BBC drops F1, ITV steps in
Discussion
I don't love the BBC coverage - Lee McKenzie is the only one I'd definitely keep - the others I can take or leave.
Will ITV show adverts mid-race? - can they do that effectively with current non-refuelling rules since tyre stops are less predictable than fuel stops?
Last time they took over the broadcasting they improved the coverage (excepting the adverts, Jim nasal Rosenthal and eloquent Mark Blundell), can they do it again?
Will ITV show adverts mid-race? - can they do that effectively with current non-refuelling rules since tyre stops are less predictable than fuel stops?
Last time they took over the broadcasting they improved the coverage (excepting the adverts, Jim nasal Rosenthal and eloquent Mark Blundell), can they do it again?
The article doesn't actually confirm anything.
However, I'm not expecting F1 to return to the BBC in 2016. I rarely watched BBC coverage anyway as I never liked Perry's presenting style. Quite like the Sky team though.
I expect the BBC will revisit F1 in 10 years and then loose it again etc etc.
All good fun.
However, I'm not expecting F1 to return to the BBC in 2016. I rarely watched BBC coverage anyway as I never liked Perry's presenting style. Quite like the Sky team though.
I expect the BBC will revisit F1 in 10 years and then loose it again etc etc.
All good fun.
I've followed F1 since Jim Clark was racing but I think this will be the final straw for me.
The recent changes, both rule wise and to broadcasting seem to have made me lose interest.
If I didn't watch live I would record the race and watch in when I came home, trying hard not to hear the result meanwhile. This year I often found myself not bothering to see the race, googling the result and wiping the recording unwatched.
Somehow the magic or sense of spectacle has waned, I just don't seem to be bothered any more.
The recent changes, both rule wise and to broadcasting seem to have made me lose interest.
If I didn't watch live I would record the race and watch in when I came home, trying hard not to hear the result meanwhile. This year I often found myself not bothering to see the race, googling the result and wiping the recording unwatched.
Somehow the magic or sense of spectacle has waned, I just don't seem to be bothered any more.
kev b said:
Somehow the magic or sense of spectacle has waned, I just don't seem to be bothered any more.
I'm the same but I don't think it's anything new. Many forms of entertainment have people who will be interested for a limited time, whether that's 5 years or 30 years.The issue for F1 is that I don't think there are lots of 15 to 25 year olds interested in replacing the bored middle aged fans.
Ugh. Does this mean James Allen will be commentating again?
Honestly it seems the BBC has plenty of cash to spunk on its pet projects but when it comes to providing high quality entertainment they are happy to axe anything. They are too busy chasing ratings at the moment.
ITV coverage back in the day was terrible....... I'm sure it will be even worse with even longer ad breaks now.... strategically timed to cut away just as the best move of the race is about to take place as well.
Honestly it seems the BBC has plenty of cash to spunk on its pet projects but when it comes to providing high quality entertainment they are happy to axe anything. They are too busy chasing ratings at the moment.
ITV coverage back in the day was terrible....... I'm sure it will be even worse with even longer ad breaks now.... strategically timed to cut away just as the best move of the race is about to take place as well.
kev b said:
Somehow the magic or sense of spectacle has waned, I just don't seem to be bothered any more.
Been following the sport since the tail-end of the last turbo era in the late 1980s, and I feel the same. I've missed several races this year, because I just couldn't be bothered to watch - for the first time in decades.Some of it I think is due to having less time on my hands these days, but losing the live coverage of a stack of the races certainly hasn't helped (like you say, you see the result and then think, why bother to watch?). Most of all the "show" just doesn't compel me to waste 2 hours every other Sunday any more. Without going in to the travesty of losing the "big" sonorous engines, I find the newer circuits (Singapore, Russia etc.) very dull, and these new venues have come at the expense at some of the circuits I fondly remember (Imola was always my favourite race, even after the unpleasantness of 1994).
If ITV are going to cover all the races live (even if it involves James Allen and Jim Rosenthal), I might have watched. But unfortunately the BBC have helped set a pay-TV precedent, and I doubt there's any going back.
VolvoT5 said:
Honestly it seems the BBC has plenty of cash to spunk on its pet projects but when it comes to providing high quality entertainment they are happy to axe anything. They are too busy chasing ratings at the moment.
In entertainment/sports broadcasting it's all about ratings/viewing figures. Hardly anyone is watching the free F1 coverage since half the races are neutered down to highlights, and the team doesn't gel as well as it did during the heyday before Sky came on the scene.For me the writing was on the wall that the Beeb would give this up once they didn't win the bids against Sky. Letting sky put all the races behind a paywall was a big mistake from F1's side.
stevesuk said:
Been following the sport since the tail-end of the last turbo era in the late 1980s, and I feel the same. I've missed several races this year, because I just couldn't be bothered to watch - for the first time in decades.
Some of it I think is due to having less time on my hands these days, but losing the live coverage of a stack of the races certainly hasn't helped (like you say, you see the result and then think, why bother to watch?). Most of all the "show" just doesn't compel me to waste 2 hours every other Sunday any more. Without going in to the travesty of losing the "big" sonorous engines, I find the newer circuits (Singapore, Russia etc.) very dull, and these new venues have come at the expense at some of the circuits I fondly remember (Imola was always my favourite race, even after the unpleasantness of 1994).
If ITV are going to cover all the races live (even if it involves James Allen and Jim Rosenthal), I might have watched. But unfortunately the BBC have helped set a pay-TV precedent, and I doubt there's any going back.
I feel largely the same. The BBC coverage with Jake Humphrey was very enjoyable IMO but since he left and the BBC lost half of the live races it's just felt rather half arsed. I think some of it has to do with the fact that F1 was a more enjoyable sport to watch at that time IMO.Some of it I think is due to having less time on my hands these days, but losing the live coverage of a stack of the races certainly hasn't helped (like you say, you see the result and then think, why bother to watch?). Most of all the "show" just doesn't compel me to waste 2 hours every other Sunday any more. Without going in to the travesty of losing the "big" sonorous engines, I find the newer circuits (Singapore, Russia etc.) very dull, and these new venues have come at the expense at some of the circuits I fondly remember (Imola was always my favourite race, even after the unpleasantness of 1994).
If ITV are going to cover all the races live (even if it involves James Allen and Jim Rosenthal), I might have watched. But unfortunately the BBC have helped set a pay-TV precedent, and I doubt there's any going back.
My enthusiasm for the sport as a whole is at an all time low I'm sad to say and I no longer find myself wanting to stop everything to watch the race, or even qualifying. I lapped up everything F1, I watched every race live and would happily get up for the Japanese and Australian races,even through the Schumacher dominance.
I feel that the sport and the way it's broadcast needs a kick up the arse so I'm optimistic that ITV might be able to breathe some life into the presentation side of things.
James Allen commentates some of the free practice sessions on BBC live races, and he's calmed down a lot since ITV. If it does go to ITV, there's a chance it could be ok. As said already, they have BTCC as the full day on ITV4, they could do something similar with practice sessions etc on ITV4 and qualifying and race on ITV. Who knows, they could buy in the coverage as they do with MotoGP from BT Sport 
. Their Formula E coverage has Jenny Gow and Alex Brundle. Brundle Sr on Sky and Jr on ITV?
"Hi, Jenny, I'm just waiting for my dad to finish talking to Fernando..."
. Their Formula E coverage has Jenny Gow and Alex Brundle. Brundle Sr on Sky and Jr on ITV? "Hi, Jenny, I'm just waiting for my dad to finish talking to Fernando..."
Krikkit said:
VolvoT5 said:
Honestly it seems the BBC has plenty of cash to spunk on its pet projects but when it comes to providing high quality entertainment they are happy to axe anything. They are too busy chasing ratings at the moment.
In entertainment/sports broadcasting it's all about ratings/viewing figures. Hardly anyone is watching the free F1 coverage since half the races are neutered down to highlights, and the team doesn't gel as well as it did during the heyday before Sky came on the scene.For me the writing was on the wall that the Beeb would give this up once they didn't win the bids against Sky. Letting sky put all the races behind a paywall was a big mistake from F1's side.
The BBC went cap in hand to SKY asking them to pay them as they didn't want to/couldn't afford to pay the fees.
They then did the deal to extend their contract in conjunction with SKY rather than let it go back out to tender for all free to air channels.
With all the coverage I'm still amazed people don't realise this!
b16a2_VTi said:
Hi,
Anyone know the coverage details?
i.e full calendar/ part calendar?
I only subscribe to SKY for F1 and i'm well out of contract so its worth me canceling.
Thanks
Unfortunately, my understanding is that they are picking up what BBC don't want, so part.Anyone know the coverage details?
i.e full calendar/ part calendar?
I only subscribe to SKY for F1 and i'm well out of contract so its worth me canceling.
Thanks
If it's full, I won't be far behind you!
24lemons said:
I feel largely the same. The BBC coverage with Jake Humphrey was very enjoyable IMO but since he left and the BBC lost half of the live races it's just felt rather half arsed.
Jake must be feeling very happy for himself to have jumped ship at the right time and move to BT Sport for the football!Just means watching it on a different channel, Although, have to say I generally watch F1 at my sons , courtesy of his Sky subscription.
Whats truly relevant to me , is that I now have no reason whatsoever to have the BBC available to me , there is literally nothing left I watch on there. Yet if I wish to watch a competitor I'm forced to pay for the BBC.
Bloody daft when you think about it.
Whats truly relevant to me , is that I now have no reason whatsoever to have the BBC available to me , there is literally nothing left I watch on there. Yet if I wish to watch a competitor I'm forced to pay for the BBC.
Bloody daft when you think about it.
Edited by Hosenbugler on Friday 18th December 13:25
VolvoT5 said:
ITV coverage back in the day was terrible.......
Wow. You have a short memory... Let's see now.... ITV gave usLive Qualifying
Race Buildup
Gridwalk
Indepth interviews before and after race
Oh, and Martin Brundle
Yes yes, they also gave us 5 x 2min ad breaks during the race, and increase these over time to 5 x 3 mins..... And that's what killed it. Ads during the races.
Sir Bagalot said:
Wow. You have a short memory... Let's see now.... ITV gave us
Live Qualifying
Race Buildup
Gridwalk
Indepth interviews before and after race
Oh, and Martin Brundle
If you have a look on YouTube, someone has uploaded what I believe to be ITV's coverage of a lot of the 2004 races, and its not half bad. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXSFAn_dL7ILive Qualifying
Race Buildup
Gridwalk
Indepth interviews before and after race
Oh, and Martin Brundle
There is no technical reason why ITV couldn't do what has been done in the past on Spanish TV (and no doubt others ) by having a small supplementary screen in the corner, showing the coverage, visible at all times during the Ads. You don't have the commentary but at least you can see who is pitstopping /crashing/overtaking or whatever until they come back on air vocally.
Loss of continuity is unforgivable, when this simple solution could be easily implemented.
Loss of continuity is unforgivable, when this simple solution could be easily implemented.
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