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The Manipe F1 Blog

Fri, 29 July, 2011BBC/Sky deal sparks unprecedented fan anger

  • (L to R) Jake Humphrey (GBR) BBC Presenter, David Coulthard (GBR) BBC and Eddie Jordan (IRL) BBC. 2009 Australian Grand Prix, Rd 1, Qualifying day. Melbourne, Australia. Saturday 28 March 2009. © Red Bull.
  • A television camera in the pitlane. 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix, Rd 12, Paddock pics. Budapest, Hungary. Thursday 29 July 2010.
  • Sebastian Vettel (DEU) Red Bull-Renault RB7 leads at the start. 2011 British Grand Prix, Rd 9, Race day. Silverstone, England. Sunday 10 July 2011. © Pirelli.
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NewsNow.co.uk

This morning's surprise announcement that BBC and Sky Sports will share F1 coverage from 2012 has heralded an unprecedented outrage from fans who will now have to pay to watch all races from the comfort of their own homes. Only half of next year's 20 races will be shown live on BBC, with highlights of the rest, while all will be carried on Sky.

The news comes as a major shock after so many years of high-quality F1 coverage on television and especially as the BBC had the contract to broadcast F1 next year. But amid a stringent cost-cutting drive, the BBC was forced to seek alternatives and the deal with Sky ensures F1 remains partially free-to-air while also allowing F1 to tap into the rich pay-TV coffers of British Sky Broadcasting.

Teams have been keen to retain F1 free-to-air in Britain, arguably F1's most important market, and FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh recently urged the BBC to retain its coverage, insisting it was "crucial" for F1 to stay on free-to-air.

“It's crucial to the commercial model of Formula 1 that TV coverage should remain free-to-air, and therefore universally accessible, and therefore widely consumed and enjoyed by large numbers of viewers – and the BBC delivers that in the UK,” Whitmarsh said last month.

“Formula 1 is the pinnacle of world motorsport – always has been, always will be. As such, it's appropriate that the BBC should continue to cover it.”

Twitter and discussions forums have been filling with damning comments from disgruntled fans this morning. Many are angry that they will have to pay to watch more than half the races, although some will be pleased with the news that Sky will have uninterrupted race coverage, limiting ad breaks to pre- and post-race shows.

But it's not likely to be the last we hear on the matter. Speaking to Autosport this morning, Whitmarsh was reserving judgement on the deal.

“What we need to understand is whether the large audience we currently enjoy in Formula 1 will be maintained. I think we also need to understand exactly how this is being done,” said Whitmarsh.

“We've got a range of safeguards within Concorde, and the right thing to do is to explore how the Formula 1 coverage is going to be dealt with in the future, and take a view from there.”

Although teams will receive more money from the sport's commercial rights holder because of Sky's contract, likely to cost the firm well in excess of the £40m paid by the BBC every year, their sponsorship revenues could take a hit due to the lower viewership figures that Sky will bring to F1. That will be offset somewhat by the BBC hosting half the Grands Prix however.

The good news, if there is any, for F1 fans is that the new deal will introduce great competition in the quality of coverage between BBC and Sky. Both stations will be have to pull out all the stops to woo viewers to watch their coverage, although Sky will have the advantage of hosting all the races.

No longer will one station or the other be able to sit on its laurels with sub-standard commentary teams or pundits, while pre-race features, post-race analysis and coverage on their websites is sure to benefit also.

With the quality of coverage having improved so much in recent years with the switch to BBC, the arrival of Sky could see the coverage of F1 take on a whole new level in the coming years.

Naoise Holohan

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Comments

  • Posted by Jamessillifant on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 at 11:44 (Reply)

    Absolutely horrendous news. I have watched every race since I was a small Child. Cried when Hill won the championship etc, etc. But I cannot afford a Sky contract plus sports channels which will equate to a spend of £43 per race. How will this bring in viewers?

    The good news if any posted above is also really scraping the barrel. We all know that the BBC coverage now is simply world class. I can't even imagine watching a race without Brundle's commentary any more.

    Living in Oz for a year I had to put up with substandard coverage. Coming back to the Beeb's coverage was a breath of fresh air.

    There is no need for a competition between the two broadcasters to provide the best coverage as Sky will just continue to price the BBC out the back door.

    A disgracefully unashamed theft of a sport from the viewers themselves.

    James

  • Posted by Ratchet on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 at 12:14 (Reply)

    How long will it be, before I am unable to put a face to a name in F1? I said to a friend only last week that, if you lined up the England cricket team in front of me I would be hard pressed to name even half of them, since cricket took the Sky 'loads a money' route to obscurity. I do watch the recorded match highlights on BBC's 'Match of the Day.' but the main reason for that is that I find live football so boring, I usually fall asleep.

  • Posted by Bertyboy on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 at 13:02 (Reply)

    As an avid fan for 50 years I find it disgraceful thet the BBC (Funded by us by the way) have sold all F1 fans down the river do I imagine it but when costs savings are made it always hits the man in the street's entertainment. The BBC can pay so called stars millions a year and faceless executives hundreds of thousand of pounds these never seem to get cut. Sky already have majority of football and cricket and as I am priced out of these I have stopped following both sports now it seems F1 is going out of my reach. I would also point out that F1 is a predominantly run by british designer and makers of the cars and the technology. Hooray for the BEEB how can they be so out of touch. I suggest every fan turns off BBC programmes on whatever even the news. By the way have you noticed how they can afford to fly reporters all over the world covering the same stories as covered by there other stations? Perhaps there are savings to be made there. HUMPH

  • Posted by tomace on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 at 15:26 (Reply)

    I'm ashamed to be an F1 fan today. It seems the biggest selling point of the Sky Coverage is that they will keep the adverts to the pre and post race shows. Surely the coverage on the BBC having no adverts, at all, at any point trumps that.

    I've followed the sport for the last 25 years, and have seen the BBC (and even ITV for a few years) consistantly strive for perfection with the coverage (I watched nothing but rain for over 2 hours this year in Canada and didn't even notice how long it was due to the wonderful filling by the team). This year they really have it right with Brundel and Coulthard its such a shame that Bernie needs to increase his bank balance at the cost of the fans who have spent all these years lining his pockets.

    Of course it can never happen but I would suggest a boycott of all Sky coverage until its returned to a terestrial channel (If BBc don't want it anymore then I have heard many suggestions that Channel 5 were very interested but kept out of the loop).

    In any case, are we not a country disgusted with anything to do with Rupert Murdoch (who still owns 39% of sky) should we be showing any support to these people ? Perhaps they knew how much top bid after hacking the phones of the peoiple at the BBC ?

    I am lucky enough to have Sky Tv at the moment including all the sports channels, but even as a fan for 25 years, I will remove my subscription from sky and go with another provider such as Virgin (without the sports channels) rather than follow this circus full of clowns anymore.

    Unless the new concord agreement has a clause which removes ecclestone then I will never watch another race after the end of this season.

  • Posted by Journeyer on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 at 16:14 (Reply)

    Manipe, I'm not sure how this inspires competition AT ALL. The BBC sold part of their rights to SKY because they couldn't afford it as it is. How can actually now afford competing with SKY? Simple answer - they can't. Even more so if they lose Jake to the Olympics (very likely) and a very much annoyed Brundle to Sky (pretty likely).

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