F1 heading to Sky?

Two distinct issues here:

1. The ownership of the group of companies responsible for the promotion of the FIA F1 World Championship (currently owned by CVC, JP Morgan & Bernie)[/*:m:3brb38s2]
2. Broadcasting rights to F1 currently held by the BBC in the UK[/*:m:3brb38s2]

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Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Two distinct issues here:

1. The ownership of the group of companies responsible for the promotion of the FIA F1 World Championship (currently owned by CVC, JP Morgan & Bernie)[/*:m:34qmissd]
2. Broadcasting rights to F1 currently held by the BBC in the UK[/*:m:34qmissd]

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IIRC the broadcasting rights are actually held by Bernie and FOM (or whatever acronym he's using at the minute), he contracts this out to the Beeb who use the world feed that is given to all broadcasters :)

Selling the broadcasting rights to Sky is one thing, but allowing Murdoch to own the sport is entirely another. Should the chances of that happening increase then we can expect talks of a breakaway to resurface.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalis...h-eyes-F1.html

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Is F1 going to be bought by Rupert Murdoch?


Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has held talks with the world's richest man, Carlos Slim, to form a consortium to buy F1. There are understood to be a number of possible permutations, not simply a purchase or stake sale. Sources said there have been no formal talks with F1 owner, private equity house CVC Capital Partners. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has insisted Formula 1 is not for sale. "CVC are not in the slightest bit interested in selling," said Ecclestone.

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money talks

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Originally Posted by Brown, Jon Brow

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/0...73I5TS20110419

Just seen on Sky News that News corp are interested in buying F1.

Would this see F1 moved to Sky Sports with the dreaded mid race adverts reappearing? :s

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Don't bother me cause we get full uninterupted race coverage over here. What would concern me is the commentators they choose.

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Originally Posted by 555-04Q2

Don't bother me cause we get full uninterupted race coverage over here. What would concern me is the commentators they choose.

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Must be nice. We're already under the Murdoch umbrella in the US with the races on SPEED and Fox.

It's just another step in that slimeball Murdoch's quest for world domination.

I'm sure though that Sky Sports are not allowed to take the broadcasting rights away from terrestrial TV, that is one thing I feel that F1 has prided itself on since the Beeb first got the full rights in 1978. Free-to-air TV brings the sport into the mainstream and has managed as a result to build up a huge following, yes it is costing the Beeb a lot to broadcast F1 but they are getting a great return on it in terms of viewing figures.

Transferring it to subscription TV would simply alienate the vast majority of the fanbase that cannot afford the subscription fees, viewer numbers will shrink, attendances at Grand Prix's would fall and the sport would slowly die. Even the most diehard fan won't pay extortionate subscription charges to watch the sport they love if they can't afford it.

There is no rule to say F1 must be on terrestrial TV.

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Originally Posted by Mark

There is no rule to say F1 must be on terrestrial TV.

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Is it not part of the Concorde Agreement?

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Originally Posted by Brown, Jon Brow

Is it not part of the Concorde Agreement?

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According to this, it isnt

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/for...et-buy-F1.html

But 10 years ago as part of the deal for Bernie to offer a 100 year extension to 2 German TV firms, there was a promise that F1 must remain "free-to-air"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/1295708.stm

So if F1 sells the UK broadcast rights to Sky Sports, would that not be in total breach of that agreement?