Congratulations NBCSports! Record ratings!!!

[Jag_Warrior]

NBCSN sets records for a single cable network with Formula One

Nov 27, 2014 11:00

Because of the time of day/night/morning it often airs, Formula One might be the most anonymous of the “key” sports properties NBC/NBCSN broadcast. That said, the network has done a decent job of promoting it and seems to be connecting to the core fans of the circuit. They’ve done that so much so that in just their second year covering it, they’ve broken records.


NBCSN averaged 385,000 viewers for its live coverage of 12 races this season, up 86 percent from their inaugural year covering F1 in 2013 (207,000) and the best F1 season ever for a single cable network, surpassing the previous record held by SPEED in 2007 (379,000 for 13 races). NBCSN also was up 24 percent from SPEED’s (now FS1) last season covering Formula One, 2012.
Another positive sign for the network: they broadcast 10 races this season that they also broadcast last season, and all of them were up double digits from 2013, with five up them up 100 percent or more.


NBCSN and CNBC combined to air 16 races, which averaged 348,000 viewers, tied with SPEED in 2011 for the best F1 season on cable since 2007. For all 19 races, NBCSN/NBC/CNBC combined to average 477,000 viewers, up 30 percent from 2013, and 15 percent from Fox/SPEED’s average in 2012. The Canadian Grand Prix in June (1.46M viewers) was the most watched race of the season, and the most watched Formula One race since 2007.


NBC has two more seasons with Formula One, and much like the Premier League, it’s a mostly foreign-based sport that they’ve increased audiences for, to the point where they may have to increase rights fees or fight off competitors for it in the next rights deal, especially with the dearth of programming currently up for sale.

I still miss Bob Varsha, but I've gotten used to Leigh Diffey now. And as always, great job Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Matchett. You guys have become my Sunday morning pals over the years. But David, if in 2016 you mention the name of a certain Stewart-Haas NASCAR driver (who has never won a road course race in her entire life) more than twice (I'll give you that one extra), a friend of mine is a NC State Trooper. And I will personally see to it that you get speeding tickets, reckless driving tickets, driving while impaired tickets (being silly is impaired), headlight out (a night stick will break a headlight, old chap) and anything else we can think of to make you miserable. Just let that dog (sparkle pony) sleep, OK?

But the NBCSports guys rocked it all year long - and the results show it. And I hope we can spend many more seasons together. It does seem odd that they've all gotten old while I've stayed young. Yes, that is very odd. Someone should look into that... or not.

[Doc Austin]

I really enjoyed the races this year, partially because the broadcasts were so spectacular. NBC has also done a great job with the Indycar races too.

[N. Jones]

I have to be a Debby Downer on this happy-happy-joy-joy thread.

TOO MANY COMMERCIALS.

The races would be much more enjoyable if I could watch it in full. I've turned off a few races this year and watched them later on the DVR so I could pass up all of those GD commercials.

Change that and life is good.

[Doc Austin]

TOO MANY COMMERCIALS.

Agree, but that's how we pay for it. It would be great if we got it commercial free, but they would find another way to make us pay for it.

I've turned off a few races this year and watched them later on the DVR so I could pass up all of those commercials.

I watch them all on DVR, partially because some of them are on at really odd hours, and certainly to zap out the commercials.

[Tazio]

Cheers mates,
I really think the commentators are great, even if they do have funny accents
I've met Steve Mattchett , and he is really a swell guy. Unfortunately I like to watch the entire race so I usually watch on a Mexican station that shows the race uninterrupted in HD. For commentary I listen to sky or broken biscuit announcers drone on, and on about Jense' Maxie, and the Boss, on the net Actually they do a very good job also.

[Jag_Warrior]

I have to be a Debby Downer on this happy-happy-joy-joy thread.

TOO MANY COMMERCIALS.

The races would be much more enjoyable if I could watch it in full. I've turned off a few races this year and watched them later on the DVR so I could pass up all of those GD commercials.

Change that and life is good.

No worries. Not so much a Debby Downer as just some things you'd prefer to do without (commercials). I think we'd all like to have uninterrupted coverage. But here in the U.S., I don't know of any viewing options that are widely available that allow that. I think the Spanish language channel that Tazio mentioned is also in my DirecTV package (I'm almost sure TiVo has recorded it once or twice, in addition to the NBCSports coverage). And even though NBCSN does the side-by-side coverage during commercials, my eyesight is no longer good enough to tell a Caterham from a Mercedes in that view. Other than maybe Austin, I don't believe I saw any live coverage this season. Some races I didn't get to watch for a week or more. But having to zap commercials, as long as the basic coverage is good/great, is OK by me.

Oh, and something else: the only (and I do mean ONLY) reason I have kept the blood-suckers at DirecTV around this long is because there was no other viable option for me to get NBCSports and CNBC. But Sony just announced a new product called PlayStation Vue - a cloud based TV service and the channels I NEED to get are part of the package. The other filth and reality-trash TV that DirecTV has on its service now is of NO interest to me. I was hoping that the Apple TV would be the first to offer a good ala carte subscription service. But I don't care who gets it going, seems like it's only a few months away from broad distribution! Woo Wee!!!!

Sony plans to begin testing its new subscription cloud TV service PlayStation Vue in New York City later this month.
After that initial test of the service, which is delivered via the Net to PlayStation 4 and PS3 game systems, Sony expects to launch the service in four cities – New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and L.A. – during the first three months of 2015.


More cities will go online after that, says Sony Computer Entertainment President and Group CEO Andrew House.
PlayStation Vue blends live local broadcast and cable TV network programming with on-demand content and programs that viewers have saved in a cloud-based DVR. Six major content partners are on board: CBS, Discovery Communications, Fox, NBCUniversal (edit: includes NBCSports, CNBC and NBC), Scripps Networks Interactive and Viacom.


That adds up to about 75 channels including Comedy Central, Animal Planet, Food Network, Syfy and Nickelodeon. Sony continues talking to other major providers with the biggest holdout being Disney, parent company to ABC and ESPN. "It's a pretty robust lineup, but by no means do I think we are done," House said.


A "competitive" subscription fee will be announced at a later date, he says. Subscribers will not be charged any setup fee – your game system, TV and broadband connection are all you need – and they will not have to agree to a certain length of contract.

As long as F1 doesn't wind up leaving NBC for crappy ESPN, I'm SO looking forward to being able to order this thing (I'm not at all into gaming, but I'll buy one of these toys to get my needed programming and be able to divorce DirecTV!). This Vue thing, along with the Roku 3 that I just ordered, using the private channels, maybe I'll be able to find at least a bit of decent, non-retarded, non-PC, non-Hollyweird predictable propaganda programming. Maybe!

Lord willing... I hope that I can make it down to see the Haas F1 operations next year (a supplier friend may be able to get me in for a tour) and maybe I can arrange to at least see the studios where Diffey/Matchett/Hobbs work their magic. That would be like meeting Santa for me.

[airshifter]

[/I]I still miss Bob Varsha, but I've gotten used to Leigh Diffey now. And as always, great job Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Matchett. You guys have become my Sunday morning pals over the years. But David, if in 2016 you mention the name of a certain Stewart-Haas NASCAR driver (who has never won a road course race in her entire life) more than twice (I'll give you that one extra), a friend of mine is a NC State Trooper. And I will personally see to it that you get speeding tickets, reckless driving tickets, driving while impaired tickets (being silly is impaired), headlight out (a night stick will break a headlight, old chap) and anything else we can think of to make you miserable. Just let that dog (sparkle pony) sleep, OK?

But the NBCSports guys rocked it all year long - and the results show it. And I hope we can spend many more seasons together. It does seem odd that they've all gotten old while I've stayed young. Yes, that is very odd. Someone should look into that... or not.

I wish Varsha was still in the mix as well, but Matchett and Hobbs make for some good banter between them. I enjoy how Hobbs is always quick to mention how losing aero parts often helps, and when he makes fun of the team messages to go faster! I think overall NBC has done a better job of promoting the races, and with the extra exposure they have managed to grab a slightly larger viewer base.

The side by side stuff makes me insane. When there is a good dice going on I watch it, but most of the time don't bother. How they manage to take a large flat screen TV and leave you with racing the size of a small tablet is just wrong.

And as much as I'm sure you don't want to hear it, I would bet money that your favorite female driver ends up in the seat of that Haas Formula 1 car. Not as a driver or tester, but I'd almost think if they could find a way she will drive it in an exhibition type situation. And I really couldn't blame Haas for doing it. As much as many of us don't care for her, she is a great marketing tool with a fairly loyal fan base. And bringing that fan base to the attention of F1 and a US based team is nothing but a good thing.

As for checking out the Haas "garages" I hope that works out for you. I think they would be smart to have a couple open house days and allow tours for reasonable admission fees. It would bring a lot of attention to the team, which means potential viewers and/or sponsors.

[Jag_Warrior]

I wish Varsha was still in the mix as well, but Matchett and Hobbs make for some good banter between them. I enjoy how Hobbs is always quick to mention how losing aero parts often helps, and when he makes fun of the team messages to go faster! I think overall NBC has done a better job of promoting the races, and with the extra exposure they have managed to grab a slightly larger viewer base.

The side by side stuff makes me insane. When there is a good dice going on I watch it, but most of the time don't bother. How they manage to take a large flat screen TV and leave you with racing the size of a small tablet is just wrong.

And as much as I'm sure you don't want to hear it, I would bet money that your favorite female driver ends up in the seat of that Haas Formula 1 car. Not as a driver or tester, but I'd almost think if they could find a way she will drive it in an exhibition type situation. And I really couldn't blame Haas for doing it. As much as many of us don't care for her, she is a great marketing tool with a fairly loyal fan base. And bringing that fan base to the attention of F1 and a US based team is nothing but a good thing.

As for checking out the Haas "garages" I hope that works out for you. I think they would be smart to have a couple open house days and allow tours for reasonable admission fees. It would bring a lot of attention to the team, which means potential viewers and/or sponsors.

CNBC is in love with the Talent Challenged One, so I have to pass on that bet, Air. She is a good promo tool (or just a "tool"), so I won't be surprised if they shove her into a demo car and roll her back & forth in front of the cameras and then let Sue Herera interview her for her "expert opinion" on Formula One. I'll just hit mute and turn away from the set for that segment, but yeah, I can see it in the cards too.

If my little road trip works out and they let me snap a pic or three, I'll happily post them here. I've been in several CART, NASCAR, NHRA and small time racing shops over the years but I've never been in anything like an F1 shop. This would make my year, if it comes off.


Question for all: what do you guys think of this Sony PlayStation Vue thingy? Any other potential cord cutters in here? I think this is the first device (that I know of) where you can get a quasi-cable streaming package without having to subscribe to cable. I am genuinely excited.

[N. Jones]

It would just be another useless to buy just for one benefit.... or many, if you use the device for anything else.
Me, I have cable and that's that.

[Doc Austin]

It would just be another useless to buy just for one benefit.... or many, if you use the device for anything else.

In the US, it's like $7 a month to lease one from your cable company. I didn't think much of it either, but the wife wanted it. Now I use it all the time. I always watch the Indycar and F1 races later so I can zap commercials and run parts back if I want to see something again. Yeah, long yellow flag periods ruin watching a race, and it's great to just fast forward through them.

Generally, we watch everything on DVD because waiting through all of those commercials spoils the effect of a good show.