BBC / Sky Sports

[enkidu]

Unbelievable!!! This is an outrage, now we all have to purchase sky sports!

The BBC and Sky Sports will broadcast Formula 1 in the UK between 2012 and 2018 under a new rights deal.

The BBC has been the exclusive broadcaster of F1 in the UK since 2009 but its contract with Formula One Management was due to expire after the 2013 season.

Sky Sports will show every race, qualifying session and practice live.

BBC Sport will broadcast half the races live, as well as the qualifying and practice sessions from those races.

Both companies will broadcast in high definition.

The BBC will have highlights on TV and mobile for any race it it is not showing live, and all races will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 live.

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, said: "We are absolutely delighted that F1 will remain on the BBC.

"The sport has never been more popular with TV audiences at a 10-year high and the BBC has always stated its commitment to the big national sporting moments.

"With this new deal not only have we delivered significant savings but we have also ensured that through our live and extended highlights coverage all the action continues to be available to licence-fee payers."

Races shown live on BBC TV will include the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the Monaco GP and the concluding race of the season.

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: "This is fantastic news for F1 fans and Sky Sports will be the only place to follow every race live and in HD.

"We will give F1 the full Sky Sports treatment with a commitment to each race never seen before on UK television."

[Richard]

Stupid. So I now have to pay the full subscription for Sky to see only half the races?

Mr Francis thinks it is fantastic for fans? How? Am I supposed to be delighted that I now have to subscribe to his service? The joy of signing over my cash to for something that used to be free?

Will be interesting to see the audience figures for the Sky races.

[bhall]

With all due respect, so?

I've had to pay for every Grand Prix I've ever seen. And the coverage for which I've paid leaves a lot to be desired when compared to anything available in the UK.

I'm completely OK with UK fans having to pony up to watch all of the races. Maybe a local outcry will do something to stop Ecclestone's greedy fees.

(I doubt it.)

[WallFly]

Absolutely shocking. As much as I love F1 I'm never going to subscribe to Sky. I just hope Bernie notices the massive drop in ratings and has to give it to the BBC for free (yeah right). Goodbye F1, I'll miss you.

[Sawtooth-spike]

This is total ****.

If i am going to have to pay to view all the races then i wont bother watching it on BBC at all.

So now i will have pay 20 quid a month for Sky sports for 20 races, great.

Part of me really wants to take a stand and just stop watching. But i am going to find that hard to do.

Also my fav bit was this

"We will give F1 the full Sky Sports treatment with a commitment to each race never seen before on UK television."

Which means to me. We are going to add load of pointless features you will not use and 4 hours of talk before the race. Have load of adverts and be expensive!

Thanks F1 teams, Bernie, BBC and Sky.

PS: the reason i am so pissed of i now have to pay is because this has been free in the uk since time began, now we are going to get ripped off.

[Martin Keene]

In who's tiny f**king mind is this a good idea????

Oh yes, Bernie & Murdoch make a mint to line the pocket! Ins't about time somebody took down people like this who are so blatantly profiteering from the rest of us?

[Sawtooth-spike]

Anybody on twitter, #freetoviewallraces

[snorri788]

I am absolutely disgusted? Having to buy "the football channel" to watch F1? Biggest pile of steaming --- I have ever heard.

I wonder if this was a Bernie decision or FOTA.

--- furious.

[Just_a_fan]

Oh well, I suppose it'll give me more time to do stuff in the garden. Won't be buying Sky just to watch F1 so I guess I'll just get to see half of the season.

And for those who say "we pay, UK viewers should too" well F1 is effectively British and has been free to view for many years. I don't mind being asked to pay to watch someone elses sport e.g. NASCAR but I do object to paying to watch my own.

But then English Rugby and Cricket sold out to Sky years ago so I should have expected the last of my sports interests to go that way too eventually.

[snorri788]

Oh well, I suppose it'll give me more time to do stuff in the garden. Won't be buying Sky just to watch F1 so I guess I'll just get to see half of the season.

I think I might just torrent the races instead.

I wonder if Brundle & co will be commentating with The Football Channel. Would like to hear his views.

[Sawtooth-spike]

Just checked the sky website. So to get what i already have for free i need to spend. £30 a month for a channel that shows mainly football and cricket. About the only plus side is that i would be able to watch NFL games.

So that means i would be spending £360 a year on watching F1. Which is £18 quid a race.

Sky's new slogan should be "Eventually we will own all sports"

[jody391]

Disgraceful.... so now its rather like watching half of a football match.

For those who cant afford anymore out lay I say well done for ruining the sport,the lives of the viewers who love the sport, and the sad demise of F1!

Ashamed to say I am a human being with these quite frankly Robbing scum! £360 a year.. we already pay far to much for living as it is!.

[Miguel]

At £18 per race, there is no way I'll be getting Sky. For that price, I can go with my g/f to a pub that broadcasts F1 and drink couple of pints each, enjoy the company, and still save about a fiver. Hopefully, the BBC will broadcast the races at which the pub isn't open.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Is this all actually confirmed now? If it happens, fear not.

The internet is your friend. Inbox me for details.

[ben_watkins]

This is the worst day for F1 in a long, long time.

How can this be legal? Doesn't the Concorde Agreement state that F1 must be available on free to air TV, as it has always been. How can only being able to see 0.5 of the races for free be consistent with that?

Who in their tiny minds thinks that this is a good idea, apart from just the Murdoch empire and Bernie lining their pockets with even more money!!!

I'm absolutely DISGUSTED at this disastrous news!

#freetoviewallraces