BTCC TV contract 2011

[tommy2k8]

Has anyone heard whether ITV are renewing their BTCC contract for the 3 years from 2011? If so, who are the presenting and the commentating team going to be?

[Dave B]

Yes:
http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2170

And the good news is that ITV4 HD launches in November so we won't have to suffer the pathetic picture quality that ITV4 is crippled with. The article doesn't state whether the races will be in native HD, but even upscaled will be an improvement :up:

[VkmSpouge]

Good news indeed that ITV are continuing their coverage of the championship. To have it in HD will be excellent.

[Allyc85]

Brilliant news :D

And to confirm HD before f1 is great too ;)

[bigtelbmw]

If they would just drop the childish photographs of the driver repeated time and time again would be a massive improvement. Try dumping the commentators that insist on a meaningless chat while the drivers are trying to concentrate. Better still, give it back to the BBC.

[Allyc85]

Give it back to the BBC who would never give it as much coverage as ITV do, no chance!

[Dave B]

No complaints from me about it being on ITV. People did moan initially when it moved to ITV4, but almost everybody has some form of digital TV now so that's not an issue. The races, unlike F1, aren't long enough to be interrupted by commercials, and on the whole the coverage is very good.

The BBC are under intense pressure to provide value for money (and it'll only get worse) so giving six hours continuous coverage to what we have to accept is a minority sport is never going to happen.


Try dumping the commentators that insist on a meaningless chat while the drivers are trying to concentrate.

I've only ever know the commentators talk to drivers on the warm-up and slowing down laps, or while the safety car is out. Plus the drivers consent to having the com-box link, and always have the option of ignoring it if they're busy. It's a nice addition to the coverage, IMO :up:

[ATF]

I did find it all a bit cringeworthy after race 1 at Brands when Ben Edwards was trying to work out whether Plato was champ or not - I thought someone of his experience would have a better idea! Also, I feel they should have made more of the independents championship and showed the points standings before race 3 - without the internet, I wouldn't have know how big TOCs lead was and I don't think the commentators actually did.

Saying that thought - it's amazing how far it's come. The other day, I was watching some of the BBC's live coverage from 1999 and for 10-15 minutes before the race, they just filmed the cars on the grid with John Watson doing a voice over. Nowadays we get better access to the drivers and more features / profiles. Without digital TV, it would get half as much air time, remember when all we had was a 40 minute slot on Grandstand?

[Mark]

remember when all we had was a 40 minute slot on Grandstand?

Yes but it was no doubt watched by a damn sight more people!