uk f1 tv coverage - sky, bbc and ch4

[henners88]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

I agree that subscription TV takes away the immediate accessability and won't pick up the casual viewer that terrestrial will. But I also believe it is a wider issue of not attracting younger viewers, that is F1 and the team sponsors main problem long term.

I agree both are problems but they go hand in hand too. If the sport wants to attract more younger viewers the first hurdle is the accessibility on television. Before we start worrying about the product and the attraction of Formula 1, we need to realise that if only a fraction of the percentage of youngsters in this country are getting to see it through Sky television, its never going to be a real issue on the wider scale. We need it to be accessible by all for the product then to be truly considered as failing IMO.

People generally don't go out of their way to watch a sport that is away from the mainstream channels unless the interest is already there. The beauty of having F1 on FTA was it picked up casual viewers who then caught the bug to watch again. That is how I started watching and at the moment reduced coverage with inconsistent timings is lacking in appeal for new viewers I fear. I say stop messing around with the rules and lets start tackling the issues as to why viewership is dropping off at a basic level.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

F1 is F1. If you change what it essentially to gather new younger viewers (essentially that is what they want because it figures in the money calculation and assessment) is you run the risk of alienating your existing audience.

What they are doing is fiddling with peripheral stuff but doing that has reached the stage where it's beginning to manipulate the sport and few people are attracted to sport that way.

What it was once was real competition and that is what will always be needed to make it significant to the mass market. It is a 200 mile (approx.) competition but that is now only an hour and a half because of speed. To make it shorter is a nonsense. What is needed is competition. If you had that the time wouldn't matter. Most televised sport activity is between 60-120 minutes.

Formula One needs to attract and retain a young demographic in order to underpin its current commercial model. It's failing to do this on a grand scale and there are many reasons for this... not all of them due to the telecast. If it can't, or won't, attract the demographic it needs, then maybe it ought to change its commercial model instead. I agree with you that the current meddling and ostrich approach Bernie's taking isn't working.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by wnut

The real problem with F1 is that nothing exciting ever happens on the track!

Why are you here? Serious question as you have never have anything good to say about F1, so I an intrigued why you bother watching.

[chillibowl]

agree completely with the rest of your points but have a questions about this one.

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Not something the purists will want to hear, but I think one of the main barrier to interest from younger viewers is that the races are too long and largely decided on the 1st lap, but this is an issue we have covered many times already...

nearly every sport i can think of operates within a 2 to 2.5 hour tv time slot without any problems of attracting younger viewers, holding their attention, or finding themselves discussing shortening their matches.

as far as overhauling the weekend, its already a challenge to get long term established fans to care about 3 practice sessions and quali and then the race and we have a sense of the sport's history.

i think this ties in to your point that FOM takes its money up front and does little by way of actually promoting the sport and their need to take down every video they can from the internet (and lack of access to archival footage) means they have effectively cut of new viewers from the sports history.

its easy to blame kids and their lack of attention span but in fairness what is FOM giving them to hold their attention?

[Steevp]

I feel F1 is missing the key to making it a mass market sport, and that is the soap opera that surrounds the sport. More needs to be made of the paddock intrigues, the personalities of everyone from the team lorry driver to the F1 driver.. everything. We live in a world of limited attention spans so the younger audience needs to be fed bite sized chunks of information in rapid fire.

My girlfriend had no interest in F1 when I met her, but by getting her involved in the dramas that surround F1 she's become hooked.. ok, she's always rooting for the underdog (Maldonardo this season!) but hooked she is.. from looking to see if Christian Horner has had his teeth fixed to how fast Lewis changes hats on the podium so we don't see the bad hair she's fascinated, now she reads lap time data like a fiend during the race and totally gets it.. but it needed something outside of cars going fast to draw her in.

My current F1 in the media pet hate? Driver interviews.. good god, "I'd like to thank the team, we're all working hard, results will improve, I have understeer".. blah blah bland.. Personalities make sport, let Lewis rant, let Jenson ***** and someone poke Kimi with a stick so he has a hissy fit.. sponsors would love it if their logo is on the chest of someone having a prime time melt down which goes viral and is seen by half the world, mark my words..

(I know F1 purists would like to go back to 90 mins of just the race commentated on by Murray W. ..but those days are gone.)

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Formula One needs to attract and retain a young demographic in order to underpin its current commercial model. It's failing to do this on a grand scale and there are many reasons for this... not all of them due to the telecast. If it can't, or won't, attract the demographic it needs, then maybe it ought to change its commercial model instead. I agree with you that the current meddling and ostrich approach Bernie's taking isn't working.

Marketing policy is their biggest problem.
They don't need to change F1, they need to change the way they work. The head in the sand attitude is dragging the sport down, not building it up.

[davyboy]

The other sport I'm heavily involved with is swimming. That checks all the boxes in terms of purity, excitement, nail biting finishes and most races last just a few minutes. Not only that but it's something the younger demographic will have experienced as kids. So why is it not popular ? Because of bad (non existent) marketing... FINA are even worse than FIA/FOM.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JamesH

Why are you here? Serious question as you have never have anything good to say about F1, so I an intrigued why you bother watching.

I am sick and a motorsport addict!

Is the best answer I can come up with when I regularly ask myself why I bother with F1, and yes I am critical of F1 James.

Essentially it comes down to the fact that I love motorsport, and F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of motorsport, and absorbs huge quantities of resources that would otherwise be available to other branches of motorsport, this includes money, drivers, engineers, media coverage etc. etc.
As the pinnacle of motorsport F1 has the duty to represent all forms of the sport in the best manner possible.
Currently F1 has become an exclusive club that is being held hostage by a small group of vested interests.
F1 should deliver close competitive racing and the engineering rules and specifications should be set to achieve this end. Trying to fix the lack of spectacle, racing action, and excitement on display with silly gimmicks; KERS, DRS, Limited boost periods, Rubbing Blocks, Degrading tyres, Idiot lights, Multiple restarts; just further damages the appeal of the sport and keeps the fans and future fans heading for the exits.
Instead of ensuring that the cars are able to race one another the “insiders” club is just focused on delivering the best ROI to a group of banks and a small group of teams, screwing as much money as possible out of the motorsport public and deluded governments as possible!
Now taking the sport that always prided itself on mass accessibility down the pay TV route on top of it all!
It is my belief that motorsport in general is being both short changed and damaged by F1 in its current form and under its current management.

The FIA too needs to go and take a long hard look at itself and what its role in F1 is!

P.S. I give praise where developments are praiseworthy, the Austrian GP, its circuit, its setting and the whole event was a massive step in delivering what a GP should be, and I said so.

DRS – as far as I am concerned is also an excellent band aid to a big problem, still there is a better solution available.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JamesH

Why are you here? Serious question as you have never have anything good to say about F1, so I an intrigued why you bother watching.

You should have a fair amount of understanding for my position given that you posted this James:

"Although I would love to take my F1 mad son to a GP I refuse to pay these sorts of prices. That quite a few kart session for the little chap. I won't even pay to watch on Sky.

But, I do intend to take him to various club meetings, 750MC etc. The prices are much cheaper, you get to walk around the whole circuit and the paddock, and the entry fee for him, at 8 years of age is zero.

The racing is usually pretty good (now that I've stopped) as well! "

[p-matt]

High quality f1 broadcasting on sky this evening with about half the grid taking penalties

[Teretonga]

Well done wnut!
You have said it brilliantly.

That is what it's all about.

[Paradise City]

I don't give a jot how many watch the sport. In fact the sport should be doing more to drive away the bulk of the idiot masses watching it presently.

[garcon]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I don't give a jot how many watch the sport. In fact the sport should be doing more to drive away the bulk of the idiot masses watching it presently.

Spoken like a true motorsport snob!

I concur with the Honourable Gentleman!

[TWRv12]

I thought Massa signed a three year contract in November but this was like bolt out of the blue to Crofty and Herbert on Sunday afternoon during Sky2 GoS snoozeathon

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I don't give a jot how many watch the sport. In fact the sport should be doing more to drive away the bulk of the idiot masses watching it presently.

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of those idiot masses who buy the Sky bundle, with the F1 channel just don't wach it.

Murdoch must be happy.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I don't give a jot how many watch the sport. In fact the sport should be doing more to drive away the bulk of the idiot masses watching it presently.

Currently F1 appears to be applying the drive everybody off policy!

Not quite sure who they want to watch it?!

[henners88]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I don't give a jot how many watch the sport. In fact the sport should be doing more to drive away the bulk of the idiot masses watching it presently.

That is a pretty elitist way of looking at it and I think they are doing a fine job thinning out the audience as it is. I know far too many people with a Sky Sports Subscription who don't have a jot on interest in Formula 1 and its only good for one person and that is the coffin dodger Murdoch.

It might keep the F1 snobs amongst us happy as it will only attract some, not all of the genuine F1 fans, but its a little short sighted for the long term health of the sport IMO.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I don't give a jot how many watch the sport. In fact the sport should be doing more to drive away the bulk of the idiot masses watching it presently.

sir, you are the aco, and i claim my £5.

[Mystery]

I think my viewing habits have changed over the years, but probably not in relation to F1. Put it this way, a couple of years back I was prepared to stump up a few quid a month to get Premier Sports, solely for NASCAR coverage. I still watch it for that, plus a very rare glance at other things on that channel. Essentially just NASCAR though.

When Indycar moved to BTS/ESPN I decided it wasn't worth my cash so took last year off watching the sport. However, MotoGP moving there was a clincher for me so I now have two paid for subscriptions.

Now back in the dark ages of F1 Digital+ I certainly wasn't prepared to stump up whatever money they were asking for, although would have been interested in a season ticket model but after asking them I was told they had no plans to do so. Obviously, viewing figure were shocking so half way through the season sure enough here came a rest-of-the-season package. Which I refused out of stubborness and because actually the racing wasn't THAT good.

Now I already have a Sky Sports subscription so to me F1 came essentially free-of-charge, but if they moved it onto a paid channel then there's no way I'd be paying again for it. I'd be quite happy with my half season on the BBC and highlights and wouldn't feel I was missing out too much.

However, for any FIA folks watching it's NOT because the F1 show needs spicing up. It's the exact opposite. With their Full Course Cautions for a butterfly too near the racing lines yes NASCAR and to a lesser extent IndyCar manipulate their races, but they are at least reasonably open about it. The F1 guys manipulate with the rules and Strategy Groups behind the scenes, and then try and spice up the event with tricks. Adding sparks under the cars - really...?

I think there's no vision at the top of the sport for what F1 should be. Is it a technical show, is it entertainment, is it the most advanced technical part of the sport, is it a showcase for efficiency? Actually guys it's none of them and as a result it doesn't have a target audience. It just has (mainly corrupt) governments paying the promoter for races and the teams come to put on the show.

Yes I watch it, but I still wish the 80s were back......

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Mystery

I think there's no vision at the top of the sport for what F1 should be. Is it a technical show, is it entertainment, is it the most advanced technical part of the sport, is it a showcase for efficiency? Actually guys it's none of them and as a result it doesn't have a target audience. It just has (mainly corrupt) governments paying the promoter for races and the teams come to put on the show.

This is exactly what the problem is. However, it's underpinned by a commercial model that requires it has a target audience with a significant percentage of young people with a high disposable income.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by davyboy

This is exactly what the problem is. However, it's underpinned by a commercial model that requires it has a target audience with a significant percentage of young people with a high disposable income.

But how many of the sponsors on the cars nowadays are 'consumer brands' wanting to reach a target audience. They all seem to have deserted F1 and if you strip off the B2B and connected brands - virtually all FI 'sponsors' for example - most of them are driver connected backers/investors and obscure names nobody has ever heard of.

Aside from Martini, where are the big sponsors with full car liveries - I would suggest they are looking elsewhere for marketing opportunities.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

But how many of the sponsors on the cars nowadays are 'consumer brands' wanting to reach a target audience. They all seem to have deserted F1 and if you strip off the B2B and connected brands - virtually all FI 'sponsors' for example - most of them are driver connected backers/investors and obscure names nobody has ever heard of.

Aside from Martini, where are the big sponsors with full car liveries - I would suggest they are looking elsewhere for marketing opportunities.

Many of those have forsaken F1 for opportunities that better meet their needs. However, of those left, you still have :

Red Bull
Mercedes
Renault
Caterham
Martini
Kingfisher
Pirelli

... all of whom are targeting a young demographic with a high disposable income.

[davyboy]

I have to say that Mark Webber's track guide yesterday on the BBC was among the best I've ever seen. He's an articulate and engaging broadcaster and has a great future in front of the camera when he's done behind the wheel.

[wolfhound]

It's possible that Gernany could loose its FTA TV as RTL are thinking of giving up on their coverage after their current contract runs out after next season.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns29571.html

[bjohnsonsmith]

I could understand RTL losing viewers if it were pay to view and viewers didn't want to pay to watch F1 but a fall in the free to view audience begs the question, why?