Bernie sold out - F1 moving to sky

[Shug]

D'you know what? I'm starting to feel a little sorry for Sky in this... They appear to be approaching this with proper verve and enthusiasm (something the Beeb have done brilliantly on a limited budget) which added to the ability to actually spend, might get us some real advances in coverage. All this for no PPV or additional fees on top of what they'd normally charge for sports (and the free to HD customers is a genuine surprise too - which might just cover some of those who say they won't watch enough other sports to make it worthwhile - me being one of them)

So, looks like there is a choice. Lot of potential added value if you wish to pay for it - if you don't, there's still Beeb coverage for now (okay, not all live, but I've not actually watched more than 2 races live this year - record them and watch the full show when we are in front of the TV)

If you have Sky and not HD, it's worthwhile as an upgrade (I genuinely love watching the Beeb natural history/science stuff in HD as it's still the best filmography in the world - plus things like Jools Holland with proper sound makes a real difference) and now that it gets F1 as well - bit of a no-brainer...

It's a shame the Beeb couldn't keep it all, it really is, but it's economics at the end of the day. Bernie's a money-grabbing git and there's no way a public broadcaster can realistically continue to spend what they were on F1 when their remit is so huge. So what we, as customers, get is a full service (restricted slightly if we won't pay for it, extended massively if we do) To me, that's progress...

But hey, don't let logic stand in the way of a good stoning...

[tut]

Sky rocks. No way that I could justify it at full cost, but as usual S_E has a solution. Now would not be without it.

Just find it strange that it has not been snapped up by more of you.

tut

[BiggestNizzy]

Just find it strange that it has not been snapped up by more of you.

tut

I have a non-std install so I would have to pay (a small fortune) to have a second feed. I already have freesat, the ps3 works as a pvr and I subscribe to love film so. Yes the discovery channel etc would be nice but as I am currently working more hours than a junior doctor I can't justify it as I can download Bones for Ann

[Lazydonkey]

The new boxes are quite happy on a single feed - that's what i run. Granted if i paid for mine im not so sure i'd be keen but it is possible.

Free to HD customers now confirmed
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/new ... F1-channel

[tut]

They installed mine as a single feed initially Martin, and for a lot of people that would have been it, but when I complained that I could only record one program, a different team came around, the first ones had escaped from the local looney bin, and rewired it for two feeds.

tut

[kenny]

BBC races announced, hope they can retain the same team.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula ... 893254.stm

[campbell]

Sky rocks. No way that I could justify it at full cost, but as usual S_E has a solution. Now would not be without it.

Just find it strange that it has not been snapped up by more of you.

tut

I value my Virgin Media fibre broadband very highly Tut and would not plan to switch to Sky and copper broadband even if they could match the £30-odd per month we pay for phone, some calls packages, TV and 10Mb fibre.

I will take what I can get via the Beeb next year (we have a "basic + 1 notch" type package from Virgin so can't see us getting F1 on Sky bundled into that for free Simon).

Shug - "feeling sorry for Sky"? How so? Don't follow you there. Good on the boys there all the same, of course, if they can provide class-leading coverage as opposed to crass-leading.

[Shug]

Shug - "feeling sorry for Sky"? How so? Don't follow you there. Good on the boys there all the same, of course, if they can provide class-leading coverage as opposed to crass-leading.

The constant baying idiots on everything Beeb presenters post on the internet at the moment: "No To Sky"

Assumptions about massive extra costs with no information (which has proven untrue - some were claiming it would "definitely" be PPV) Also the assumption that the coverage will be worse than the Beeb - Sky have a distinguished history of providing the best sports coverage - they go and get the best people by offering the best money. I'd bet a good proportion of the Beeb team that aren't contracted to Auntie for other things (ie Jake) might show up on Sky. The football coverage seems to be universally liked by football fans and to think they'd apply the same style to a totally different sport, as some have done, is a bit silly.

Just seems to me that there's a lot of negative feeling towards Sky out there when they haven't actually done anything bad yet, apart from pay a cheque that the Beeb can't...

[Mr Momo]

LIVE RACES ON THE BBC
15 April: China
13 May: Spain
27 May: Monaco
24 June: Europe
8 July: Britain
2 September: Belgium
23 September: Singapore
14 October: Korea
4 November: Abu Dhabi
25 November: Brazil

Not too bad, but missing Monza

Rest on highlights on BBC One HD - stops me losing so many Sat/Sundays

[campbell]

Ooh you are getting so reasonable and diplomatic in your old age, Shug.

Fair enough actually.

Someone can let us know what it's like come Melbourne next March, eh?!

From the link Kenny posted, it appears that:

F1 Forum will continue - but not clear whether for all races or just the ones live on BBC (best to assume the latter I think)

Full BBC radio commentary will continue for ALL races, so at least that could be played in to drown out Sky if they don't get the commentary team right.

The non-live races will have a 90-120 min highlights programme. This exceeds what is provided today so that's something I guess. IMHO losing Canada, Germany, Japan will be a pity...and the intrigue factor of Austin (if it happens). And you can keep Europe thanks very much!

"The team" will be at ALL races. Quite who the members are, of course, is still to be seen...



Anyways, there's more to life so I wish both Sky and the Beeb the best and let's see how the year plays out shall we.

[Mr Momo]

So how is this saving money if "the team" are at all the races ? TV coverage supplied by Bernie, so it's justabout how much money Sky cans stump up compared with the Beeb.

Bernie is a money grabbing barsteward

[campbell]

The costs of shipping the team around are probably fairly light. The commercial fees for the telly feed from Bernie are surely the killer, indeed.

All is fair in love and war and commerce

[Mr Momo]

and what has bernie given us - his bimbo daughter

[campbell]

I make a point of ignoring both of them, frankly.

[jen]

It might end up on virgin/BT, they haven't thought that far ahead yet, according to the tweets from the skysportsF1 people.

Good news for existing sky customers. It's £10.50 p/m for HD or £20 for all the sports. At least we're getting a choice on which other channels we'd buy to get F1. I'm a lot happier now.

Jake is a definite for next year, and Eddie is a rumoured definite. I reckon Martin will go to Sky. Not sure about David.....