Speed Loses Out To NBC In North America - Page 2

Richard C · 15 Oct 2012, 18:03 (Ref:3152428)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHamilton

All is well then.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

Lets see how the coverage actually works out. I think one of the downside of moving to a new provider is that they tend to feel like they have to spoon feed it to you as if you have never seen it before...

Ok, children, these cars don't have fenders, so they are called "open wheel", etc.

Personally, I think 99% of the viewers will be old hats and that they should cater to them. The new viewers will catch on quickly. If anything it would be nice to see if this results in a larger audience.

Richard

Ultimo · 15 Oct 2012, 18:41 (Ref:3152453)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

I'm not sure what your problem is with Speed's F1 broadcasts is, Ultimo. About the only replacements I can think of that I would willingly choose instead of one of the three existing fellows (Varsha, Hobbs, and Matchett) would be Mike Joy and Derek Bell.

It had been a few years since I have seen their F1 coverage to be fair, but when I watch Le Mans, or MotoGP, or WSBK, I know they don't always use their own commentators or reporters, but I find the ads more intrusive and annoying, and the coverage - in general - less comprehensive.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 15 Oct 2012, 19:50 (Ref:3152488)

I presume this is NBCSN, NBC Sports Network? They did the same with IndyCar, sharing broadcasting with ABC. The result, fewer people watched than before, not that anyone watches IndyCar anymore.

This can't be good for F1 exposure and promotion in the US, just as they are about to host their own GP for the first time in a while.

Richard C · 15 Oct 2012, 20:26 (Ref:3152503)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I presume this is NBCSN, NBC Sports Network? They did the same with IndyCar, sharing broadcasting with ABC. The result, fewer people watched than before, not that anyone watches IndyCar anymore.

This can't be good for F1 exposure and promotion in the US, just as they are about to host their own GP for the first time in a while.

It is a mixture of NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN). NBC will show four races (Canada, Abu Dhabi, US (Texas), Brazil) and NBCSN will show the rest. It is reported that "all" practice sessions plus qualifying will be shown on NBCSN (will believe it when I see it as that is more than SPEED today). I am surprised the New Jersey race is listed as NBCSN. Maybe that will change as things finalize (or not) in NJ.

As SPEED has gone through changes, so has what has become NBCSN. It used to be Outdoor Life Network, then became Versus, now it is NBC Sports Network.

Richard

Flaming_Wuzzle · 15 Oct 2012, 20:26 (Ref:3152504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I presume this is NBCSN, NBC Sports Network? They did the same with IndyCar, sharing broadcasting with ABC. The result, fewer people watched than before, not that anyone watches IndyCar anymore.

This can't be good for F1 exposure and promotion in the US, just as they are about to host their own GP for the first time in a while.

F1 is going from subscription network + major network for a few races to subscription network + major network for a few races.

At worst, it's a lateral move, which is much different to going from having every race on a major network to shifting the majority of the season to a subscription network.

Purist · 15 Oct 2012, 21:18 (Ref:3152513)

Yeah, NASCAR did themselves no favors by cutting their network footprint in half.

Beetle · 15 Oct 2012, 21:48 (Ref:3152531)

Who says Hobbs/Matchett/Varsha can't move over to NBC announcing?

JohnSSC · 15 Oct 2012, 21:51 (Ref:3152532)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beetle

Who says Hobbs/Matchett/Varsha can't move over to NBC announcing?

Varsha is under contract with Fox. He is not going anywhere.

Beetle · 15 Oct 2012, 21:53 (Ref:3152537)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Varsha is under contract with Fox. He is not going anywhere.

What about the 2 others?

JohnSSC · 15 Oct 2012, 22:02 (Ref:3152542)

They are likely free agents, but I really do not find them to be the types of personalities that NBC would have to have in order to attract viewers. Tehy do a lousy job, in fact, of dumbing themselves down based on what I have seen of the broadcasts on Fox.

Hobbs might be able to but not Matchett...

Purist · 16 Oct 2012, 01:54 (Ref:3152632)

You know, Hobbs did some NASCAR commentating around 30 years ago, as did Sir Jackie!

NaBUru38 · 16 Oct 2012, 11:41 (Ref:3152797)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

It is reported that "all" practice sessions plus qualifying will be shown on NBCSN (will believe it when I see it as that is more than SPEED today).

Practice is boring, it's better to do a night show and have decent pre and post race shows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

I am surprised the New Jersey race is listed as NBCSN. Maybe that will change as things finalize (or not) in NJ.

Me too, I hope so. But I guess the U.S. Golf golf tournament must be the issue. (Bernie should have swapped New Jersey with Montreal.)

Richard C · 16 Oct 2012, 11:49 (Ref:3152805)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Practice is boring, it's better to do a night show and have decent pre and post race shows.

I actually wouldn't watch all practice sessions myself either. I sometimes watch the single session that Speed does, but I treat it more of a "pre-race" show with better visuals. So one session is enough for me.

My real point (that I didn't get across very well) is that I don't really believe the accuracy of the press reports regarding next years coverage. Does anyone think they are really going to televise all practice sessions?

Richard

F1Pete · 16 Oct 2012, 13:33 (Ref:3152864)

We have terrible coverage in Canada. Speed channel is always blocked now so I can't watch it live there. TSN once had a pre-race show with Gerald Donaldson along with Speed channel pre-race at the same time with Peter Windsor. I could flip from TSN to Speed during commercials. TSN would air the ITV feed at the time. Now TSN has no pre-race, comes on just shortly before the formation lap and ends immediately after the interview.

I now watch TSN and BBC coverage live on the computer simultaneously.

I can't imagine NBC doing coverage on F1...

chillibowl · 16 Oct 2012, 14:19 (Ref:3152882)

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1Pete

We have terrible coverage in Canada.

we do have terrible coverage. i hope one silver lining from all this is that NBC makes a deal with CTV/TSN to share their TV and online feeds because of the other sports deals they already have with each other or at least wont blackout their coverage in Canada.

if memory serves for last years NHL playoffs there were no blackouts (nor TSN/CTV taking over NBC) so basically we got two different broadcasts for the same game. and they do the same with the Olympics.

i guess we will have to wait and see but i am optimistic.

wolfhound · 17 Oct 2012, 13:38 (Ref:3153350)

Some more on NBC taking over F1 at Autosport.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103492

gttouring · 19 Oct 2012, 01:22 (Ref:3154144)

i am gutted- they will likely use derek daly and screw up the fun all over again, NBC has pretty bad coverage and comment teams for open wheel.

veeten · 19 Oct 2012, 13:06 (Ref:3154357)

Everyone else is fretting over how NBC will be able to do all this...

I'm not. I knew this would happen all along. The main part of all this comes from one thing; remember who is the company that owns NBC/Universal now...

pach233 · 19 Oct 2012, 13:28 (Ref:3154363)

Lots of discussion about this over on the racer.com article. Most of it pretty uninformed and petty IMO. Can it be worse? Possibly. Can it be better? Possibly. We'll have to wait and see. I think NBCSN is going to be pretty big here in the next few years so I think the deal has potential. Of course promotion, production and execution (especially the on air team) will determine how succesful it is.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 19 Oct 2012, 13:38 (Ref:3154366)

Quote:

Originally Posted by veeten

Everyone else is fretting over how NBC will be able to do all this...

I'm not. I knew this would happen all along. The main part of all this comes from one thing; remember who is the company that owns NBC/Universal now...

Comcast.

Richard C · 19 Oct 2012, 13:38 (Ref:3154367)

Quote:

Originally Posted by veeten

Everyone else is fretting over how NBC will be able to do all this...

I'm not. I knew this would happen all along. The main part of all this comes from one thing; remember who is the company that owns NBC/Universal now...

Comcast? Help me connect the dots as I don't quite get where you are going.

Richard

veeten · 19 Oct 2012, 14:11 (Ref:3154372)

Money, Broadcasting & Digital backbone, Numbers of subscribers Nationwide be it television or internet,...

and add in the fact that all the other companies, be they cable, FiOS, or Satellite, carry NBC/Universal channels on their systems, of some type.

Need I say more?...

Richard C · 20 Oct 2012, 03:27 (Ref:3154624)

Quote:

Originally Posted by veeten

Need I say more?...

Yes. I don't understand why people beat around the bush vs. just getting to the point.

I dont think i am being thick, but are you trying to say that you think more people are going to be able to view F1 in the US because more people get NBCSN than SPEED or are you trying to say something else?

Does Comcast include NBCSN I their basic package or is it an add-on? I guess as they own the channel they might include it in whatever their basic package is, but why give stuff like that away when you can charge for it? Do other providers include it in their basic packages?

Richard

BobHWS · 20 Oct 2012, 03:33 (Ref:3154625)

While I have enjoyed watching F1 races on TV over the years (as well as attending the race in Montreal 10 times), I agree with this Canadian writer's assessment that the switch to NBC will not do anything to raise the profile of F1 in the U.S.

Why F1 racing still struggles to woo U.S. fans
JEFF PAPPONE
Special to The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Oct. 19 2012

With its return to racing in the U.S. now just a month away, Formula One is no closer to being a mainstream sport in the world’s biggest and most lucrative market.

While the factors that keep the world’s most popular racing series in the margins in the U.S. are plenty, its lack of television coverage rates high on the list of problems.

Unfortunately, a four-year deal with NBC to broadcast its races, mostly on its cable-only sports network, won’t do much to up its profile as it holds its first race in five years with the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Tex., on Nov. 18.

Although F1’s ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone and its new U.S. TV partner both trumpeted the agreement as a great leap forward, only four of 20 races will get on to network television in 2013, no change from the situation the series had with Speed and Fox...

Ncrdbl1 · 20 Oct 2012, 05:10 (Ref:3154663)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

With the rumor that Fox is considering converting Speed into a general purpose sports channel, and that apparently NBC is looking to potentially increase their sports coverage (including potentially picking up some stock car racing that may disappear from Speed/FOX), I am not surprised to hear that Speed is loosing F1. Maybe they didn't even try to keep it if the rumors above are true.

I will really miss the current broadcast team.

Richard

No longer a rumor. SPEED is not long for this world. Some shows have already had the Fox Sports 1 logo shown on screen. Some of the motorsports events are going to be moved over to FUEL TV but it is only in 24 million homes. UFC is moving from FUEL TV to Fox Sports 1. Along with college football and MLB.

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