Humphrey: “Would love to see F1 on BT Sport”

Just a few weeks after securing UEFA Champions League rights, it appears BT Sport have their eyes on another prize: Formula 1. I called the move a few weeks ago ‘game changing‘, but now BT Sport’s presenter Jake Humphrey is mentioning Formula 1.

Of course I imagine Humphrey, who left the BBC F1 team at the end of 2012, was asked the question in order to generate a tabloid-esque headline to the Mirror. But anyway, this is what Humphrey said:

I would absolutely love to see F1 on BT Sport. I think if Formula 1 want to be in a place where the best sport is they really have to look seriously at joining BT Sport and being part of this revolution, because if you’re elsewhere then you’re just going to be left behind. So far BT have blown me away by what they’ve done, they promised me they’d impress me. I think I and no one else in the UK actually expected them to get every single Champions League and Europa League game. So now we have FA Cup, Moto GP, so there’s already some motorsport on BT, Premier League matches, the Champions League and Europa League.

So, there you have it. I really don’t believe there is much point discussing this. The BBC and Sky deal is until 2018 and unless either party breaks it, you cannot rip a legally binding agreement into pieces. Also, as for being ‘left behind’, last time I checked viewing figures were approximately 4 million per race for Formula 1, whilst BT Sport has not yet broken 1 million viewers.

Anyway, let us see how successful their MotoGP coverage is throughout 2014 before discussing F1.

Poll Results: Do you plan on following MotoGP in 2014?

A few weeks ago, I asked blog readers a simple question, baring in mind the broadcasting changes in the UK from 2014: “Do you plan on following MotoGP in 2014?”

Almost 200 people responded, thanks to each and every one of you. There are a few headlines in there, but here are the poll results:

– Yes, I do not have access to BT Sport but will continue to follow MotoGP via other means: 30.2% (57 votes)
– No, I won’t be following MotoGP in 2014: 30.2% (57 votes)
– Yes, I will continue to follow MotoGP via BT Sport: 26.5% (50 votes)
– No, I don’t currently follow MotoGP and have no interest in doing so: 8.5% (16 votes)
– Undecided: 2.6% (5 votes)
– Poll does not apply to me: 2.0% (4 votes)

Ignoring the people who don’t currently follow MotoGP, and those that the poll does not apply to brings the amount of respondents down by twenty. Hence, the percentages, and probably more accurate percentages are as follows:

– Yes, I do not have access to BT Sport but will continue to follow MotoGP via other means: 33.7% (57 votes)
– No, I won’t be following MotoGP in 2014: 33.7% (57 votes)
– Yes, I will continue to follow MotoGP via BT Sport: 29.6% (50 votes)
– Undecided: 3.0% (5 votes)

I always post disclaimers whenever doing polls that, because of the nature of this site, polls are clearly not reflecting of the general public. But hey, they are interesting to look at and analyse and also generate some good discussion.

The interesting thing is that a lot of people have decided already whether or not they are going to follow MotoGP in 2014, only three percent is undecided which is very low. If you are not a fan of football, then the question is whether you are willing to add an extra few pounds to your existing package, or whether you can miss MotoGP and get yourself out of the habit.

I do have Sky, but am unwilling to fork out an extra £12 for just MotoGP and a few Premiership games I’m not interested in. If they added NASCAR and Formula E to their coverage I would be interested though! – @deanolatino

30 percent say that they will continue to follow MotoGP on BT Sport. That number probably is not too far off what will really happen, in reality though it would be nearer 20 percent. I hate to think that viewing figures could average under 200,000, but we will only get a real indicator come Qatar.

I moved to BT Broadband from Sky last March after their broadband team proved to be completely inept when it came to customer service – I’m really happy with the TV station so far, so look forward to the MotoGP! – TMLS

There is a fairly even split too between BT Sport and ‘other means’ although ‘other means’ was deliberately such a huge parameter to see how many want to keep in touch with MotoGP, but just don’t want to switch to BT Sport.

Marquez MotoGP title victory peaks with 1.6 million

Marc Marquez’s title victory in yesterday’s MotoGP from Valencia was seen by 1.6 million viewers across BBC Two and British Eurosport, overnight viewing figures show.

As noted by @TVRatingsUK on Twitter, BBC’s programme from 12:30 averaged 1.21 million viewers (11.9 percent share), peaking with 1.49 million viewers (14 percent share) as Marquez clinched the crown.

Eurosport added 152,000 viewers at its peak for their delayed transmission, bringing a combined peak of 1.64 million viewers.

BBC’s figures increased slightly on the usual 1 million to 1.1 million average. Their figures have been broadly flat across the past six or seven years, so anyone expecting them to put it a bid double the previous amount to match BT Sport is in fantasy land. They probably would have increased the bid by 10 percent to cover themselves, but not much more.

Game changing

I do not normally like to over-egg things. But: two words, one meaning. They promised it, today it appears is their first step in delivering. BT Sport have won exclusive rights for every UEFA Champions League and every UEFA Europa League match from 2015.

Why is this such a big deal? Simply because BT has just taken one of Sky Sports’ crown jewels, which they have covered for nearly two decades. It is also sad news for ITV, but it does not mean that the Champions League is leaving free to air television. As the press release notes:

BT has shaken up the UK TV market with BT Sport and it today pledged to make its new matches far more accessible and affordable for fans who wish to enjoy all the action. It also announced it will show a selection of these new matches for free on BT Sport, even to homes that have not signed up to the channels.

The finals of each tournament will be showcased in this fashion along with a selection of top matches from earlier rounds. Fans will also be delighted to know that each participating British team will feature for free at least once each season.

So some matches will still be free to air. This is a huge victory for BT Sport, absolutely huge, and leaves a significant gaping hole in Sky Sports’ mid-week schedules.

I also believe that this deal shows too how, in hindsight, the Formula 1 deal being renegotiated back in 2011 may not be so bad, after all. Had BBC continued to shown Formula 1 exclusively until the end of 2013, then I feel BT Sport may well have come along, put in a £100 million+ deal and taken the lot, which would have been frankly disastrous news for the sport. At least now sitting here we can say that the Formula 1 rights are locked in until the end of the 2018 season.

It is way too early to start discussing beyond then, given how volatile the market is at the moment. It will be late 2015 at the earliest I feel before any talks begin. Either way, I imagine Sky and BBC are very glad back in 2011 that they both agreed a seven year deal. Had that deal been only three or four years, then again, BT may well have taken the lot – again, an identical scenario to the previous paragraph!

Either way, the news today for me confirms that BT are here to stay and are definitely prepared to throw the kitchen sink in terms of money at getting the rights they need to launch an onslaught. Is today’s news game changing? I think it is…

BT Sport to show MotoGP testing live

BT Sport are to show MotoGP testing live, it has been confirmed today. BT Sport 2 will air live coverage on Monday 11th November from 13:00 to 15:00 and then from 10:00 to 12:00 the next day. This will also be simulcast on the channel’s app.

This is an interesting development. The difference between Dorna and Formula One Management (FOM) is huge where testing is concerned. Dorna produce a live feed for testing, whilst FOM produce a highlights package and that is about it. Remember that earlier this year, Sky filmed Formula 1 testing with their own cameras, which will cost significantly more than BT’s coverage of MotoGP on Monday. As confirmed by Mark Coyle, the channels Head of Digital Production on Twitter, BT will be taking the World Feed with commentary from the usual pairing of Gavin Emmett and Nick Harris, but BT themselves will be shooting other material in the paddock for online and supplementary programming.

Also, it is worth a reminder too that this is not the first time MotoGP testing has been broadcast live in the United Kingdom. Back in the mid 2000’s, Eurosport broadcast a one hour mini ’round 0′ session where I think the prize was a BMW bike. Very impressive and promising nevertheless to see BT Sport pulling out all the stops, only a day after the 2013 MotoGP season ends.