2013 US TV coverage

[Westy]

With the season coming to a close tomorrow F1 fans in the states are (as far as I can see) being left in the dark with the future of F1 TV coverage. SPEED is coming to a close soon and the F1 rights have been sold to NBC.

My questions are these; 1) Does anyone know which channel F1 will be on in the States next year? 2) Who will host the coverage? 3) will anyone else miss the SPEED staff if they don't make the move over to the new channel?

I task the CTA community with helping me search for the answers to any of the above questions. Feel free to add any other questions that you need answering on the subject.

Thanks in advance for all the assistance.

 

[mjo]

http://app.racer.com/mobile/pages/apparticle.aspx?pagetypeid=128&articleid=263645

 

[Westy]

mjo - thanks for that. I like what it said about live streaming on mobile and tablets devices. That will make it possible to watch when I am out and about.

There are still some questions on the board.

 

[soccerman17]

I think a lot of the SPEED guys are going over to NBC Sports, don't think Buxton is though. Hope I'm not being redundant.

 

[Westy]

From the sound of things from the end of the SPEED coverage from Sunday it sounds like Bob Varsha isn't making the move. I will watch it again this week to see if Buxton is making the move. The other two are going.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I hope that Leigh Diffy takes over for Varsha. Bob's obviously been around for a while and he does a decent job, but there were several occasions this years where he just seemed to lose the plot completely.

 

[Lewywo4]

Keke....I also thought that Leigh Diffey would be a good fit alongside of David Hobbs and Steve Matchett, but I believe that NBC will be looking for an American commentator to balance off that team, instead of an Australian like Diffey. Mike Joy who does have F1 broadcasting experience, and would work well with Hobbs and Matchett, unfortunately now is doing NASCAR coverage for FOX.

I hope that NBC will bring on board Will Buxton, who is a little nutty, but does a credible job covering the pits.

 

[KekeTheKing]

NBC Sports should be embarrassed by their coverage of Malaysia. I fast forwarded through most of it yesterday just to watch a few parts of the race again, and would you believe they went to a commercial break on Lap 45 right before the Vettel-Webber scrap down the straight. They showed a replay when they came back but that was after you saw both cars circulating, which means there was very little suspense as to whether the move came off or ended in tears. Absolutely no awareness that this was the single most crucial point of the race. They also missed the "MULTI 21" bit as well. Showing a quick snippet replay later...

Just an incredible amount of advertisements.

I do enjoy Hobbs and Matchett's commentary though.

 

[Westy]

The quality coverage is marred by commercial breaks. It just ruins the flow of the event. However, as my wife says "at least you get to see it." This statement doesn't completely satisfy me but does make me feel thankful that I can continue to watch my favorite sport, even if it is hampered by ads.

 

[Lewywo4]

During the Malaysian race I had conducted my own little survey of the horrendous amount of commercial breaks by NBC Sports, which amounted to 48 minutes devoted for commercials out of a 2 1/2 broadcast. I found out that they had 12 commercial breaks approximately every 6 laps, lasting on an average of 4 minutes, with a total loss of 14 or 15 laps of actual race coverage, of a 56 lap race. I use to think that when SPEED turned over to FOX, 5 races for terrestrial viewing, that FOX's commercial interruptions were bad, but NBC Sports could even be far worse.
But what really drove me up a wall on Sunday with NBC Sports......I waited until 3 o'clock p.m. EST to watch their re-broadcast
of the Malaysian GP. On sunday morning I didn't turn on my computer, tv or open my newspaper for fear of learning who had won the race before their 3'oclock re-broadcast came on. I tuned in at the end of the IRL race, which preceded the F1 race, with the mute button on, just in case someone referenced the F1 race. During the post race IRL interview, I just happened to look up at the tv, and on the bottom of the set, I see the running info......Hamilton 25 points . I KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT LEWIS CAME IN THIRD......un believable. All of my precautions and safeguards went right down a rat hole, with these morons. These DUMB***** at NBC Sports gave the results of a race, which they were getting ready to air in 16 minutes.

Big mistake on my part was to watch the re-broadcast of the race.......never to repeat again.

 

[mjo]

So I assume the coverage hasn't improved then.

 

[Lewywo4]

It's terrible mjo, but luckily I'm able to fall back on Sky, which I regularly watch now simultaneously with NBC Sports, and as before with SPEED.

 

[mjo]

It does seem rather unimpressive that the biggest market in the world for F1 is not able to receive decent coverage. Especially with a new US GP and another one coming up. I suppose it goes to show how lucky the US is when it comes to coverage of our favourite sport.

 

[Fenderman]

Liked you post Lewywo4 and assume you meant to type "Hamilton 15 points"

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

Lewywo4 ... so far it is basically the same coverage just rebadged as NBC Sports... the only benefit is the "side by side" where for about half the commercials they have a small (1/5th) screen inset next to the commercials so you can still kinda follow the action... a small improvement.... but that doesn't make up for the (after waiting for 3-4 mins of commercials to end)... 45 second promo for the next race ... I BLOODY WELL KNOW IT IS THE NEXT RACE... get me back to the current one you pillocks...

I have learned the hard lessons over the past several years about recording the midnight to 3am races... get up early the next morning whilst the house is still sleeping... and watch the replay.... and always ALWAYS record the race with the +2hrs over the time limit option...

KeketheKing ... I find commentary to be pretty good from a comedy / insight perspective... but they do miss some obvious stuff... (the legacy of Murray Walker lives on...) ... I do like Hobbs calls when someone goes into a passing move with all four tyres locked up and pulls it off .... "Alonso had some pretty big appendages to attempt a move like that..."

 

[teabagyokel]

Fenderman - 25 points is his WDC standing, Hamilton was on 10 after Australia...

 

[Fenderman]

Doh! I knew that I must have had "came in third" on the brain . Damn that shouting in capital letters technique!

 

[Westy]

I have learned the hard lessons over the past several years about recording the midnight to 3am races... get up early the next morning whilst the house is still sleeping... and watch the replay.... and always ALWAYS record the race with the +2hrs over the time limit option...

That is the only way to do it. Peace and quiet, the race on the T.V. and a nice long commercial break to ruin the flow of the race. Perfection!

 

[Lewywo4]

Liked you post Lewywo4 and assume you meant to type "Hamilton 15 points"

Thanks Fenderman, but as TBY said Lewis had received 10 points from Australia. When I saw 25 points , immediately I knew that he finished in third place, and on the podium.

Only live broadcasts for me now, which I back up with SKY at the same time on my computer.

I Like that small segment with SKY's use of a driver like Anthony Davidson, and his use of on-board video to review drivers reactions during a race, which is something that NBC Sport might consider.

 

[Lewywo4]

... I do like Hobbs calls when someone goes into a passing move with all four tyres locked up and pulls it off .... "Alonso had some pretty big appendages to attempt a move like that..."

I also enjoy Hobbs use of the words attatchments, whenever a driver makes a gutsy move, or the word klag to describle rolled up rubber or marbles on the track......classic Hobbs.