2022 ERC News & Rumours

[Jarek Z]

Youtube

Thanks, but there are just 2 videos on this channel, 2 days after the rally started... What kind of coverage is it?

[WRCStan]

Thanks, but there are just 2 videos on this channel, 2 days after the rally started... What kind of coverage is it?

Ok let me flip and ask you what you expect for free?

[RS]

Al least ERC is now on a major sports channel and one many people already have for a lot of their other sports.

Ok let me flip and ask you what you expect for free?

Previously Eurosport provided a lot of stuff for free on the ERC Youtube Channel including full stage onboards.

[WRCStan]

Previously Eurosport provided a lot of stuff for free on the ERC Youtube Channel including full stage onboards.

That's precisely what I linked lol. OK Eurosport guys did some live YT/FB stage ends last few years, but they weren't there for that, it was a bonus whilst they were making linear pay TV delayed highlights. Would Eurosport HQ have charged if going down the live route ERC Promoter did? You betcha.

[RS]

That's precisely what I linked lol. OK Eurosport guys did some live YT/FB stage ends last few years, but they weren't there for that, it was a bonus whilst they were making linear pay TV delayed highlights. Would Eurosport HQ have charged if going down the live route ERC Promoter did? You betcha.

Yes, the new promoter inherited the channel from Eurosport. Point is, under Eurosport tenure, they provided much on the Youtube channel for free, which is what you asked.

I wouldn't expect the All-Live coverage for free, no. But i guess a relatively small percentage of fans pay for that, and if you want to promote your championship it needs coverage that is not behind a paywall too.

[WRCStan]

Yes, the new promoter inherited the channel from Eurosport. Point is, under Eurosport tenure, they provided much on the Youtube channel for free, which is what you asked.

And I made the point that ERC Promoter is also offering onboards and similar daily reports, which is not sufficient for Jarek, who I asked. Pre-empting an answer I made the point that the live stuff between the two eras is not comparable, and to add now, it wasn't sustainable.

and if you want to promote your championship it needs coverage that is not behind a paywall too.

It appears ERC Promoter disagrees.

[RS]

My apologies, i see there is now one whole stage onboard from this season on the Youtube channel, added five weeks after the event.

The All-Live coverage is undoubtedly a step forward, for those who are willing to pay. It's a shame the new promoter couldn't match what Eurosport offered for free and build on that with the All-Live.

[WRCStan]

My apologies, i see there is now one whole stage onboard from this season on the Youtube channel, added five weeks after the event.

The All-Live coverage is undoubtedly a step forward, for those who are willing to pay. It's a shame the new promoter couldn't match what Eurosport offered for free and build on that with the All-Live.

OK yes, I will agree you are right. There were more YT videos under Eurosport and that onboard being uploaded weeks after it was on the website is odd. It's probably not helping to sell subscriptions and, like you say, it's a shame for anybody who likes free content, because obviously there could always be more. And I will attest even, it was nice to get free YT content from Eurosport when somebody else was paying for it with their TV subscriptions.

But I never felt entitled to it and times have changed, Eurosport wouldn't be chasing footage for linear TV either now. Had we been forced to Discovery+ for a similar live package this weekend, I think we could be having a similar conversation still.

So, more to the point of my original question, what do y'all expect, or feel entitled to, for free video content? You can still read about what happened and get the results in free text based content! Because the notion free video should be available at all to 'promote the championship' is a fallacy. Explain to me what value anybody brings to the championship who is not willing to pay for the ERC/WRC+ sub? Forgive my low IQ if I don't get this, if y'all aren't converting into subs, who is?! IMO they are better off 'promoting the profile' of ERC to new folk through WRC+, and selling subs through WRC branding rather then chasing the ERC YT output. Nobody is going to ERC/ERC+ without hearing of WRC.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The ERC highlights package is now being shown on BT Sport and may be seen by general sport/motorsport fans. Not free-to-air but not much sport is these days.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Solans did only two events now and has no budget for further plans. Lukyanuk is not out because the Ukraine situation, his absence was almost sure before the war (of course this was didnt helped).

Sad news on both. Llarena would seem to have a free run to the ERC title without Solans.