FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[LewEngBridewell]

Anyone thinking of boycotting the BBC coverage will be doing nothing but hurting themselves and maybe even hasten the move to pay TV only F1 coverage. The deal has been done and no amount of boycotts or complaints to the BBC, FOTA, FOM or Sky will make a blind bit of difference, I'd rather watch 10 races live than not watch at all. I understand that people are angry, I'm none too happy myself but the BBC have decided that stupid reality talent shows and BBC 4 is more important than the 10m viewers that regularly enjoy F1, we'll just have to deal with it! Will this move harm F1; most definitely in the short run but it'll recover, but if millions do tune out from the BBC broadcasts, maybe the BBC will re-evaluate and the sport will move to Sky wholesale!

The fans who reckon they're not watching at all need to call into question their passion in the first place.

[andrew]

Anyone thinking of boycotting the BBC coverage will be doing nothing but hurting themselves and maybe even hasten the move to pay TV only F1 coverage. The deal has been done and no amount of boycotts or complaints to the BBC, FOTA, FOM or Sky will make a blind bit of difference, I'd rather watch 10 races live than not watch at all. I understand that people are angry, I'm none too happy myself but the BBC have decided that stupid reality talent shows and BBC 4 is more important than the 10m viewers that regularly enjoy F1, we'll just have to deal with it! Will this move harm F1; most definitely in the short run but it'll recover, but if millions do tune out from the BBC broadcasts, maybe the BBC will re-evaluate and the sport will move to Sky wholesale!

The fans who reckon they're not watching at all need to call into question their passion in the first place.

Not really but what is the point of only watching half of the season? I'm in 2 minds at the moment about if I will watch or I won't.

Don't really want to add one person to the BBC's viewing figures on anything that they broadcast.

[LewEngBridewell]

Anyone thinking of boycotting the BBC coverage will be doing nothing but hurting themselves and maybe even hasten the move to pay TV only F1 coverage. The deal has been done and no amount of boycotts or complaints to the BBC, FOTA, FOM or Sky will make a blind bit of difference, I'd rather watch 10 races live than not watch at all. I understand that people are angry, I'm none too happy myself but the BBC have decided that stupid reality talent shows and BBC 4 is more important than the 10m viewers that regularly enjoy F1, we'll just have to deal with it! Will this move harm F1; most definitely in the short run but it'll recover, but if millions do tune out from the BBC broadcasts, maybe the BBC will re-evaluate and the sport will move to Sky wholesale!

The fans who reckon they're not watching at all need to call into question their passion in the first place.

Not really but what is the point of only watching half of the season? I'm in 2 minds at the moment about if I will watch or I won't.

Don't really want to add one person to the BBC's viewing figures on anything that they broadcast.

We've just got to accept what we have and take it. There's no way I'm missing out on everything, after following F1 so closely for years, so I'll watch what races I can live, and just tune into the "extensive" highlights otherwise. It's crap, but it'll have to be for now.

But no way am I being knocked over by only being able to see 1/2 the races live. Once an F1 fan, always an F1 fan.

[andrew]

We've just got to accept what we have and take it. There's no way I'm missing out on everything, after following F1 so closely for years, so I'll watch what races I can live, and just tune into the "extensive" highlights otherwise. It's crap, but it'll have to be for now.

But no way am I being knocked over by only being able to see 1/2 the races live. Once an F1 fan, always an F1 fan.

We'll see.

Incidently, this Ben Gallop twit's blog now has 6189 comments!

[Drthjustice]

Wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Murdoch decided to air the F1 race's free for at least the first year as sort of a thank you for watching for the fans. F1 already airs free on one of his other networks (Speed Channel in the US) so I don't see how it wouldn't work.

[darwin dali]

Wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Murdoch decided to air the F1 race's free for at least the first year as sort of a thank you for watching for the fans. F1 already airs free on one of his other networks (Speed Channel in the US) so I don't see how it wouldn't work.

Correction: Speed Channel is NOT free! It's a cable-only channel and requires monthly subscription fees - and not just the basic cable fee, but you need the extended cable package.

[Drthjustice]

Wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Murdoch decided to air the F1 race's free for at least the first year as sort of a thank you for watching for the fans. F1 already airs free on one of his other networks (Speed Channel in the US) so I don't see how it wouldn't work.

Correction: Speed Channel is NOT free! It's a cable-only channel and requires monthly subscription fees - and not just the basic cable fee, but you need the extended cable package.

Sorry maybe i'm ignorant on how british tv works. So is it completly free? You don't have to pay anything for TV?

[andrew]

Wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Murdoch decided to air the F1 race's free for at least the first year as sort of a thank you for watching for the fans. F1 already airs free on one of his other networks (Speed Channel in the US) so I don't see how it wouldn't work.

Correction: Speed Channel is NOT free! It's a cable-only channel and requires monthly subscription fees - and not just the basic cable fee, but you need the extended cable package.

Sorry maybe i'm ignorant on how british tv works. So is it completly free? You don't have to pay anything for TV?

In the UK, we work hard and save up and pay tax. We take some of the Government allows us to keep, which isn't much, and buy a TV which we pay VAT (tax) on. For the privilege of owning a TV we are obliged to buy a TV Licence tax. This majority of this tax pays for the BBC. I love paying for a heap of channels I rarely watch, primarily due to most of what the BBC airs being total .

Bit of info here for you.

All other channels generate revenue form commercials. On top of the terrestrial channels we can have Sky or other things like that which are a total waste of money as they too show total most of the time.

Great innit?

You should move to Britain. We're cheaper than Sweden, but not by much.

[Drthjustice]

Wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Murdoch decided to air the F1 race's free for at least the first year as sort of a thank you for watching for the fans. F1 already airs free on one of his other networks (Speed Channel in the US) so I don't see how it wouldn't work.

Correction: Speed Channel is NOT free! It's a cable-only channel and requires monthly subscription fees - and not just the basic cable fee, but you need the extended cable package.

Sorry maybe i'm ignorant on how british tv works. So is it completly free? You don't have to pay anything for TV?

In the UK, we work hard and save up and pay tax. We take some of the Government allows us to keep, which isn't much, and buy a TV which we pay VAT (tax) on. For the privilege of owning a TV we are obliged to buy a TV Licence tax. This majority of this tax pays for the BBC. I love paying for a heap of channels I rarely watch, primarily due to most of what the BBC airs being total .

Bit of info here for you.

All other channels generate revenue form commercials. On top of the terrestrial channels we can have Sky or other things like that which are a total waste of money as they too show total most of the time.

Great innit?

You should move to Britain. We're cheaper than Sweden, but not by much.

Thanks. I think I understand now, I guess i'll have to be forgiven for being a sheltered American.

[vaptin]

A huge boycott of Sky would make a difference, I doubt enough would do it though.

Enough people who won't be happy with it not being on the BBC, will still tune in to the coverage from Sky.

I don't mind watching half the races, I'd just generally not be so excited about the championships, but this year the races themselves have been good events.

Extended highlights grind me, we'd really loose a lot of the touch and go drama. You'd never get the feel, of a race like we just had, on the highlights we'd see Lewis and Alonso going for supersofts, no idea about track evolution, and not get to see the next few laps watching their times trying to see if this was the right call. The flow of the race would be lost, seeing the small details that underpin the big decisions.

[acosmichippo]

I guess i'll be going back to watching Speed next year for 10 races. That really sucks too cause i've just recently starting watching the BBC's coverage. I really hope BBC covers the USGP even though I plan on being there.

I think that's unlikely since (as it is scheduled now) it's the GP right before Brasil (which they WILL be showing for sure since its the final GP). Additionally, it's a fly-away race for them which gives them even more of a reason to not cover it in order to save travel expenses.

[Denthúl]

The fans who reckon they're not watching at all need to call into question their passion in the first place.

Not really, I watch F1 to see the championship as much as the individual races and the technology. If I can only have half of that, then it's not worth it, just like paying £500+/year isn't worth it to see the other half. The cost of a Sky subscription plus TV licence would likely pay for tickets to every round of the BTCC with all its support races. I'm very passionate about Formula One, but unlike Bernie, the teams and the big wigs at Sky and the BBC, I'm not rolling in money.

[technician]

Like everyone else, what the hell is going on? I refuse to support this and buy sky. F1 has given 2 fingers up to us and I will give them the same. We have followed F1 longer than I care to remember and gone to several races and then they do this to us. Money is ruling this decision for the select few.

[bud]

oh well look at the positives, just make a day of it. All the Sky races get your mates, head to the local pub that broadcasts Sky and have a few pints.

[LewEngBridewell]

The fans who reckon they're not watching at all need to call into question their passion in the first place.

Not really, I watch F1 to see the championship as much as the individual races and the technology. If I can only have half of that, then it's not worth it, just like paying £500+/year isn't worth it to see the other half. The cost of a Sky subscription plus TV licence would likely pay for tickets to every round of the BTCC with all its support races. I'm very passionate about Formula One, but unlike Bernie, the teams and the big wigs at Sky and the BBC, I'm not rolling in money.

Of course we all watch F1 for the championship. How can a dedicated F1 say they are now not going to watch? We have to be thankful that the BBC haven't lost ALL the coverage, because I for one would be knackered.

Every race they show live, I will relish, and otherwise make do with highlights. It's not what I want, but it's what we've got. It's basically having 3/4 of the experience we have now....we can see all races, but only 1/2 live.

There's no way I'm missing out on the next few championships just because of this heap of .

I'm not so easily defeated. Unfortunately, it appears some folk are. I say this, but the vast majority of those saying they'll boycott will without a doubt be watching what they can anyway. Idle moaning forms itself into nothing, at the end of the day.