewers. If you can pay for Sky you have disposable income to pay for premium goods. It matches F1's high-class clientele MO and to be in Murdock's good books lets you in other markets he controls.

 

With 21st century fox now owners of sky again, The people who sell tv rights are jumping to be part of it. Berni would rather give away the rights to sky than give it for free to the free to air channels.

Bindi brings up one of the key reasons behind such deals.

Sky's biggest program by viewers is not football or formula 1 or anything like that it's game of thrones which after sky go and catch up was added was getting 15 million viewers.

None of the UK free to air channels have the money to invest in live sport broadcasts. They get the World Cup and euros for free effectively and even then it's a split broadcast.

BBC budget has been tightened to the point of breaking. A choice between new drama that brings in 10million + viewers or Formula 1 that has 3-4million easy choice to make for them. They are even loosing programs like the voice to ITV.

ITV have long had no interest in getting back into formula 1.

The company everyone thought would bid BT did not tender for the rights, most people assume this was because of the cash they have already paid out for the football.

TV rights are such a complicated thing to understand though it's a minefield of numbers. The most worrying thing for Berni would be that no one really wanted the rights outside of skys token bid and they only take it to enhance the overall package of there deals. As alone it's not worth the cost of investment is a harsh fact.

Even if Berni goes convincing a free to air broadcaster that formula 1 is worth the costs for 21 race season for the next 4-6 years will be very hard work if not impossible to do between them in the current market. BBC even had deals with a team for there gear to be transported with them for reduced costs even that was not enough to make it financially viable.

 

I would argue BT is still smarting over it's disastrous Moto GP deal. Whatever their plan for that was I don't think a 95% drop in viewer numbers versus the BBC coverage was part of it.

Speaking of which, the Sky deal is expected to drop F1's UK viewership to 1-1.5million average from 10+ million in the 2008-9 seasons. Whilst I can understand the idea of marketing your sports specifically for the 1%, I wonder how many of F1's major sponsors will agree. Honda, Renault and Red Bull in particular don't seem to fit the demographic terribly well.

That nobody even wanted rights to the races isn't very encouraging.

 

The problem isn't limited to the UK either. Look at the state of things in Germany. F1 is failing in many other markets interms of races especially with its move east. How long before half the European races are totally gone, USA is shaky as is Australia. Add the fact that most of the new tracks since 2003 are gona and also debating if its worth it then Bernie will be sell ads to empty stadiums.

TBH if teams start to struggle I can see a breakaway series happening. Red Bull, Ferrari, possibly Merc and Renualt need the average Joe publicity.

William's Honda rumours

 

**** like this really doesn't help F1's image either tbh -

New-format qualy to stay for Bahrain...

Not so much making u-turns with the rules as doing donuts... though donuts would probably be more fun to watch...

 

Its the new shake up of F1 in general Multiple choices. Eventually along with tyre choices teams will have to choose what qualifying formats they will use that weekend. Eventually they will have a choice as to what constitutes a race win.......

 

Just remember donuts are specifically banned in the rules of F1.

Stop having fun guys.

 

I think to spice up qualifying it should be done in reverse.

As in the cars going backwards round the track. Unhelpful aero, "front" wheel drive with rear axle steering, very limited visibility.

It would be a recipe for comedy if nothing else. Definitely get the viewing figures up.

 

I thought.... in an attempt to please fans, that donuts weren't exactly illegal..... just frowned upon!

So they're racing these...... essentially?

 

With a bit more grunt, yes.