The global audience for F1 2012 is down

[Mephistopheles]

May I congratulate Bernie for this loss of viewers?

Well done Bernie you bloody idiot...

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Can I add the counter argument that says F1 wouldn't be as popular as it is today if Bernie hadn't have negotiated the original TV deals back in the 80's

 

[Brogan]

Impossible to tell.
Perhaps it would be as popular/accessible/affordable as football now if a different approach had been taken?

 

[Galahad]

None of the people making decisions have any interest in the long-term health of the sport. Bernie's doing the job he is required to do- maximise short-term revenue is the only objective. When the time and price is right CVC will sell and maybe when there is a new owner there will be a change in approach. I'm struggling to think of who would want to buy such an obviously declining business though. A consortium of manufacturers could be the best solution, but I don't know if there would be enough interested to make it affordable.

 

[Speshal]

Perhaps it would be as popular/accessible/affordable as football

 

[Brogan]

Football ticket prices may be high but nowhere near as high as GP tickets.

 

[Slyboogy]

I paid £50 for a Champions League Group Stage match, and those seats where one of the best around.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

If you get 3 day general admission tickets it doesn't work out much different to a football, seeing as you get a number of other racing series included. However I think general sports prices are too high nowadays.

I think F1's great, but I don't need it. Currently the job I'm in isn't well paid (far from it!) and therefore a significant portion of my income would go on Sky if I got it, I like many others in the UK just can't afford it and have been priced out of sport I love.

 

[Bill Boddy]

When you think about it the way Mr Ecclestone is going is the correct one. He is managing to get satellite companies to pay him lots of money to have exclusive TV rights. This does mean that the number of people watching is lower but then they are the people who have the spare cash to pay for viewing. The sponsors are not unhappy because those watching are the ones they want to target with their sponsorship. As an oap I am less likely to change my bank than those better off and I am also unlikely to be less interested in the benefits of an expensive mobile phone contract. I am also less likely to be influenced in what high energy drink I consume (I did try a couple of Red Bulls given away at Monza, I can't say that I was impressed).

So, sad as it may be to someone who has been interested in F1 since Silverstone 1950, I am just not the sort of person who is wanted by the F1 community. In point of fact all I contribute is some ticket money to a couple of circuits each year, this money does not go to FOM so is really of no use whatsoever to them.

So who care if viewing figures do go down?