News Corp mulls F1 bid
Discussion
News Corporation is in the early stages of talks about forming a consortium that would seek to acquire control of Formula One motor racing.
http://blogs.news.sky.com/kleinman/Post:ba1e6a4b-b...
If this happens you can kiss goodbye to any free-to-air coverage of F1.
http://blogs.news.sky.com/kleinman/Post:ba1e6a4b-b...
If this happens you can kiss goodbye to any free-to-air coverage of F1.
I'm not keen on Sky's motorpsort coverage, too much talking in the studio and too many adverts considering it's a pay channel. A1gp was particualry frustrating with the way they'd cut back to the studio at every opportunity, at least a couple of times missing things happening on track during the safety car.
I'm really happy with the BBCs coverage and anything else now would be a backwards step.
I'm really happy with the BBCs coverage and anything else now would be a backwards step.
Hmmm, can't help feeling this isn't good news at all....
ESPN have acquired the rights to things like the ALMS and the ILMC this year, such that you're lucky to get a highlights programme on a non-subscription channel and races like Sebring weren't shown live on Motors TV as they had been previously. See also rallying. That struck me as being a major retrograde step because people aren't going to pay over the odds for things in which they have only a passing interest.
F1 going to a PPV or subscription channel would, I fear, go some way to killing it off. It's not in the same basket as football where people will stump up the cash because they're ardent football fans.
Nick M said:
woof said:
I think F1 is one of the protected sports - that it must be free to air in the UK ?
And with Bernie not around to enforce that ??And with Jeremy Hunt so far up Murdoch's arse ??
More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
flemke said:
The FIA must approve any new buyer of CRs. In theory, that would protect the sport from pay-TV monopoly.
More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
Thanks for that well read clarification Flemke. I have to say living in Oz and when I first read this news I had a horrible image of the Packer Cricket Circus on four wheels... a hideous apparition of the spirit of F1 future. More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
Even so a Murdoch based take over must be seen as a threat given they have no heart for sports fans in general...sorry that should have read they have no heart.
flemke said:
The FIA must approve any new buyer of CRs. In theory, that would protect the sport from pay-TV monopoly.
More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
You seem to be asuming that the F1 is free to air everywhere in the world. It isn't. More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
Nick M said:
ESPN have acquired the rights to things like the ALMS and the ILMC this year, such that you're lucky to get a highlights programme on a non-subscription channel and races like Sebring weren't shown live on Motors TV as they had been previously...
After the poor reception of the ESPN3/alms.com coverage of the first round of the ALMS, they have since done a deal with MotorsTV so the rest of the season will be shown on there. :-)I suspect the F1 tv deal will come down to money, will the extra PPV (or monthly subs) get split with the teams to cover their lower advertising income due to lower viewing figures.
Sky's venture into F1 cost them a fortune. They invested in multiscreen and button technology but no-one paid for it. For the end of season Japanese GP there were rumours of individual PPV not even reaching 100 in this country. I subscribed but can't say it was the best decision of my life. BBC beats it hands down.
Don't forget, though, that the BBC has become political all of a sudden. It is almost as if Murdoch controls Cameron when it comes to limiting what the BBC can do. F1 is one of their biggest sports payments. If Sky do buy into F1 then the BBC will lose it.
If Sky do put money on the table then they will have Ferrari on board.
Don't forget, though, that the BBC has become political all of a sudden. It is almost as if Murdoch controls Cameron when it comes to limiting what the BBC can do. F1 is one of their biggest sports payments. If Sky do buy into F1 then the BBC will lose it.
If Sky do put money on the table then they will have Ferrari on board.
This is not just about buying the rights to broadcast it. Murdoch could do that on his own.
This about buying and controlling the commercial rights and brand of the sport from CVC / Bernie
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/19/formul...
This about buying and controlling the commercial rights and brand of the sport from CVC / Bernie
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/19/formul...
Bing o said:
flemke said:
The FIA must approve any new buyer of CRs. In theory, that would protect the sport from pay-TV monopoly.
More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
You seem to be asuming that the F1 is free to air everywhere in the world. It isn't. More to the point, pay-TV would destroy entrants' sponsorship business model. I'll bet a lot that, if Sky or similar bought the CRs, FOTA would have a new secession plan on the table within a matter of weeks. The sponsors would not tolerate losing free-to-air, which would slash their audience size.
I would not surprise me if the possibility of Sky's purchase of the CRs precipitated an EU competition review. What chance would ITV and BBC (RTL in Germany, etc...) have to compete fairly to buy broadcast rights if the holder of the rights also had a significant position in the broadcasting market?
This issue was intensely disputed back when EM-TV owned a big slug of the CRH, and then when Kirch got it from them. Fortunately, both companies did not last long enough to put any plans into action. If you look at the history, you'll see how adamant the teams were in opposition to the possibility of pay-TV.
If a new owner were to propose pay-TV that included a big revenue share with the teams, it might be different.
For some years, it has surprised me how little it appears to cost to buy the space on the front of an FA Premiership club's shirts, even ManU or Chelsea. I'd guess that that is, at least in part, because Sky controls the live broadcasts, and their audience is less than it would otherwise be on BBC or ITV. At the same time, Sky (indirectly) pays Premiership teams mongo dosh, so on balance the teams must receive more than they would do with free-to-air and better sponsorship. The fans get hosed, but they don't matter.
Telegraph said:
Sources said that News Corp thinks F1 needs to work harder at attracting younger people to the sport - citing digital marketing, better use of social networks and improved exploitation of the brand. News Corp believes it is well-placed to transform F1 and attract a completely new audience.
From the Telegraph article.Considering the mess NewsCorp have made of Myspace, and pretty much killed a multi-billion dollar social network, I don't think they are the best placed to do this!
CoopR said:
Telegraph said:
Sources said that News Corp thinks F1 needs to work harder at attracting younger people to the sport - citing digital marketing, better use of social networks and improved exploitation of the brand. News Corp believes it is well-placed to transform F1 and attract a completely new audience.
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