The Sky / Beeb Poll

[Jos the Boss]

It is the same commentary team so expect Brundle and DC

Infact dont bbc will have brundle sky will have both

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Interesting results so far.
Currently 19% (yes I know it isn't a huge sample of the viewing public) will be getting Sky to watch race coverage.
This compares to 23% who will continue to watch the BBC only and 33% who will actually reduce their viewing of F1.

So, given current figures, if we say the average viewing figures for F1 are around the 5 million mark across a season, that makes an increase of subscriptions to Sky of 950000. They should be pretty pleased with that.

The problem with trying to project these figures though is that by definition those that post on here are already fairly dedicated fans. I doubt very much if the vast majority of the wider BBC F1 audience would take up Sky subscriptions in anything like those numbers. I'm a lifelong F1 fan since the 1960's for god's sake, and I am even considering quitting Sky Sports.

 

[Jen]

That's what I thought Chad - a forum bias which might skew any extrapolation of figures across the general public.

I voted for no Sky and will watch what I can on the Beeb - mostly down to economics - I've already forked out £300 to 'go digital' and will, in theory, be an OAP come September, so don't need anything else competing with my mortgage.

Other than that, I hate Murdoch and those bloody dishes are a blot on the landscape.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Yes guys and gals, I know it's not exactly the most accurate poll in the world, I just thought I'd have a little fun with figures.

It's not meant to be yougov.com or anything like that.

just a little reflection on how 21 people have voted if that was the UK.

 

[Jen]

Yes guys and gals, I know it's not exactly the most accurate poll in the world, I just thought I'd have a little fun with figures.

It's not meant to be yougov.com or anything like that.

just a little reflection on how 21 people have voted if that was the UK.

But having said that, it is probably a more accurate perception of how the 'hard core' fans feel though.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Right its a choice between 2 for the vote. I will be getting Sky to keep up with the action but I don't know if I will be abandoning the BBC totally. I think it will all depend on the presenting team for either channel and Sky will be packing the adverts in before the races to get in more revenue so I'll probably end up flicking between both channels when available.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I've got my satellite dish on order!

I just hope this bad boy doesn't break any local ordinance's.

But in all seriousness, in my experience with the internets and F1, where there's a will there's a way.

 

[sushifiesta]

I probably won't be able to watch the latter parts of this season and the first part of next season so any Sky sports decision I'll be making won't be until 2013 probably. So I voted watch whatever I can although I probably do have an intention of getting Sky sports at some point...

 

[AlexM]

I'll probably stop completely. I won't be buying Sky (I want less boxes by my TV, not more) and I really don't fancy watching just half of the races. The time I spend reading forums and websites, and watching practice, qualifying and races can be better used elsewhere, and I have other hobbies I can take up.

 

[cider_and_toast]

A similar poll on James Allens blog has apparently shown that 81% of 5000 people polled will not be getting Sky to watch F1. That compares very well with our 21.4 percent who say they will get Sky to watch the coverage.

So maybe our little old CTA poll isn't that far out after all

 

[canis]

A similar poll on James Allens blog has apparently shown...

But again this will be amongst those who are already invested in the sport, which unfortunately are not the majority of the viewing millions each sunday afternoon

I would say that if 21% of the sports core fans say they are going to get Sky for next season, this will translate very badly in terms of take up for Sky subscriptions out of the potential millions of viewers who watch F1 currently. I think they will be lucky to break the 100,000 new subscribers mark with this move, mainly as there are some who are talking about cancelling sky over this move (ok, a small minority but they are still there). As has been said before, this is about retention of audience over the next few years when things are tight in joe bloggs pocket, only then can they look at boosting the audience figures using F1 as a hook to get more people onboard. What they really have to do is invest very heavily in F1 in terms of making the shows as good as or better than the current BBC standard, this is what will bring the current fans away from the BBC highlights and onto subscription channels, then in 2018 they can say to the teams and Bernie "Look, we have the audience already compare to BBC, why can't we be exclusive?"...

 

[Andyoak]

I'm afraid its a family money thing for me... what money is left has to go on the family first.

I've been a fan of F1 for 30 years and followed it as best I can at the time under the circumstances I've found myself in. These last 15 years or so have meant I've been able to follow it better than ever (bar the last few years with children's parties ) due to the massive steps ITV and the BBC have made in extensive coverage and quality.

However, F1 coverage has been crap in the past with the BBC and I'm old enough to remember that. I also know that when push comes to shove I'll get my fix like the old days with a combination of TV, radio, magazines and forums; it's not bad just different. I'm sad that I can't keep what we've got but not a lot to be done now... fans never have had any influence on F1...

I don't like what Murdoch's money has done to sport but I suspect if it wasn't his money someone else would be spending similar amounts in the same way. While broadcasters are willing to pay such enourmous sums for headline sports like boxing, NFL, football, golf, etc (and this has a long history in the US - I'm sure Keke could fill in the gaps here) it was inevitable it would spread globally and envelope F1; especially in the Bernie 'FOM Years' where F1 is all about the money. But... let us not forget that F1 has also improved in many ways and is much healthier as a sporting business than it has ever been and I'm afraid I must give FOM credit where it is due.

At the risk of this turning into a nostalgic ramble F1 has never been stable. There have always been political scandals; technical scandals; crap teams; crap drivers; drivers and teams that haven't even lasted one. This has actually been the most stable period I can remember but now it is changing again and we'll just have to see where it goes; it might even get better.

But to get back on track I can't afford to follow it to Sky and that won't change in the foreseeable future so I'll get what I can where I can once more.

 

[Brogan]

Looks like the site's going to be pretty much dead from next year then.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Nah, all us poor peasants will be logging on to the site to find out from you rich kids how the racing went.

We'll have to live off of the crumbs that fall from the table.

 

[Jos the Boss]

Please Sir, can I have some more?

 

[FB]

For me it depends on who Sky get to present. Jim Rosenthal or Steve Rider combined with James Allen in the commentary box will have me reaching for the mute button and watching those races on available on the BBC and the with the radio commentary on for the rest of them (as I used to with ITV). If Sky get a team similar to the short lived F1 Digital I'll be watching all my coverage there rather than with Auntie.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Steve Rider is currently presenting BTCC on ITV 4. I don't suppose Sky will be going after him, but you never know. It's more likely to be Tony Jardine, already a Sky man. Whoever they get as commentator (and they are reputed to be attempting get Brundle, not sure about DC though), then as I understand it the commentary will be shared by Sky and BBC. It's only the presenting teams that will differ.

 

[Fenderman]

Funny you should mention BTCC. Now that F1 has been dumbed down with loads more overtaking and more bodily contact, BTCC is now no less attractive - although one has to turn the sound up to compensate for the lack of F1 row. Methinks, I'll follow the whole season of that instead, plus there's the bonus of all the support races.

 

[Greenlantern101]

I am on sky with the HD package but don't have sports or movies. From what I can see on the sky website to add sky sports HD package costs an extra £10 a month if you already have the HD package. I guess I will have to pay it, I am not prepared to miss my favorite sport. However I am in 2 minds, I do feel angry as I don't watch football or rugby so I would be paying for F1 with no added benefits.

Here is a question, do you get adverts on Sky Sports ?

 

[Speshal]

As per the poll, I won't be getting Sky but as Keke mentioned "the internets"

My mate has a full sky subscription for his pub, I fix his internets, he has no problems about me setting up a VPN from his box in the bar as he's got a separate one upstairs for home viewing, so I'll be going the quasi-legal option.