Ted Kravitz has gone..........apparently!
Discussion
I'm a pretty loyal Sky F1 subscriber, having been with them since day 1 i can honestly say I would never have thought of leaving them, the changes this year have made me u turn on that idea, axing Ted's notebook was awful, I cant gel with Karun at all and have only watched the actual races the last 2 weekends, previously i'd watch all the coverage, unless it changes I will seek alternative viewing i think.
jonwm said:
I'm a pretty loyal Sky F1 subscriber, having been with them since day 1 i can honestly say I would never have thought of leaving them, the changes this year have made me u turn on that idea, axing Ted's notebook was awful, I cant gel with Karun at all and have only watched the actual races the last 2 weekends, previously i'd watch all the coverage, unless it changes I will seek alternative viewing i think.
Same here. I switched off before the podium, whereas I'd wait for Ted's Notebook before. I’ve kept Sky F1, but reorganized packages and dropped overall price per month.
I don’t particularly like the changes or all the characters on Sky F1, but I’d rather be able to watch all the races live, if and when I want, rather than not having that option. I don’t bother with practice sessions and less bothered about qualifying live if I’ve got stuff on.
Getting rid and cutting off my enjoyment of being able to watch the races isn’t likely to teach sky a lesson.
I don’t particularly like the changes or all the characters on Sky F1, but I’d rather be able to watch all the races live, if and when I want, rather than not having that option. I don’t bother with practice sessions and less bothered about qualifying live if I’ve got stuff on.
Getting rid and cutting off my enjoyment of being able to watch the races isn’t likely to teach sky a lesson.
DS240 said:
Getting rid and cutting off my enjoyment of being able to watch the races isn’t likely to teach sky a lesson.
THat's denial right there. If by doing so you reduce their revenue stream and several hundred thousand do the same then the lesson will be they overpaid for F1 (which they did). PPV F1 is not sustainable with the number they have, which is why they are now bundling race weekends onto cheaper packages.Italy is a year further down the road than the UK in terms of F1 coverage on TV and Sky there are now offering a bargain basement F1 TV package available on terrestrial TV.
Edited by Evercross on Wednesday 10th April 18:04
Evercross said:
DS240 said:
Getting rid and cutting off my enjoyment of being able to watch the races isn’t likely to teach sky a lesson.
THat's denial right there. If by doing so you reduce their revenue stream and several hundred thousand do the same then the lesson will be they overpaid for F1 (which they did). PPV F1 is not sustainable with the number they have, which is why they are now bundling race weekends onto cheaper packages.Italy is a year further down the road than the UK in terms of F1 coverage on TV and Sky there are now offering a bargain basement F1 TV package available on terrestrial TV.
Edited by Evercross on Wednesday 10th April 18:04
You might miss some fantastic races however.
Evercross said:
THat's denial right there. If by doing so you reduce their revenue stream and several hundred thousand do the same then the lesson will be they overpaid for F1 (which they did). PPV F1 is not sustainable with the number they have, which is why they are now bundling race weekends onto cheaper packages.
Italy is a year further down the road than the UK in terms of F1 coverage on TV and Sky there are now offering a bargain basement F1 TV package available on terrestrial TV.
Do you really think it's going to hit them hard when their revenue is £12-14Bn a year? Italy is a year further down the road than the UK in terms of F1 coverage on TV and Sky there are now offering a bargain basement F1 TV package available on terrestrial TV.
Edited by Evercross on Wednesday 10th April 18:04
Tv/Media/Subscription platforms is a (very) long term business model.
Ring up Sky, try to do a deal on your subscription, if you don't get the answer you want, put the phone down and call back to another sales person.
Usually get a decent chunk off your monthly cost to keep most people happy.
Sports are going PPV. All popular sports will do this over time. It's the modern way like it or not.
How long have sky got exclusive rights for because if they keep this up, their subscriptions are going to take a nose dive. I know its the only way to see live F1 but since they've had F1, despite chucking money and bodies at it, their coverage is getting worse. I thought things might improve with some new faces like Button but it's not working for me. I like Ted but I can see why some don't but he's certainly one of the better of the sky team. There are several others (most of them) that should have had their screen time cut. With sky's resources, they should be doing much better.
Adrian W said:
sly fox said:
Sports are going PPV. All popular sports will do this over time. It's the modern way like it or not.
That would be the end of Watching F1 in the UK, no one would bother, Formula E would suddenly become popular Latest word is that Sky viewing figures for PPV are increasing healthily - I think the links are somewhere in this thread.
Adrian W said:
sly fox said:
Sports are going PPV. All popular sports will do this over time. It's the modern way like it or not.
That would be the end of Watching F1 in the UK, no one would bother, Formula E would suddenly become popular paulw123 said:
Except it wouldn’t be, would it. Why does every thread in the F1 forum seem descend into people crying about paying a few quid to watch F1?
Because those that want something for free are also those most likely bleat in public if they don't get it?As if being invited to watch a multi billion pound global racing spectacle for free is a birth right.. I get that people don't like SKY, and why. I understand it's frustrating that it used to be on the BBC and now it is behind a paywall. But we all live in a capitalist society, anyone that doesn't like that is free to emigrate. And in that society it's possible for a company like SKY to grow to the point they can afford the rights, while the BBC cannot. It's not unfair, it's just the way it is.
TheDeuce said:
paulw123 said:
Except it wouldn’t be, would it. Why does every thread in the F1 forum seem descend into people crying about paying a few quid to watch F1?
Because those that want something for free are also those most likely bleat in public if they don't get it?As if being invited to watch a multi billion pound global racing spectacle for free is a birth right.. I get that people don't like SKY, and why. I understand it's frustrating that it used to be on the BBC and now it is behind a paywall. But we all live in a capitalist society, anyone that doesn't like that is free to emigrate. And in that society it's possible for a company like SKY to grow to the point they can afford the rights, while the BBC cannot. It's not unfair, it's just the way it is.
Smollet said:
chunder27 said:
red-sir
Good man.
The ONLY way anyone change will occur here is to stop watching it completely, or watch on dodgy streams.
hit them where it hurts.
No other method will force change.
Sadly, most F1 fans are sheep, sorry to be harsh.
Baaa. Good man.
The ONLY way anyone change will occur here is to stop watching it completely, or watch on dodgy streams.
hit them where it hurts.
No other method will force change.
Sadly, most F1 fans are sheep, sorry to be harsh.
TheDeuce said:
Adrian W said:
sly fox said:
Sports are going PPV. All popular sports will do this over time. It's the modern way like it or not.
That would be the end of Watching F1 in the UK, no one would bother, Formula E would suddenly become popular Latest word is that Sky viewing figures for PPV are increasing healthily - I think the links are somewhere in this thread.
As to sky having me by the balls, well after ending a 25 Yr marriage and being free for the fist time in ages i misssed having my balls in somones (anyones) vice like grip
S0 What said:
TheDeuce said:
paulw123 said:
Except it wouldn’t be, would it. Why does every thread in the F1 forum seem descend into people crying about paying a few quid to watch F1?
Because those that want something for free are also those most likely bleat in public if they don't get it?As if being invited to watch a multi billion pound global racing spectacle for free is a birth right.. I get that people don't like SKY, and why. I understand it's frustrating that it used to be on the BBC and now it is behind a paywall. But we all live in a capitalist society, anyone that doesn't like that is free to emigrate. And in that society it's possible for a company like SKY to grow to the point they can afford the rights, while the BBC cannot. It's not unfair, it's just the way it is.
Exhibit 1 - Channel 4 (until last year)
Exhibit 2 - DACH countries can choose 4 different FTA streams, 3 of which are in German. The quality of which (except RTL admittedly) exceed Sky and their shouty idiots crew. That's the reason why the F1tv is so cheap in countries like DACH because it has to compete with better quality free programming.
PS 2025 innit. baaaaaah bbbbbbaaaaaah.
Bullitt Five-Oh said:
S0 What said:
TheDeuce said:
paulw123 said:
Except it wouldn’t be, would it. Why does every thread in the F1 forum seem descend into people crying about paying a few quid to watch F1?
Because those that want something for free are also those most likely bleat in public if they don't get it?As if being invited to watch a multi billion pound global racing spectacle for free is a birth right.. I get that people don't like SKY, and why. I understand it's frustrating that it used to be on the BBC and now it is behind a paywall. But we all live in a capitalist society, anyone that doesn't like that is free to emigrate. And in that society it's possible for a company like SKY to grow to the point they can afford the rights, while the BBC cannot. It's not unfair, it's just the way it is.
Exhibit 1 - Channel 4 (until last year)
Exhibit 2 - DACH countries can choose 4 different FTA streams, 3 of which are in German. The quality of which (except RTL admittedly) exceed Sky and their shouty idiots crew. That's the reason why the F1tv is so cheap in countries like DACH because it has to compete with better quality free programming.
PS 2025 innit. baaaaaah bbbbbbaaaaaah.
The change happened because the sponsorship flowed to the teams, not to Bernie. By ratcheting-up the TV fees, and then "compensating" the teams for their declining sponsorship revenues (less FTA TV = less sponsorship value), Bernie got a cut of the pie that he did not previously have access to, as well as an important lever in "controlling" the teams.
To get that deal through, he had to "buy off" several teams with significant bounties, which has directly contributed to the massive budget inequality we see today.
Much of the "bleating" is not so much about the individual's need to buy a TV deal (which, as others have pointed out, is not a "given" but just a quirk of birth and country of current residence), but about the very great potential for long-term damage to a sport people care about by hiding it away.
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