[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[b3637853]

And how did we follow rallies before WRC+ days? Let's not get carried away. WRC+ is ok. I am happy with the purchase and frankly I think 5 euro a month is not that much. But I think of last season as some kind of trial period for the service. I expect them to listen to feedback now and try to improve it. Because like many of you mentioned choice of live stages is poor as well as the number of them. The quality of broadcast is shit comparing to racing for expample. And I'm saying commentary + displayed information. Sometimes Desborough is just saying same stuff over and over again and didn't even notice there are some little fights (like on the power stage) and doesn't provide splits.
Onboard should be done with different camera position and should definitely be better quality. Also what you guys think of adding telemetry to onboards, at least for some of them.
I also think there should be more "specials" in highlights section. I mean before every rally they put 2013 highlights of that round but that is not enough. What about other seasons?
Live maps are decent, since they added splits and radio it really is easier to follow rally.

[EightGear]

Sometimes Desborough is just saying same stuff over and over again and didn't even notice there are some little fights (like on the power stage) and doesn't provide splits.

That guy is probably the biggest problem of WRC+.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I cant bear Jon Desborough on the commentary, he totally ruins every live stage and the even highlights.

1. As above, he repeats the same things all the time ('He drops the power and into the stage', 'Kris Meeke the pride of Dungannon, N.Ireland', 'Elfyn Evans from Mid-Wales', etc etc.)
2. He talks non-stop so you can never hear the cars, and also over the in-board coverage so you cant even enjoy that
3. The only info he gives is general that anyone watching would already know
4. His tone of voice is condescending, like he's talking to a child
5. He pays no real attention to the action on screen

I end up watching with the sound off and that is such a shame as the noise of a WRC car is at least 50% of the excitement. Thank God for fan video's

[GigiGalliNo1]

I'm friends with Desborough but I can see where you are coming from and it actually clicked with your points, very true!

Back to my point.

A few comments here on the forum was that people don't want to pay for WRC+ as its not worth it. The quality isn't there. Camera angles, no live stages or as many as there should. AND WRC+ should be FREE!

Well, if you want it free it's not going to get any better.

And I don't believe there are enough funds or sponsorship funds to make WRC+ free to all at this stage...

[MrJan]

Some very good points. I myself have not watched rallycross other than for a few sporadic moments if I catch it on the TV, so I don't know much about its media presence or how it's promoted. The way you're describing it sounds like a very clever marketing strategy, and I would agree that the WRC could learn from this and try to implement this in the areas where it's possible within the WRC.

Every World RX event is streamed on Livestream (although I think it may be restricted in some countries), so for us in the UK it's free to access. The advantage is that it also archives all broadcasts, so I can go and watch the Lydden Hill event that was back at the end of May (I think you can even watch races from last year too).

As well as being on Livestream they also show highlights on Quest on a Monday evening after an event, so it's available on free to view TV as well. The time of the events stays reasonably fixed (which is admittedly easier in a circuit racing format) and I know that in general it will probably be a 1pm start and I can watch highlights at 7pm on a Monday night.

I think that the WRC need to also consider those of us that don't want a huge amount of coverage and are happy enough with just a good quality highlights package. I appreciate that I may be a minority on a rally forum but I would rather they rushed it less and just put together a decent broadcast, rather than being the ridiculous situation we had at GB where half the stages are missing from highlights because they needed to hit a broadcast slot. I think this would make a big difference to the number of casual viewers.

But most importantly, stop treating the programme like no one has ever heard of rallying before. Not every little detail needs to be explained at every event.

[Mariusz]

I also don't think it should be free. They could actually expand it to get more subscribers. Wrc2 category is waiting to be unveiled and they have their splits fo sure because wrc radio has them.

[GigiGalliNo1]

I have spoken to the WRC TV crew and they agree WRC2 and supporting series needs more coverage, an actual show for them in fact! But no one will air it, and it might cost too much to put a package together for online... But I find that silly because I know for a fact WRC TV Cree stay on the stages until each car drives through! Up to the final car!! So it's really someone putting together the broadcast and commentating.

I agree, stop treating each show as if WRC is new to all... But did you guys see WRC GB coverage in the daily highlight. They showed Kubica rallying at 5 camera angles, same with Prokop and another lower down the end driver. I thought that was fair!

[SubaruNorway]

Rallycross has gotten dead boring, not sure if it's just me or something happened this year. We got 5-6 hours of footage from Wales, pluss 3 hours of onboard of each driver so i think we are spoilt to be honest and shouldn't complain. The editing they do in a short time frame is very impressive, it's a no brainer that you can't add stages that runs 2-1 hours before the show is due on TV...

[MrJan]

The editing they do in a short time frame is very impressive, it's a no brainer that you can't add stages that runs 2-1 hours before the show is due on TV...

It's okay for the time that they have, but why not wait and make it really good? I'd far rather watch a high quality highlights show than have 30 minutes of average each night. And I understand why they don't show the night stages...but as I say, why not wait? What's the point in a daily highlights show that only covers half the day?!

I think rallycross has been great this year, particularly the battle between Hansen and Solberg recently...certainly better than watching Ogier tie up a championship 3 events from the end of the season.

[AL14]

It's okay for the time that they have, but why not wait and make it really good? I'd far rather watch a high quality highlights show than have 30 minutes of average each night. And I understand why they don't show the night stages...but as I say, why not wait? What's the point in a daily highlights show that only covers half the day?!

I think rallycross has been great this year, particularly the battle between Hansen and Solberg recently...certainly better than watching Ogier tie up a championship 3 events from the end of the season.

Apart from night stages I think daily highlights are excellent. Everything can be improved of course but I like how they do it. Maybe they should just postpone them when there is a night stage.