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Bernie E considers free Sky F1 boxes as viewers desert F1


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Old 15-04-2013, 16:31
TelevisionUser
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Well surprise surprise, Bernie! One of the predicted consequences of the deal with Sky to put half the Formula 1 races behind a Sky paywall was that viewer numbers would significantly and noticeably go down.

That has now had financial consequences too. It appears that sponsors and advertisers have noticed this decline in viewers as well and that, in turn, could lead to a reduced income for Formula One Management and Formula One Administration. In other words, Bernie Ecclestone would be hit where it hurts (in his wallet) and hence his airing of the plan to supply free F1 Sky boxes to UK households:

The idea would make F1 more accessible, but it would also require a large outlay from Sky to make the boxes available, and they would most probably try to negotiate a reduced rate for the F1 rights should the deal go ahead. However, it would unquestionably increase the viewing figures, and Sky's extensive programming on their dedicated channel would also benefit. Having secured the rights though, Sky may be reluctant to negotiate such a deal until their contract expires. Ecclestone's comments also suggest that he may be open to the entire season returning to a free-to-air channel in the near future.
http://www.pitpass.com/48862-Ecclest...ee-Sky-F1-plan

My own view is that this plan is misplaced although it is good to see that Ecclestone has realised the damage that has been caused to Formula 1 by going behind a Sky paywall. Perhaps showing the race in full on Sky's free to air Pick TV or Challenge the moment the trophy presentation is over would help things as it would still ensure that Sky F1 subscribers get to see the race live.
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:37
BenFranklin
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this isn't a plan, it's something he floated with Sky over a year ago and clearly they aren't interested. presenting it as a response to the dip in tv ratings f1 is suffering from is twisting facts.
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:37
Ginger Daddy
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Perhaps showing the race in full on Sky's free to air Pick TV
http://www.gifcrap.com/g2data/albums...0mad%20man.gif
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:45
StargateNerd_24
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Why would Sky spend thousands giving out free boxes, wouldn't it cost less to make the F1 channel FTA. Not that Sky will do this they will just throw more money at Bernie to keep him happy.
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:51
swills
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Or it is simply another money making idea from Mr E ? I think F1 are quite happy it is behind a sub package, eventually all the coverage will be that way, (nit just the UK) but will just take a couple of years or so to get there.
Quite a nifty idea by F1, give everyone a box, then bang, you've got 'em where you want them.
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:52
TelevisionUser
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this isn't a plan, it's something he floated with Sky over a year ago and clearly they aren't interested. presenting it as a response to the dip in tv ratings f1 is suffering from is twisting facts.
/!\ Vested Interest Alert! Why, BenFranklin, you must surely have Sky F1 to say something like that! (do you or don't you?)

Let's go look at what Bernie E said:

“I said [to Sky] you can guarantee that when you put a Sky box in the house, although it is only for F1, people are going to say ‘why can’t I watch the rest’ and they will sign up,”.

“Children will say ‘my friends at school watch this so why can’t we?’ Sky are very good with that kind of idea. It would use F1 to drive their subscriptions.”
The reason this has blown up now is because advertisers and sponsors have noticed the Formula 1 audience drop and they are starting to get nervous hence the interview with Bernie E by the Express' business correspondents Christian Sylt and Caroline Reid. Bernie has realised that there are negative consequences to the initial decision that he made and they might now come back to bite him (financially speaking).
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:54
Mark.
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And the obsession with Pick sodding TV continues.

Sky have no inclination to put anything of note on Pick TV. Why would they?
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:55
TelevisionUser
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Or it is simply another money making idea from Mr E ? I think F1 are quite happy it is behind a sub package, eventually all the coverage will be that way, but will just take a couple of years or so to get there.
Quite a nifty idea by F1, give everyone a box, then bang, you've got 'em where you want them.
...is the wrong answer. Team bosses were not consulted at the outset about the fait accompli deal with Sky. Some of them were deeply uneasy and they realised that viewer numbers and the sport's popularity would suffer as a result. They have been proved right.
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Old 15-04-2013, 16:58
swills
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They have ?

I have read the article again, and to me it looks like, give it free, nab 'em, then wham... sub please
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:05
TelevisionUser
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They have ?

I have read the article again, and to me it looks like, give it free, nab 'em, then wham... sub please
When the done deal with Sky was initially presented to them, some of the team bosses made their deep reservations in private to Ecclestone and one of them went public with his misgivings.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:06
samburrows
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Oh God not this again.Cue another multi-page thread about the rights and wrongs of F1 on Pay TV, who was to blame...

"It was the BBC fault!"
The BBC must not be criticised in this way!
Ecclestone's really done it this time
Sky / News Corp. / Rupert Murdoch (delete as appropriate despite being separate entities) are evil!
The teams are furious!
Etc etc. It's been discussed and rehashed a hundred times on here in the last two years.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:13
StargateNerd_24
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Bernie shouldn't expect Sky to give away F1 FTA they are a Pay TV platform after all. If you want the most viewers go FTA if you want the most money go Pay TV, you can't have it both ways.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:20
TelevisionUser
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Bernie shouldn't expect Sky to give away F1 FTA they are a Pay TV platform after all. If you want the most viewers go FTA if you want the most money go Pay TV, you can't have it both ways.
That Bernie, of his own volition, has now publicly spoken to a couple of financial journalists means that he wants the subject aired and to be considered again because he's quite clearly getting spooked by the reactions of the sponsors and advertisers that are being reported back to him now that they have seen and digested the Formula 1 viewing figures for the first full season behind a Sky paywall.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:30
mlt11
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Whether or not this is a plan can anyone explain exactly what is supposedly being proposed?

It looks to me as if the plan is that Sky supply free boxes and people then just subscribe to SSF1 for £10.25 per month. Is that it?

If it is there's a problem.

Sky already supply free boxes today.

But Sky are never going to supply a free box (and free installation etc) and then only charge £10.25 per month because that will completely change the economics of supplying the free box and free installation in the first place.

It will also change the economics of anyone who was previously influenced to get Sky by the F1 - they'll be able to downgrade to a far cheaper price - again changing the economics.

Conclusion: Non-starter.

However isn't Now TV sort of the solution to the problem anyway - ie giving similar result to Bernie "proposal" - ie much cheaper option if you just want to watch F1.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:31
hendero
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I don't understand the 28.6 million (down from 32.4 million) UK F1 viewers figure in the Pitpass article. Obviously that's not per race, but it can't be the total over the entire season, because surely BBC got far more than that in 2011.

I suppose it could be the total number who saw at least five mins of F1 over the course of the season, but if it's that I would have thought the number wouldn't drop much, if at all, even with half the races going to Sky.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:33
mlt11
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I don't understand the 28.6 million (down from 32.4 million) UK F1 viewers figure in the Pitpass article. Obviously that's not per race, but it can't be the total over the entire season, because surely BBC got far more than that in 2011.

I suppose it could be the total number who saw at least five mins of F1 over the course of the season, but if it's that I would have thought the number wouldn't drop much, if at all, even with half the races going to Sky.
It must be a season reach figure.

It can't be all 20 races added up - that would be far higher.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:36
D.M.N.
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It must be a season reach figure.
Correct, although I have never really understood the purpose of said figure.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:38
Elissa Richards
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I see huge problem here.....

Many people hate Sky on the very fact it's Sky/owned by Murdoch. There's so much ill feeling going round due to the BBC/Sky F1 deal that I can't see many people wanting to take this up...

F1 fans are breed apart when it comes to irrational hatred and loathing. Sky are tainted now in the UK in their eyes,
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:40
mlt11
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Correct, although I have never really understood the purpose of said figure.
The purpose of it is to get a very high number so it looks as if F1 is more popular than it really is for publicity purposes.

eg Issue a press release saying "32 million people in the UK watch F1" - that looks very, very impressive.

Of course it's massively misleading and a total nonsense but it gives great PR.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:43
hyperstarsponge
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If he was that bothered about this issue, He would let the BBC show all the races live
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:45
Charnham
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If he was that bothered about this issue, He would let the BBC show all the races live
he would be breaking the contract he signed with Sky if he did that.

Sky are not going to allow him to do that.
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:50
coventrywooo
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And the obsession with Pick sodding TV continues.

Sky have no inclination to put anything of note on Pick TV. Why would they?
do people have orgasms over pick tv
sky wont put any sport on there end of story..
can we stop mentioning pick tv. BECAUSE IT ISNT GOING TO HAPPEN..
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Old 15-04-2013, 17:50
derek500
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It must be a season reach figure.

The 2012 figures were revealed in F1's annual broadcast report, which measures the number of people who have watched more than 15 non-consecutive minutes of the sport throughout the season.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013...formula-one-tv

The usual reach figure is three consecutive minutes.

So those who watched three minutes at least five times?
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Old 15-04-2013, 18:20
hendero
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It must be a season reach figure.

It can't be all 20 races added up - that would be far higher.
Thanks. Seems surprising that F1 would lose 3.6 million just because half the races are live on Sky. Unless it's more to do with everyone having more channels to watch since digital switchover, so just about all viewing figures for everything are down the same 10% as F1.
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Old 15-04-2013, 20:11
Armagideon Time
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And the obsession with Pick sodding TV continues.

Sky have no inclination to put anything of note on Pick TV. Why would they?
Well said that man!
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