FIA GT Unacceptable FIA GT TV Coverage

MHRasmussen · 12 May 2006, 14:08 (Ref:1607054)

The tv-coverage of Silverstone was horrendous: we got a whopping 21 minutes and 44 seconds!

Plus the commentator couldn't pronounce the names of either the cars or the drivers.

Why-oh-why can't this be better in May 2006 ? We had better coverage in 1998 for pete's sake!

...and in case you're wondering: this was on the German DSF channel. That's right, the only way of watching for us scandinavians.

Last year I was on the verge of shelving out the 500 Euro's for Eurosport 2, thank god I didn't do that. Now this year I can either pay close to 200 £ for a digital dish (to get Al-Jazeera, or whatever)... or simply to put up with it.

And for a dedicated fan of the GT's that's rather hard to accept. And now you tell me Eurosport's lost Le Mans, too?!?!?!

Now isn't that simply fantastic?

< insert your own choice blue language here >

marcel82 · 12 May 2006, 14:30 (Ref:1607081)

21 minutes? that is fantastic. I'm gonna see my 10 minutes tomorrow. which is a 10 minute per race improvement compared to last year (not counting Spa 24hrs, which has live start/finish)

Truckosaurus · 12 May 2006, 14:30 (Ref:1607082)

You can't even get a satellite dish to pick up the free MotorsTV feed now that they've gone behind the SKY 'wall'.

Nick49 · 12 May 2006, 14:35 (Ref:1607085)

And to think, here in the UK we got the whole race live, thanks to Player TV. This is an improvement over Eurosport last year when we routinely missed the end of the race and had to catch it on the "round up" programme. Can't wait for Brno. I use to think the Rest of Europe always had a better deal than us poor Brits.

Nick

Erki · 12 May 2006, 15:43 (Ref:1607159)

Motors TV showed an hour-long review which, JMO, wasn't too bad. Certainly better than nuffing.

Quote:

And now you tell me Eurosport's lost Le Mans, too?!?!?!

Motors TV shows it 200% live...

SilkShirt · 12 May 2006, 15:50 (Ref:1607173)

Anyone got any comments on the Player coverage?

My Skybox doesn't let me have it as part of my "package". If you guys tell me it was good, then maybe I'll give them a call and see how much it'll cost me to upgrade.

Always like the "Live" coverage - if it's delayed, you might as well wait for the reports on the manual media, or see reports here and else where.
SS

SALEEN S7R · 12 May 2006, 19:21 (Ref:1607316)

I saw the Player coverage and honestly I think the coverage was far better than anything Eurosport have ever provided. Richard Nichoals and Graham Tyler did a fantastic job with the commentry and the lady (i forget her name) who was doing the pit lane reporting was also better than what Eurosport provided, mainly due to the fact she is English and she was easier to understand than the ones Eurosport provided. IMO. Also, let's not forget that Player will be providing full live coverage for every FIA GT event this year, something which Eurosport never provided. Added to that Motors TV has a 1 hour highlights package 2 days or so after the event, again something which FIA GT never had when Eurosport had the contract.

Dont get me wrong, Eurosport didnt do a terrible job when they did screen the races but from the evidence so far Player seem to be doing a better job. IMO. All in all I would say that FIA GT is getting a better deal this year than in previous years.

Rob29 · 13 May 2006, 08:04 (Ref:1607695)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilkShirt

Anyone got any comments on the Player coverage?

My Skybox doesn't let me have it as part of my "package". If you guys tell me it was good, then maybe I'll give them a call and see how much it'll cost me to upgrade.

Always like the "Live" coverage - if it's delayed, you might as well wait for the reports on the manual media, or see reports here and else where.
SS

Anyone know if 'player' are covering the whole series? I had never heard of them or seen any coverage listed until I found it by chance surfing the EPG for something to watch after the GP coverage finished!

SALEEN S7R · 13 May 2006, 08:22 (Ref:1607710)

Yes player are covering the series in full. Live. Here is part of the timetable. http://www.fiagt.com/television.php

Nick49 · 13 May 2006, 09:05 (Ref:1607750)

Hello,

Yep, Player TV are covering the whole series live and in full as far as I understand it and a good job they did too. I think they are part of Bravo and they seem to cover an aweful lot of Poker but, whatever they are, its worth hooking up to just for the FIA GT series coverage.

Nick

MHRasmussen · 13 May 2006, 09:10 (Ref:1607754)

Snips from...

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

I saw the Player coverage and honestly I think the coverage was far better than anything Eurosport have ever provided. Richard Nichoals and Graham Tyler did a fantastic job with the commentry

I'm not familiar with Graham Tyler, but Richard Nichols is working for Greenlight TV, isn't he? Does anyone know if it's Greenlight that produces the broadcasts? They did an ace job back in 1999-2000 when we saw their highlights on Eurosport, usually with Nichols or Chris Shaw commentating.

MHRasmussen · 13 May 2006, 09:12 (Ref:1607757)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erki

Motors TV showed an hour-long review which, JMO, wasn't too bad. Certainly better than nuffing.

Motors TV shows it 200% live...

Re: Le Mans on Motors --- ...Which we can't get either...

How on earth do you manage to pick it up in Estonia?
You must have a satellite dish a mile wide. Here in Copenhagen I need a dish no less than six feet across...

SALEEN S7R · 13 May 2006, 09:19 (Ref:1607763)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHRasmussen

Snips from...

I'm not familiar with Graham Tyler, but Richard Nichols is working for Greenlight TV, isn't he? Does anyone know if it's Greenlight that produces the broadcasts? They did an ace job back in 1999-2000 when we saw their highlights on Eurosport, usually with Nichols or Chris Shaw commentating.

Graham tyler is part of the ALMS radio web, a pitlane reporter normally. As for Richard Nichols, Im not too sure on his background but ive listened to him before in programmes such as "Max Power" screening ALMS highlights. One thing I didnt notice first time around in the link that I gave is that Player are also screening a 52 minute highlight programme for the FIA GT3 Championship, as are channel 5, albeit only a 14 minute highlight programme but still, better than nothing.

Garp · 13 May 2006, 16:37 (Ref:1608739)

Such a shame FIAgt coverage stays a little problematic,
While the big Dutch trackday that is called DSC, gets
1 hour a week coverage on the Dutch national commercial network.

GT television coverage is a strange thing!

Martin Haven · 13 May 2006, 17:56 (Ref:1608829)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Also, let's not forget that Player will be providing full live coverage for every FIA GT event this year, something which Eurosport never provided.

Not true.

In the past couple of years - certainly - only Eurosport 2 has had space to cover FIA GT live but we showed almost all the races live for many years. The simple fact of the matter is that a 3-hour-long-plus slot is always hard to manage at weekends for what - even in pure motorsport terms - is a fairly minority interest (certainly compared to the numbers that are attracted by MotoGP, Superbikes, WTCC etc. Witness the change in format to reflect that very problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Dont get me wrong, Eurosport didnt do a terrible job when they did screen the races but from the evidence so far Player seem to be doing a better job. IMO. All in all I would say that FIA GT is getting a better deal this year than in previous years.

In the UK, possibly - although UK viewers do have access to Eurosport 2 that many other European markets don't.

For many others though, the FIA GT series is simply hidden away. How is 10 minutes (or 30) hidden on a plethora of small channels any improvement on the same amount of coverage on Eurosport?

Maybe it's just the Richard Nicholls factor that makes it shine!

And I'm more than happy to accept that many viewers may well prefer Richard to myself, before we get to that string!

Martin Haven · 13 May 2006, 18:00 (Ref:1608832)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHRasmussen

Snips from...

I'm not familiar with Graham Tyler, but Richard Nichols is working for Greenlight TV, isn't he? Does anyone know if it's Greenlight that produces the broadcasts? They did an ace job back in 1999-2000 when we saw their highlights on Eurosport, usually with Nichols or Chris Shaw commentating.

Richard is a former print journo - edited the late lamented Custom Car at its pomp - and he does indeed run Greenlight... who indeed are producing the programmes and providing the TV pictures...

Graham has racked up many miles hoofing it up and down pitlanes on the ALMS RadioWeb and for Radio Le Mans - another top chap

Seoigh · 13 May 2006, 20:49 (Ref:1608975)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

Not true.

In the past couple of years - certainly - only Eurosport 2 has had space to cover FIA GT live but we showed almost all the races live for many years. The simple fact of the matter is that a 3-hour-long-plus slot is always hard to manage at weekends for what - even in pure motorsport terms - is a fairly minority interest (certainly compared to the numbers that are attracted by MotoGP, Superbikes, WTCC etc. Witness the change in format to reflect that very problem.

In the UK, possibly - although UK viewers do have access to Eurosport 2 that many other European markets don't.

For many others though, the FIA GT series is simply hidden away. How is 10 minutes (or 30) hidden on a plethora of small channels any improvement on the same amount of coverage on Eurosport?

Maybe it's just the Richard Nicholls factor that makes it shine!

And I'm more than happy to accept that many viewers may well prefer Richard to myself, before we get to that string!

Sehr shade...aber in Amerika: Nichts, Zilch, Nada! Einundswansigminuten bis sehr besser (it's the pits, and not referring to the part of the circuit where one changes tires.).

SebringMG · 13 May 2006, 22:06 (Ref:1609025)

Didn't watch the player coverage because i was actually at the circuit

however the highlights on Motors TV were quite good if a little inaccurate in places i thought. Never had a problem with the quality of the Eurosport coverage just that it seemed to get shuffled back to some decidely odd times.

And wonder if anybody could answer why British Eurosport persists in showing snooker when the BBC are showing it as well - would not have thought it was economically feasible to go up against the beeb (plus the time could be better used to show GT racing

).

Erki · 13 May 2006, 22:15 (Ref:1609027)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHRasmussen

Re: Le Mans on Motors --- ...Which we can't get either...

How on earth do you manage to pick it up in Estonia?
You must have a satellite dish a mile wide. Here in Copenhagen I need a dish no less than six feet across...

I have cable TV.

MHRasmussen · 14 May 2006, 10:17 (Ref:1609364)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

Maybe it's just the Richard Nicholls factor that makes it shine!

And I'm more than happy to accept that many viewers may well prefer Richard to myself, before we get to that string!

No, don't worry Martin, we love you as well!

And in fact I would like to say that the GT's on Eurosport
were nearly always treated fairly, like in 1998 when yourself and Perry McCarthy were at full chat covering the Mercedes-Porsche battles, or with David Leslie in the later years.

Alex Toropov · 14 May 2006, 10:22 (Ref:1609366)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHRasmussen

Re: Le Mans on Motors --- ...Which we can't get either...

How on earth do you manage to pick it up in Estonia?
You must have a satellite dish a mile wide. Here in Copenhagen I need a dish no less than six feet across...

Motors TV is on Hotbird 13E satellite, and it's not a problem to get this channel even where I live (and it's near the Eastern end of European continent, pretty close to Ural mountains), as well as french AB Moteurs channel (they had full race live coverage from Silverstone)
and even here you definitelly don't need "dish no less than six feet across". I have 1.2m dish, and it seems, that you can easily get away with 0.9m dish to watch most of Hotbird channels

WJM · 14 May 2006, 12:53 (Ref:1609489)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garp

Such a shame FIAgt coverage stays a little problematic,
While the big Dutch trackday that is called DSC, gets
1 hour a week coverage on the Dutch national commercial network.

GT television coverage is a strange thing!

Sport 1.1 broadcasts all the races completely live in The Netherlands. This is an extra digital paychannel you get along with the old Canal+. For the rest the channel mostly shows football and Basketball, so I stick with MotorsTV + Eurosport 2.

MHRasmussen · 14 May 2006, 17:36 (Ref:1609708)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Toropov

Motors TV is on Hotbird 13E satellite, and it's not a problem to get this channel even where I live (and it's near the Eastern end of European continent, pretty close to Ural mountains), as well as french AB Moteurs channel (they had full race live coverage from Silverstone)
and even here you definitelly don't need "dish no less than six feet across". I have 1.2m dish, and it seems, that you can easily get away with 0.9m dish to watch most of Hotbird channels

Maybe I exaggerated a bit about the dish size, but sometimes exaggeration makes the understanding better!

In any case, after checking on MotorsTV.com I can see they're on Astra, HotBird and EuroBird, but on all three satellites it says it's encrypted (On lyngsat.com). Oh well.

courageous · 15 May 2006, 14:42 (Ref:1610648)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Yes player are covering the series in full. Live.

I'm still trying to find out what that means when it comes to Spa (hoping & praying, but I doubt it).

Mad-Dog-mk2 · 15 May 2006, 19:55 (Ref:1610929)

Down side of having Telewest - you don't get Motors TV.
However by chance I saw a 1 hour highlights programme on Bravo on Saturday - and to tell the truth it wasn't bad coverage.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
GP coverage in NZ	mcrane2000	Formula One	7	20 Mar 2004 23:10
UK TV Coverage	ATF	Formula One	2	3 Mar 2004 19:56
Ron: "DC's performance unacceptable"	TeddyG	Formula One	50	23 May 2003 15:33
Pau Coverage	aussie_f3	National & International Single Seaters	13	24 May 2002 15:32
Need Help!!! Qld 500 coverage NZ	ASR	Australasian Touring Cars.	1	11 Sep 2001 09:34