F1 goes to pay TV in Italy and France

NaBUru38 · 14 Feb 2013, 18:37 (Ref:3204757)

Italians will only see half of the races live on RAI. The rest will go on Sky F1.

French will have to but Canal+ to watch F1, or else. TF1 isn't broadcasting any F1 at all.

In Hispanic America, F1 has been on pay television since 2000. Some contruies have delayed highlights, like Uruguay (90min, same day).

wolfhound · 14 Feb 2013, 20:01 (Ref:3204820)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Italians will only see half of the races live on RAI. The rest will go on Sky F1.

French will have to but Canal+ to watch F1, or else. TF1 isn't broadcasting any F1 at all.

In Hispanic America, F1 has been on pay television since 2000. Some contruies have delayed highlights, like Uruguay (90min, same day).

It looks like Bernie wants less people to see F1 no wonder sponsors are hard to find with limited viewership in F1's major markets.

Armco Bender · 14 Feb 2013, 20:06 (Ref:3204826)

Been on pay TV here for nigh on 20 years.
But as the races start at midnight our time theres not much hope of a large audience on any service free or pay.

JeremySmith · 14 Feb 2013, 20:09 (Ref:3204829)

It's the same here in the US, we have been paying ever since I can remember to watch F1, it's now your turn folks...

wolfhound · 14 Feb 2013, 20:31 (Ref:3204845)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

It's the same here in the US, we have been paying ever since I can remember to watch F1, it's now your turn folks...

I am not surprised that F1 is almost unknown in the USA when access to it is so limited.

Bernie wants his bread and jam now, he does not appear to be interested in cake in a few years time.

On second thoughts it will not be his problem in a few years.

JeremySmith · 14 Feb 2013, 20:35 (Ref:3204849)

F1 is known here by the fans that are interested and want to watch..Most people have cable in their homes Speed TV is standard cable fare..

Knowlesy · 15 Feb 2013, 02:10 (Ref:3205034)

Turning your back on your most dedicated fanbase.

Bernie.

Mekola · 15 Feb 2013, 11:48 (Ref:3205264)

Bernie is not helping his business this way...

Flavio Galtieri · 15 Feb 2013, 12:01 (Ref:3205267)

I suppose when you are Bernie's age long term planning doesn't really have the same appeal as it might once have had. I have the same feeling myself sometimes.

However, as a business strategy this is marketing madness in my opinion. The only way for F1 to survive with it's massive fees for hosting races and enormous budgets for teams is to generate and keep a huge world-wide interest and viewership from fans watching on free to air TV.

I know people say that Football hasn't suffered, Sky have 90% of the PL and so on but it simply isn't the same. There aren't 10 grands prix per weekend and stand alone junior formulae races that gather large spectator attendance.

This fits the mould of Bernie's perverse anti-youtube anti-Internet philosophy that keeping footage scarce increases interest.

It doesn't. There lies the road to ruin.

Spritle · 15 Feb 2013, 13:49 (Ref:3205326)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

It's the same here in the US, we have been paying ever since I can remember to watch F1, it's now your turn folks...

Do the folks in France & Italy get their TV via antenna/AKA "free TV" or do they have cable subscriptions? If they have cable like most of the folks in the US & elsewhere then they are already paying once for F1.

If a second tier of channels is required to be purchased just to get F1 then they are paying extra for F1, something most folks in the US never had to do because SPEED was/is included in most basic cable packages.

When "Bernard the Greedy" decides that NBC Sportsnet must pay more for F1 which forces US cable providers to charge EXTRA for that channel you will have parity with what is going on in France & Italy.

Screw 'em, watch football!

mjkh · 15 Feb 2013, 14:27 (Ref:3205335)

F1 has been on pay TV for a while now here in Finland. Free race highlights are shown also.
I don't mind paying for the service. All the F1 gp2/3 free practise, quali and race sessions are shown live with commentary.

Though I think it would be good for the sport if F1 races were free to air.

NaBUru38 · 15 Feb 2013, 14:56 (Ref:3205344)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

Been on pay TV here for nigh on 20 years.
But as the races start at midnight our time theres not much hope of a large audience on any service free or pay.

If races start at midnight, shouldn't it be easier for free television networks to show F1?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

This fits the mould of Bernie's perverse anti-youtube anti-Internet philosophy that keeping footage scarce increases interest.

It doesn't. There lies the road to ruin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spritle

Do the folks in France & Italy get their TV via antenna/AKA "free TV" or do they have cable subscriptions? If they have cable like most of the folks in the US & elsewhere then they are already paying once for F1.

If a second tier of channels is required to be purchased just to get F1 then they are paying extra for F1, something most folks in the US never had to do because SPEED was/is included in most basic cable packages.

That difference is very important. In Hispanic America, F1 races and qualifying are on Fox Sports 1, which has high ratings (they have all Copa Libertadores and some English Premier League).

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

F1 is known here by the fans that are interested and want to watch..Most people have cable in their homes Speed TV is standard cable fare..

It's strange, but people stick to their favourite channels and ignore the rest. Like, Space shows some NBA games here, but I never tune it because that's a movies channel, which I always skip. If there was a couple of good shows on Discovery, I wouldn't notice because I ignore it for having lots of crap (less than History and Nat Geo, sure).

**bella** · 15 Feb 2013, 15:02 (Ref:3205347)

canal+ before the whole digital thing meant you had to have a box and a decoder and a subscription. we were too tight for all of those. i'm not sure what it means nowadays though, nor how french digi telly is delivered.

chillibowl · 15 Feb 2013, 15:40 (Ref:3205359)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spritle

If a second tier of channels is required to be purchased just to get F1 then they are paying extra for F1, something most folks in the US never had to do because SPEED was/is included in most basic cable packages.

sure but basic cable services dont usually include the HD channel tier. that generally has always been extra and then the HD sports tier is usually a bundle on top of that so for anyone here who wants to watch sports in HD we have always been paying extra for it.

on another note, i dont really understand the FTA model at all. from what i gather you pay for and set up the equipment yourself and then your programing is free and you get watch races without commercials breaks in them...obviously that sounds great but how could that possibly be sustainable? what incentive is there for innovation?

really if it is a cost thing then why not demand free over the internet? surely that would be cheaper for you, offer you more ways to consume it, and for the price of a $10 HDMI cable you can hook it up to your TV or heck save the 10 beans and stream it to your tv.

tbh, there is an element to this whole conversation i just dont get.

Marbot · 15 Feb 2013, 15:53 (Ref:3205366)

BE is paying the teams 63% (up from 47%) of all television income from now on, so no surprises here, really.

JeremySmith · 15 Feb 2013, 16:30 (Ref:3205381)

Funny that they would arrive at a figure like 63% rather than round it out at 65%...

I not sure how I feel about the subject of F1 being shown on a pay only system to be honest...

I can remember many years ago being in Italy and being at someones home who had Bernie Vision, I thought that idea was tremendous, if one could afford it that is..

It seems to me that a good comprimise has been made between the BBC and Sky, as far as the UK is concerned...

W.A Trichlorostyrene · 15 Feb 2013, 16:47 (Ref:3205388)

Canal+ is a bit like Sky in England. A selected few "premium" channels at a fairly expensie price.

It owns the rights of quite a few important sporting events right now, including about half Champions League gamess, plus most of the domestic soccer championship(Ligue 1), etc. So chances are that at least most of the dedicated soccer fans have it already.

Flavio Galtieri · 15 Feb 2013, 17:40 (Ref:3205425)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

on another note, i dont really understand the FTA model at all. from what i gather you pay for and set up the equipment yourself and then your programing is free and you get watch races without commercials breaks in them...obviously that sounds great but how could that possibly be sustainable? what incentive is there for innovation?

really if it is a cost thing then why not demand free over the internet? surely that would be cheaper for you, offer you more ways to consume it, and for the price of a $10 HDMI cable you can hook it up to your TV or heck save the 10 beans and stream it to your tv.

tbh, there is an element to this whole conversation i just dont get.

It's easy not to understand the model because the Brits on the forum like me are fond of calling our TV "free to air" when in fact that's a misnomer as everybody in the UK HAS to pay an annual TV Licence fee by law. That funds the BBC and they then buy or produce the programes and show them "free" without commercial breaks.

The other commercial channels that are free to air make their money from advertising revenue.

Sky of course, gets it's revenue from both subscriptions and ad revenue.

I agree about the net, that is where all the interesting development is. I haven't got a laptop so I stream from my Mac to a Rasberry Pi plugged into my TV.

Paradise City · 15 Feb 2013, 17:43 (Ref:3205427)

The sport could be cut down to size. It's far too popular. Maybe Bernie is doing the right thing for wicked reasons.

GORDON STREETER · 15 Feb 2013, 18:12 (Ref:3205438)

In my area in Spain NITRO have always shown all the races and hopefully will continue, it is not in HD and as long as you can put up with 6 minute advert breaks it's free !

djinvicta · 15 Feb 2013, 18:17 (Ref:3205442)

[QUOTE=Spritle;3205326]Do the folks in France & Italy get their TV via antenna/AKA "free TV" or do they have cable subscriptions? If they have cable like most of the folks in the US & elsewhere then they are already paying once for F1.

No. TF1 in France has always showed GP on free channel. Ok, it starts transmitting when the race is about to start and finishes as the flag falls. Thats why Im moving to France, drastic measure...

JeremySmith · 15 Feb 2013, 18:45 (Ref:3205457)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradise City

The sport could be cut down to size. It's far too popular. Maybe Bernie is doing the right thing for wicked reasons.

I dont think you can go backwards as such, what you can do is make sure it stays healthy over the long term...

**FIRE** · 15 Feb 2013, 18:51 (Ref:3205458)

In the Netherlands F1 will be also on pay TV from this season.

**Adam43** · 15 Feb 2013, 19:38 (Ref:3205479)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradise City

The sport could be cut down to size. It's far too popular. Maybe Bernie is doing the right thing for wicked reasons.

Well there is a colleration between the popularity (or at least TV viewing figures) and how good the sport is. Everyone says it isn't as good as it used to be and there is more coverage and viewership than ever. There we go, it is the armchair fans fault.

Armco Bender · 15 Feb 2013, 20:34 (Ref:3205510)

Quote:

If races start at midnight, shouldn't it be easier for free television networks to show F1?

Its midnight Monday morning here,some people have to get up and go to work in the morning.
Pay TV has outbid Free TV for most motorsport here.

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