F1 Channel, would you watch?

[truefan72]

I'm just sad that the FOM still don't understand that broadcasting testing, or allowing broadcasting of testing, is a good thing for the fans and builds up the anticipation for the season.

I am thinking that if they were smart there would soon be a 24/7 F1 channel, that shows past races, testing, interviews, etc, much like the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL channels. Most similarly to the NFL or MLB concept whereby they don't really infringe on the broadcast rights for live races, but instead focus on analysis, reviews, and lots of past races.

I think there is enough content to fill a 24/7 cycle. And I can even see a sister channel coming on called F1 History channel. with some races at least 15 years old etc.

I figure that during race day they could just post the telemetry on the screen, with some updates and stuff.

I would subscribe instantly to that channel. Would you?

[Sonic]

I'm just sad that the FOM still don't understand that broadcasting testing, or allowing broadcasting of testing, is a good thing for the fans and builds up the anticipation for the season.

I am thinking that if they were smart there would soon be a 24/7 F1 channel, that shows past races, testing, interviews, etc, much like the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL channels. Most similarly to the NFL or MLB concept whereby they don't really infringe on the broadcast rights for live races, but instead focus on analysis, reviews, and lots of past races.

I think there is enough content to fill a 24/7 cycle. And I can even see a sister channel coming on called F1 History channel. with some races at least 15 years old etc.

I figure that during race day they could just post the telemetry on the screen, with some updates and stuff.

I would subscribe instantly to that channel. Would you?

Yes. :)

But I also might end up divorced! ;)

[DazzlaF1]

In my opinion, It would never work even though it seems a great idea

It's not like the "Golf Channel" in the US or the others like you suggested, thats mainly because that they can show live coverage of their events almost on a daily basis, in the MLB for isntance, between April and October, you practically get as many as 20 games EVERY DAY. and when other channels have only a fraction of the other games on show, it makes having your own channel kind of a necessity

Seeing that F1 only has 19 events that run mostly on a fortnightly basis and an off season that seems to go on forever, I just cant see the basis of having such a channel, the only motorsport series I think that could come close to having its own channel is NASCAR.

[N. Jones]

There is a lot of history regarding F1 and, speaking as someone who never watched F1 in the 80's and 90's I would love to have a chance to see anything, races the primary goal, from those eras.

I think it could work.

[Nikki Katz]

Didn't Bernie try this a few years ago? Didn't it fail horribly?

[rayburn]

To be honest, no I wouldn't watch it. Yes I would watch any testing, etc., but as far as watching old races, no I would not be interested - to me, racing is about the here and now, not whatever has gone on before. I do appreciate that others may feel differently about this.

[BDunnell]

I would certainly watch re-runs of old races if it was proper UK television coverage being re-broadcast with original commentary, but a channel devoted entirely to current F1 would be so full of uncritical corporate bull**** and pointless 'lifestyle' features as to be unwatchable.

[Saint Devote]

Indeed I would watch.

There really is so very much content.

[CNR]

it would be better off if the rights to show this was included broadcast package not just qualifying and the race

[call_me_andrew]

When NewsCorp aquired Speedvision, the goal was to transform it into a 24-hour NASCAR channel. That idea went out the window when programmers realized they couldn't find enough NASCAR to fill a 24-hour cycle. So they launched SPEED as a general motorsports channel that was slightly more focused than Speedvision. As motorsports are expensive to cover, SPEED has morphed into an automotive lifestyle channel.

Motorsports are difficult to cover; sanctioning bodies are only loosely unified. NASCAR and the IRL are both members of ACCUS, but that's about the only thing they have in common. The FIA has no control over ACCUS members until they step outside of the United States. Then there's always the threat of a breakaway being organized. In that respect, motorsports is about as healthy as professional boxing.

NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB all operate on a franchise system so there's no risk of breakaways; sometimes a small body will organize (ABA, USFL, WHA, etc.), but they rarely exceed the status of a minor league. All these leauges are considered the highest form of their respective sports, but motorsports has far too many disciplines with drivers expected to be multi-sport athletes. A great basketball player who plays baseball is not expected to be a great baseball player; a Formula One champion driving in a sports car series is expected to be a sports car champion.

[Copse]

No, not enough for a dedicated channel to make sense.

The Swedish broadcaster Viasat changed their line-up of channels last year and launched Viasat Motor, a channel dedicated to motor sports. With the end of the F1 and MotoGP seasons, and once the Nascar season was over, they had basically nothing new to show for a few months. To fill the void (in addition to showing repeats of their own race broadcasts from the last 2-3 years), they obtained the rights to show F1 races from the past. I'm not sure about the exact numbers, but maybe 10-15 in total, i.e. they have shown one new old race per week with a couple of repeats during the same week. Mainly 80's and 90's races, and they did select the ones that became memorable (The Imola race where everybody ran out of fuel (-86?), Adelaide -94, Donington -93 etc.).

I was really excited when I heard about this. However, when watching some of the races, it just wasn't as great as I had hoped. Interesting to see some of the great names in their pride, but not enough to make me watch all of the races they broadcast. And, it seems to me that they got all the good ones in with that number of races. If there was an F1 channel needing to have interesting content every day for a whole off season, and every day during the in-season off-weeks, there would just be no way of finding enough exciting old broadcast to make more than a very small number of die hard fans tune in.

[wedge]

No

Like NASCAR coverage in the US there's people who think there's too much.

I think UK has more than enough on GP weekends. Anymore and then its a turn off for me.

What FOM should be doing is a serious revision of media content on their website.

[Stuartf12007]

there used to be an offcial F1 channel on Sky TV it was subscription only and it showed all the sessions on a GP weekend, with live telementry and the option to choose any in car camera view during the race.

It only lasted a year prob because you could watch the race free on ITV.

[SGWilko]

there used to be an offcial F1 channel on Sky TV it was subscription only and it showed all the sessions on a GP weekend, with live telementry and the option to choose any in car camera view during the race.

It only lasted a year prob because you could watch the race free on ITV.

I subscribed to that to be done with the wretched adverts on ITV.

Now the BBC has the rights, I am not so sure I would pay for it this time around. If it was free, then yes I would watch it.

[Mark]

Well the BBC already do show the practice sessions and they do it for free. The problem with the Sky offering was that it was like £12 per race weekend. Far far too much no wonder nobody subscribed.

If it has been more like £2 or a flat rate for the whole season it would have been worth it to ditch the ads.

That was also the time Bernie crippled the free coverage to persuade people to subscribe.

[edv]

I think most motorsports fans would tune in to watch anything that goes fast, makes a big noise, and has an element of danger.
The original Speedvision showed all kinds of racing...airplanes, mud buggies, WRC, MotoGP, V8s, LeMans, NHRA etc.

If a channel could get the rights to show all that stuff, along with behind the scenes at F1, NASCAR, it might have a chance.

I used to watch Speedvision a lot. I hardly ever watch Speed now.

[K-Pu]

If I could find a channel following F1, MotoGP, WRC, trial, Le Mans and the Dakar properly, I´d go for it. While that is not enough to fill all the timetable, NASCAR, IRL and whatever would be welcome.


I think most motorsports fans would tune in to watch anything that goes fast, makes a big noise, and has an element of danger.


I totally agree, or at least it´s my case. At least for myself, I tend to enjoy most of motorsports when I can follow them properly.

The point is if there were some kind of MOTORSPORTS Channel (in capitals) with good coverage and reasonable prices, I´d have no doubt. But I have, since I seriously doubt such a thing can exist...

[Saint Devote]

I think most motorsports fans would tune in to watch anything that goes fast, makes a big noise, and has an element of danger.
The original Speedvision showed all kinds of racing...airplanes, mud buggies, WRC, MotoGP, V8s, LeMans, NHRA etc.

If a channel could get the rights to show all that stuff, along with behind the scenes at F1, NASCAR, it might have a chance.

I used to watch Speedvision a lot. I hardly ever watch Speed now.

Speed has become a pretty poor channel for intelligent motor racing fans.

There is Radio LeMans which is now on year round after finding a good formula. I'd say that a channel dominated by F1 would work if it included european racing as well as non-nascar American series.

There is so much historical footage, especially from the 90's alone where the cars were pretty, the engines powerful from 8's to 12's, the tyres FAT, the grids overflowing and the drivers allowed to be individuals not directed by Herbie Blash from the moment they step out of the car after a race.

Imagine if the tv audiences were greater for OLD grands prix than current!!!!

[71minus2]

there used to be an offcial F1 channel on Sky TV it was subscription only and it showed all the sessions on a GP weekend, with live telementry and the option to choose any in car camera view during the race.

It only lasted a year prob because you could watch the race free on ITV.

I remember F1 Digital +. Typical Bernie though charging £12 a race weekend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_Digital%2B

It was destined to fail with Free To Air coverage at the time.

[UltimateDanGTR]

I would only watch an F1 TV channel if I didnt have to invest half a year's earnings to watch one practice session and feed bernies pocket like a sweet machine like I inevitably would have.

I've always thought the BBC should create a sole sports channel anyway, with highlights, shows and live broadcastings of football, F1, rugby etc etc

[BDunnell]

Imagine if the tv audiences were greater for OLD grands prix than current!!!!

Sadly, I fear it would be a niche offering at best; merely an adjunct to the current stuff. It's a shame, because there is lots of old live footage out there that rarely gets seen, the videos/DVDs that are available of seasons gone by tending to consist of other, inferior stuff.

[Ari]

Not enough dedicated people for a full channel.

You have to remember to create a channel costs money and resources. If they are going to take a camera crew out to the backend of nowhere every time an F1 car starts in anger it's going to cost a pretty penny. Might be able to do it for more mainstream sports like NBA, Football etc... but not F1.

I am happy enough with all sessions being live and pre and post weekend windups on a Motorsports channel. That would keep me tickled pink!! ;)

[truefan72]

Not enough dedicated people for a full channel.

You have to remember to create a channel costs money and resources. If they are going to take a camera crew out to the backend of nowhere every time an F1 car starts in anger it's going to cost a pretty penny. Might be able to do it for more mainstream sports like NBA, Football etc... but not F1.

I am happy enough with all sessions being live and pre and post weekend windups on a Motorsports channel. That would keep me tickled pink!! ;)

maybe a similar format to speed tv but instead of nascar heavy, it would be F1 heavy. Remember, Speed TV actually doesn't show the NASCAR races live as to not infringe on the main broadcast deals that they have with other networks. But do show a lot of the other stuff and then repeats the race on a Wednesday or something in the middle of the day.

Anyway, great points by all. ;)

[Ari]

maybe a similar format to speed tv but instead of nascar heavy, it would be F1 heavy. Remember, Speed TV actually doesn't show the NASCAR races live as to not infringe on the main broadcast deals that they have with other networks. But do show a lot of the other stuff and then repeats the race on a Wednesday or something in the middle of the day.

Anyway, great points by all. ;)

Is very true re not showing all content live.

Ultimately, if I'm home and can't be bothered watching sitcom reruns on some nothing Tuesday night then picking up the 1997 San Marino GP from half way through might be more appealing...