UK viewers - what did you think of the Sky Sports coverage?

[Knowlesy]

So we've had our first Sky covered live NASCAR race - what were your thoughts on it and what do you think needs improved?

First the positives - it wasn't quite as bad as I expected overall and the picture was beautiful and in widescreen.

However, some fears still proved true. A few too many ad breaks for my liking after having almost unbroken coverage on NASN and the studio element was actually worse than I thought.

I like Keith Heuwen and all that, he is a terrific bike commentator, but how is he going to keep interest going during a big 500 mile race? He won't - he is not a miracle man and he isn't Mr Knowledgeable on NASCAR. The studio breaks really served to break the flow and atmosphere too.

Post race, we missed pretty much all the driver interviews as well thanks to the studio.

Overall I think it was OK (I still enjoyed it) and the encouraging thing is they appear willing to listen to us fans. Sky have a product that is good at the moment, but they can make it outstanding if they really do listen to us.

But mainly I'd like to see them stick with the US coverage throughout, studio and all and I'd like the pre-race show back. It's not the same without the build up and the starting command and everything. And they do a good job of helping us get to know the stars of the show. And surely it is beneficial to Sky as they won't have to pay for the UK stuff!

I can live with the ad breaks I reckon. A pain, but they can be dealt with.

Anyhow, I e-mailed Sky with my thoughts (good and bad) so let's see how they respond to the public.

Send them your thoughts and ideas if you already haven't: nascar@skysports.com

[luke]

Well with NASN/Setanata they just went to the in car during the US ad breaks..Sky just have adverts, I mean fair enough, they actually have a studio and a lot more commercial, the odd time they went to the studio..

IMO the studio thing is fine. Keith is a good presenter however I'd like another guy who has knowledge, maybe American...Ben Collins just wasn't enough really. Especially when Keith couldn't pronounce half the names right...

But I'm not gonna complain, they said they would show all the races live, something NASN/Setanta failed to live up to last year despite 4 channels to show it on..

[FIRE]

At least you guys in UK have live coverage. I have to watch to buggy live streams (except for Daytona 500)...

[Knowlesy]

I feel for you FIRE.

I think if you didn't feel the pain of the studio stuff last night, you will feel it during the 500. You'll be itching to see what is going on at the track or to listen to somebody involved in the race and all you'll have is two guys in a UK studio talking about "Dario and the other guys".

The thing is, it does break the rhythm of the race. It must make it really hard for some people to get into the race.

[ss_collins]

Not using US commentary? I'm not going to use sy then if thats the case - its back to TVU!

[Adam43]

I watched it afterwards and fast forwarded most of the fill-ins. Probably do that a lot for the season (expect the biggies). So for me it was fine.

It just needs to be in HD...

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Not using US commentary? I'm not going to use sy then if thats the case - its back to TVU!

It had the US commentary, just not the studio.

[ss_collins]

oh ok thats good - need my boogity

[johntt]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Not using US commentary? I'm not going to use sy then if thats the case - its back to TVU!

TVU only has Speed Channel atm. FOX9 is there on and off and was scheduled to show the Bud Shootout, it then disappeared from the list and came back again without the Bud Shootout. FOX is listed in the TV guide but what that means is anyones guess.

[kelvin88]

I though it was fine, I'm just happy to see the race at all. I normally watch on tvu and the ad breaks are what they are. These people are paying for the sport. I would much rather have the ads and the dopey bloke with Ben Collins and the NASCAR coverage than nothing at all.

Anyway, the ad breaks are a good excuse to talk on the forum...!

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

I watched it afterwards and fast forwarded most of the fill-ins. Probably do that a lot for the season (expect the biggies). So for me it was fine.

It just needs to be in HD...

The 500 is scheduled for SS2 so that will surely be on HD2 as well.

[chunder]

Its intrestaing I really dont think NASCAR lends itself to a UK audience, mabe it might do know there are Brits invovled and names we might now from F1, but American style racing really seems to struggle over here, Champ Car never really took off coverage wise and I cant see NASCAR doing the same

We have no alleigance to the South or Chevy or Ford, but maybe teh Brit thing can get us interested.

Not enough for me to get SS, but might do if I come into some money!!

[Knowlesy]

No, the public here tend not to get American racing fully. Even when CART was "Simply The Best", you were met with snobbery from basically everyone for liking it.

Let's face it, if you are not F1 in this country you are unlikely to be a success on TV. And if you are American, you have even less of a chance. Sad really.

NASCAR is particularly hard because you really need to invest effort to get to know it properly. These days people want to know everything NOW.

[Hazza]

Plus invest lots of time at odd hours of the day.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

The 500 is scheduled for SS2 so that will surely be on HD2 as well.

That means it can be in HD. Not all the broadcasts on the HD channels have an HD source. So the improvement is minimal. However it could be, but I dare not hope.

[Speedworx]

Coverage was decent. I know several people have emailed their thoughts and I expect Sky will have some food for thought.

[Knowlesy]

Some people on forumss have gone a bit OTT with criticism of it.

As I say, it was OK and there is room for improvement. There is something there to work with.

But some, who complained about possibly having no coverage at all, are on about cancelling Sky Sports because it was apparently so terrible.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by chunder

Its intrestaing I really dont think NASCAR lends itself to a UK audience, mabe it might do know there are Brits invovled and names we might now from F1, but American style racing really seems to struggle over here, Champ Car never really took off coverage wise and I cant see NASCAR doing the same

We have no alleigance to the South or Chevy or Ford, but maybe teh Brit thing can get us interested.

Not enough for me to get SS, but might do if I come into some money!!

Try to get to see one live - preferably the superspeedways such as Daytona or Talledega. It's unbelievable - 43 cars nose to tail, side by side, three wide thundering past only 6 or 7 feet from the front rows - the ground shakes. Go a few rows back and you can see the entire 2.5 mile circuit at Daytona and you are still half the distance away from the cars than you are on the Silverstone bankings. In this respect the Yanks have us well beaten in terms of presentation and spectacle and I only hope the 'Car of Tomorrow' doesn't spoil it all. It doesn't matter to me what nationality the drivers are - Dario, Montoya, Dale Jr - they can all handle a car and must have b***s of steel.

[Mystery]

The coverage seemed pretty good where I was sitting. Yeah Keith doesn't exactly know his stuff but he muddled through and isn't anywhere near the depths of Georgie Thompson yet (or so the rumours go ).

Quite looking forward to the Deuls tomorrow night as the wife is out of the house so I have the TV to myself.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Try to get to see one live - preferably the superspeedways such as Daytona or Talledega. It's unbelievable - 43 cars nose to tail, side by side, three wide thundering past only 6 or 7 feet from the front rows - the ground shakes. Go a few rows back and you can see the entire 2.5 mile circuit at Daytona and you are still half the distance away from the cars than you are on the Silverstone bankings. In this respect the Yanks have us well beaten in terms of presentation and spectacle and I only hope the 'Car of Tomorrow' doesn't spoil it all. It doesn't matter to me what nationality the drivers are - Dario, Montoya, Dale Jr - they can all handle a car and must have b***s of steel.

From what i've seen so far from Daytona the new car has led to closer racing in a style similar to the Truck races, which follows as it was the high drag nature of the trucks that Nascar was aiming at when designing the new car.

During the Bud Shootout one of the commentators noted in the second half that by that they were still running two wide where with the previous car they would have been single file.

[BOY BLUNDER]

All i can say,TV mine tonight,bring it on.

BB....

[tonful]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

That means it can be in HD. Not all the broadcasts on the HD channels have an HD source. So the improvement is minimal. However it could be, but I dare not hope.

According to Autosport the 500 is on HD, the first ever motor race to be broadcast in HD apparently.

However is HD actually worth it, I've heard conflicting opinion which is why I have bought one yet.

[Steevp]

Hope they have a different "expert" I don't need HD for that guys teeth to scare the living daylights out of me..

If you ever wanted to know what the UK looked like in the middle ages his mouth is where you go.

[Knowlesy]

So you like Charles Bradley then...

[Steevp]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

So you like Charles Bradley then...

Seems like a decent chap, I just don't want to smell his breath.

A great mouth for radio & all that..