ITV4 to Screen GP2 Live in 2008!

SALEEN S7R · 18 Apr 2008, 08:40 (Ref:2180459)

As I am sure many of us here are aware ITV4 has recently announced that it will be screening GP2 live throughout this year, not sure if that means British Eurosport and Setanta sports wont be showing the races or not but it got me thinking. With ITV now having lost the rights to Formula One are they perhaps using this year to set the stage for live GP2 coverage in 2009 on their main ITV channel? Sure GP2 isnt as high a profile series as F1 but well its still a strong series and would fill some nice quiet empty slots on a Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

Either way great news for GP2 this year, and hopefully beyond. I find it hard to beleive that ITV would bother screening races live this year if they were planning on axeing the coverage for 2009.

JohnnyFiama · 18 Apr 2008, 08:49 (Ref:2180465)

Surely they'd be better off putting the British Superbikes or BTCC on their main channel?

Jackman · 18 Apr 2008, 09:29 (Ref:2180492)

David Croft will be the lead commentator, which is great as he's a lovely bloke and a really good race caller. Seems odd that he's going over to ITV as he's a BBC guy, although it could be a hint as to the F1 line up next year if all goes well.

Mystery · 18 Apr 2008, 12:33 (Ref:2180630)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

With ITV now having lost the rights to Formula One are they perhaps using this year to set the stage for live GP2 coverage in 2009 on their main ITV channel?

If they are then they're verging on insane. Let's be honest should another Lewis Hamilton make his way through GP2 then ITV would do a fine job building up his fanbase just in time for him to waltz off to fame and fortune in F1 televised on the Beeb.

Nope - this'll be a one year deal I have no doubt.

BootsOntheSide · 18 Apr 2008, 12:51 (Ref:2180647)

I can't see the sense in showing GP2 live on ITV1, unless you've got the guarantee of a British front-runner. For all the hype surrounding the 5 hours of BTCC coverage on ITV4, people with only terrestrial are missing out big-time. I think ITV are losing interest in motorsport, and I can't see them showing anything live on ITV1 for the forseeable future.

Go_For_Pole · 18 Apr 2008, 13:11 (Ref:2180661)

Yeah but from what I read ITV4 is turning to a motorsport magnet

SALEEN S7R · 18 Apr 2008, 15:27 (Ref:2180750)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I think ITV are losing interest in motorsport, and I can't see them showing anything live on ITV1 for the forseeable future.

Losing interest in motorsport? Yes they are losing the contract rights for Formula One but this year ITV have announced that they will show all BTCC rounds live on ITV4 with a highlights programme on ITV as well as showing all FIA GT races either live or same day delayed in full. Added to that we have live coverage of GP2 throughout the year. Show me when ITV offered this level of coverage to motorsport, last year they had BSB and BTCC live in addition to their F1 coverage, now they have BTCC, FIA GT and GP2 in addition to their F1 coverage. All live (in 95% of cases) too.

sceptic · 18 Apr 2008, 17:53 (Ref:2180852)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Either way great news for GP2 this year, and hopefully beyond. I find it hard to beleive that ITV would bother screening races live this year if they were planning on axeing the coverage for 2009.

GP2 rights are part of the same deal as F1, so ITV won't be able to show GP2 next year. It will be on the BBC.

sceptic · 18 Apr 2008, 17:54 (Ref:2180853)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Losing interest in motorsport? Yes they are losing the contract rights for Formula One but this year ITV have announced that they will show all BTCC rounds live on ITV4 with a highlights programme on ITV as well as showing all FIA GT races either live or same day delayed in full. Added to that we have live coverage of GP2 throughout the year. Show me when ITV offered this level of coverage to motorsport, last year they had BSB and BTCC live in addition to their F1 coverage, now they have BTCC, FIA GT and GP2 in addition to their F1 coverage. All live (in 95% of cases) too.

...And the Isle of Man TT will be live again too.

Russfeld · 18 Apr 2008, 17:59 (Ref:2180859)

Yeah but it's ITV4(!) I didn't realise I had it until I looked.

OJB · 18 Apr 2008, 18:35 (Ref:2180890)

Still great news though - I can't pick up Eurosport where I live and also means its another justification why I don't need pricey Sky just yet! Would choose GP2 over F1 any day, so am very happy with this announcement.

SALEEN S7R · 18 Apr 2008, 18:53 (Ref:2180910)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sceptic

GP2 rights are part of the same deal as F1, so ITV won't be able to show GP2 next year. It will be on the BBC.

Your 100% sure about that? If that is the case why has Eurosport and Setanta Sports been showing live coverage of GP2 in recent years? To the best of my knowledge neither Eurosport or Setanta Sports have the rights to Formula One and yet still have shown GP2 live.

the sniper · 18 Apr 2008, 19:48 (Ref:2180932)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

To the best of my knowledge neither Eurosport or Setanta Sports have the rights to Formula One and yet still have shown GP2 live.

Setanta show Formula 1 in Ireland, that is why during their commentators are at the circuit, also Eurosport show F1 Free Practice in France

.

I think it is normaly the case that broardcasters who show F1 get a special price on GP2 if they want it, all across Europe GP2 is normally shown on the same channel as F1 i.e. Premiere, Sky Italia, MTV3 MAX...

ITV probably brought the rights to GP2 live (and F1 practice online) to keep Bernie happy after they told him they didn't want F1 anymore. My other theory is that they are trying to raise the bar with the BBC taking over in 2009, fans will now expect the BBC to cover GP2 Live.

SALEEN S7R · 18 Apr 2008, 20:39 (Ref:2180954)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the sniper

also Eurosport show F1 Free Practice in France

.

Yes thats true, but British Eurosport is a seperate channel to the Eurosport you get in mainland Europe. On British Eurosport GP2 was screened live, and British Eurosport didnt have a contract to show Formula One live. Now if the commercial rights for GP2 are the same as F1 then shoudnt British Eurosport show F1 live as well as GP2? The fact that they didnt last year indicates that the statement is in my opinion innacurate. Of course if I were to see concrete evidence to the contarary then that would be different, although personally I beleive it is possible to buy the rights to air GP2 live without having the F1 rights too.

nickyf1 · 18 Apr 2008, 20:49 (Ref:2180956)

wow, now im just waiting for ITV4 to be renamed ITV Sport. ITV4 usualy has about two episodes of stupid police chases a day then turns off. lol.

Looking foward to it, something to watch on the run up to F1. More motorsport is always welcome

especially for those who aint got eurosport.

Go_For_Pole · 18 Apr 2008, 20:52 (Ref:2180958)

Although different countries/markets may get different treatment, I know for a fact that Greek F1 TV rights holder (Alpha) also gets GP2 and F.BMW for free as part of their deal. Of course both of them are getting farmed-out to a Alpha TV owned minor channel.

sceptic · 19 Apr 2008, 09:56 (Ref:2181237)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Your 100% sure about that?

Yes

Quote:

If that is the case why has Eurosport and Setanta Sports been showing live coverage of GP2 in recent years? To the best of my knowledge neither Eurosport or Setanta Sports have the rights to Formula One and yet still have shown GP2 live.

Setanta does show Formula One, although it is blocked for UK viewers because ITV has an exclusivity clause in its contract.

Eurosport is slightly different in that it has shown F1 as a secondary rightsholder in the past in other territories, but has always had GP2 or F3000.

However the Eurosport deals have often been done at the last minute and only once the primary rights holders in the four key (for FOM) territories of UK, Italy, Germany and France have decided not to show those races live. (Although they all showed highlights as part of their F1 contracts).

sceptic · 19 Apr 2008, 09:57 (Ref:2181241)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the sniper

ITV probably brought the rights to GP2 live (and F1 practice online) to keep Bernie happy after they told him they didn't want F1 anymore. My other theory is that they are trying to raise the bar with the BBC taking over in 2009, fans will now expect the BBC to cover GP2 Live.

ITV's decision to show Free Practice online and GP2 live was taken long before they lost the rights.

the sniper · 19 Apr 2008, 12:58 (Ref:2181353)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sceptic

ITV's decision to show Free Practice online and GP2 live was taken long before they lost the rights.

Yeah that is probably true.

I was trying to remember if ITV had F3000 before 1997 (not including Live F3000 on Central for the Birmingham Superprix). I know that with the F1 rights Bernie included F3000 and ITC (but it did not last until the '97 season). I also believe they had FIA GT highlights, but I am not sure if Bernie held those rights to sell

the sniper · 19 Apr 2008, 13:26 (Ref:2181378)

Sorry to double post.

While we are on the subject of ITV4, I read on another forum from an ITV source that ITV4 wanted to show F1 races from 1998, but there was an issue with the rights

. I hope that the BBC can show old F1 races, I think they still have allot of the races on tape because they sold some pre 1981 races to ESPN Classic.

Sodemo · 19 Apr 2008, 14:21 (Ref:2181412)

ITV lost the F1 rights, they didn't simply "not renew them" Bernie took it away from them.

SALEEN S7R · 19 Apr 2008, 20:27 (Ref:2181548)

So because ITV has lost the rights to show F1 live does that mean they have lost the rights to show GP2 live next year too, or are people just guessing at the moment? If ITV has lost the rights to show GP2 live next year as some here are saying can we expect the BBC to screen GP2 live also? Im pretty confident of good viewing figures this year for GP2 providing ITV4 give it some decent advertising, which they have been on their ITV4 channel that I have seen. Assuming therefore that ITV4 do get good tv ratings for GP2 this year hopefully this will persuade the BBC to cover the races live too, if ITV do lose the contract to the GP2 rights that is.

Ian Sowman · 19 Apr 2008, 21:18 (Ref:2181563)

Some of the posts on this thread should be really quite reliable and informed.

My guess, on the other hand, is that BBC GP2 live coverage might be behind the red button.

the sniper · 20 Apr 2008, 19:15 (Ref:2182281)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Sowman

My guess, on the other hand, is that BBC GP2 live coverage might be behind the red button.

I would be pretty sure that if ITV don't keep GP2, which they most probably won't, BBC will show them on the red button. This would be similar to their MotoGP coverage, where they show the 125 and 250 races on the red button.

Alfonso de Orleans · 20 Apr 2008, 23:56 (Ref:2182463)

Sorry to sound daft, but for us non UK viewers, what is this red button you mention?

I am actually quite curious and might actually want one

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
BTCC to shown live on ITV4	Dean Watson	Touring Car Racing	75	30 Mar 2008 13:06
GP2 Asia - LIVE !!	Martin Haven	National & International Single Seaters	23	7 Jan 2008 20:04
Live GP2 Chats	Hazard	National & International Single Seaters	1	12 May 2007 09:46
[FIA GT] Eurosport to screen FULL LIVE FIA GT coverage!	SALEEN S7R	Sportscar & GT Racing	11	1 Jul 2003 14:29