Sky launches Sky Sports F1 HD

[Mark]

Just got this press release

SKY SPORTS F1 TM HD –
THE ULTIMATE FORMULA 1 TM EXPERIENCE

SKY SPORTS will launch a dedicated channel for its new in-depth Formula 1TM coverage, taking viewers under the skin of the sport.

Starting in March 2012, Sky Sports F1 TM HD will get Sky customers closer than ever, with more action, analysis and information - on their TV, online and mobile devices - throughout the season.

This new home of Formula 1 TM will be the only place to enjoy live coverage of the whole Grand Prix TM season, including all practice and qualifying sessions and every race in the calendar.

From launch, Sky Sports F1 TM HD will give viewers:

· EVERY RACE LIVE: From March to November, every moment of each race will be live in HD, without the interruption of adverts.

· LIVE PRACTICE & QUALIFYING: Every practice and qualifying session for each Grand Prix TM will be shown live on one channel, Sky Sports F1 TM HD.

· THE FULL SEASON IN-DEPTH: Over nine full months, viewers will have a wealth of programmes with in-depth interviews, archive action and weekly magazine shows.

· EXTRA LIVE CONTENT: Through Sky’s interactive service, fans can follow the action through on-board cameras, go behind the scenes with the teams in the pits, and follow race data, to take them further inside the sport.

The dedicated channel will be provided at no extra charge to all Sky TV customers who take both Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 or the HD pack of channels. It will be found at 408 in Sky’s on-screen guide, after a scheduled move of the Sky Sports channels. Sky Sports viewers without the Sky+ HD pack will receive a standard definition version.

Sky Sports F1 TM HD viewers can also follow the action wherever they are with all live coverage on Sky Go, through online, mobile or tablet devices, at no extra charge.

Announcing the new channel, Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: “Formula 1 TM followers are hungry for more and we want to give them the ultimate experience. It’s not just every minute of every race but a channel devoted to Formula 1TM.

He continued: “We can now tell the whole story of the season, from every Grand Prix TM, from start to finish. Formula 1 TM will get the full Sky Sports treatment. We have big plans for live shows and a rich line-up of Formula 1 TM programmes; getting to the drivers, exploring the technology and lapping up the drama.

“With a dedicated channel for Formula 1 TM we can also give all sports fans the depth and breadth of sports they demand every weekend, right through the year.”

Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s Chief Executive, added:“This brand new channel again proves Sky’s commitment to investing in the best content for customers. It will give even more value to Sky customers and create another reason for others to consider pay TV.

“This is another example of the value we are creating for customers through our content leadership. It follows the recent launch of other high-quality new channels like Sky Atlantic and Sky 3D as well as our growing commitment to UK original content in areas such as drama, comedy and the arts.”

More information on Sky Sports F1 TM HD can be found at www.sky.com/f1.

Notes:
The F1 Logo, F1, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One group company. All rights reserved.

Sky TV with HD £30.25, Sky TV with Sky Sports 1 & 2 £40, HD Pack £10.25 extra.

[Mark]

Note this part
The dedicated channel will be provided at no extra charge to all Sky TV customers who take both Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 or the HD pack of channels.

So you don't have to subscribe to Sky Sports to get F1 coverage! A subscription to the HD pack (currently £10.25 per month) is sufficient.

[RS]

Note this part [b]
So you don't have to subscribe to Sky Sports to get F1 coverage! A subscription to the HD pack (currently £10.25 per month) is sufficient.

That's good news. I have HD but no intention of getting the Sports pack. I was thinking of dropping HD but I'll keep it if I get the F1 included.

One thing I won't miss from the BBC coverage is those stupid poncey race intro pieces they do.

[Alfa Fan]

Note this part
The dedicated channel will be provided at no extra charge to all Sky TV customers who take both Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 or the HD pack of channels.

So you don't have to subscribe to Sky Sports to get F1 coverage! A subscription to the HD pack (currently £10.25 per month) is sufficient.

Scratch what I said before. It seems having an HD subscription will be sufficient!

[GridGirl]

Sounds like poor wording to me but you never know.

[Mark]

No it clearly states on the website "Free for our Sky Sports 1&2 Customers and our Sky HD customers". These are two seperate packs, Sky Sports, and Sky HD. You get the channel if you subscribe to the HD pack (currently £10.25 per month) or you subscribe to Sky Sports - or both! It doesn't mention Sky Sports HD.

Note this part "Sky TV with HD £30.25, Sky TV with Sky Sports 1 & 2 £40, HD Pack £10.25 extra."

Why would they mention the "Sky TV with HD £30.25" option, which doesn't include Sky Sports, if you couldn't receive the F1 channel.

[SGWilko]

Scratch what I said before. It seems having an HD subscription will be sufficient!

Whatever, you need money to watch it - so as far as I am concerned they can go f*ck themselves........

[Mark]

Whatever, you need money to watch it - so as far as I am concerned they can go f*ck themselves........

That's true and if you don't have Sky at all then it's still an expensive do. However it now seems that the cost for F1 is £10.25 a month, not the £20 per month for Sky Sports, or £30.25 if you wanted Sky Sports with the HD package. Plus many people will already have a Sky HD subscription so it may well turn out that they can watch F1 after all without paying any extra than they do now.

Personally I was considering subscribing to HD anyway in order to get the 1TB Sky+HD box, but fully intending to cancel the HD sub after 12 months, however I might just keep it on now. It seems that Sky are tying a lot of things in with the HD subscription - free boxes, F1 etc in order to encourage people to pay the extra £123 / year.

There is speculation that it will also be available on Virgin - which is pretty likely as OfCom wouldn't take kindly to Sky keeping it to themselves, but it remains to be seen what the cost will be. There's also speculation it may appear on Freeview via TopUpTV, but that seems much less likely.

[RS]

As they now have a dedicated channel I would like to see coverage from the pre-season testing. As many of the car launches are held at the tests they could show these too. Would make the off-season a bit shorter!

[Mark]

Keep in mind that the channel doesn't launch until March. We don't know what it will actually consist of or what the broadcast times will actually be - it's entirely possible it'll be off-air outside of race weekends. However it has potential to provide a lot more, imagine a 24 hours a day F1 channel, which in addition to showing reruns of that weekends race could show entire seasons of old Formula 1 in full, back to back, as they would have the time to do it.