Comments on: What cricket fans have to say about F1 as the BBC turns its back on them | Comment

By: Peter Marsh

Peter Marsh — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:41:24 +0000

In my sixties and having enjoyed watching F1, boxing Sir Alf in 1966, Olympic Athletics, Rugby, Cricket,Golf and many other sports I consider myself a supporter of all that is English. And thought it a given right to watch the best of our sportsmen on TV as they show the youngsters of our country how fitness dedication and the practising of skills in sport can be a route to all that is good for a happy and healthy life. Those days have gone soon you will not watch any sport unless it is split by adverts or paid for in advance. Kids you have been sold down the river slaves to the media created by money men who have no interest in your welfare just the enjoyment of your particular sport and how they can get at what little wealth you are prepared to spend on it. Reach for the off button with your left hand whilst giving the finger to the Telly with your right, you have the power. The only true love in sport is not watching others but by getting of your big mac bottoms and by taking part! Friendships, Fun and Fitness Follow. Do It.

By: PoorCricFan02

PoorCricFan02 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:19:46 +0000

Found your blog on Google search…

…and as a cricket fan, I totally agree with the very first comment by Robert McKay. I know nothing about motor sports, but recognise that Formula One is definitely not to blame for the lack of cricket on terrestrial TV. I think that most rational cricket supporters would feel the same.

It would have been inappropriate for the BBC to use licence fee money to take part in a bidding war with BSkyB. The satellite broadcaster would win every time.

Cricket’s governing body in the UK have made their bed. Now they must lie in it.

By: DG

DG — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:18:50 +0000

Hehe, as a non-cricket fan, I feel that cricket cannot be counted as a ‘sport’ as every result seems to end in a draw. And the ‘teams’ never actually do anything apart from sunbathe, and have lovely long lunches too, which is more than the average F1 driver can do in an afternoons ‘play’!

By: chunter

chunter — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:00:36 +0000

To put to rest any attempts by cricket fans to ask F1 fans to drop trousers and measure, the most popular and accessible sport in the United Kingdom is football.

Now, some of you will recall that I live in the US, but that is precisely why I am commenting: in the US, very little sport is available on free-as-in-beer television. Let’s take where I live, for instance: if I want to follow Atlanta’s basketball, ice hockey (the NHL seem to enjoy placing teams in cities where water does not freeze), or baseball teams, while some games are indeed broadcast on the regular plain old air, to see all games I must have a cable or satellite subscription and the channels TBS (Turner Broadcasting) and SportSouth (a Fox-based channel). Every city in the US has a similar situation.

Pointy-football (NFL) is broadcast either through an expensive satellite package or freely under extreme restrictions. Returning to Atlanta for my example, if they haven’t sold out the stadium, and are playing at home, the game will not be on television here.

In motorsport, to watch all Nascar events, you must have cable channels TNT (another Turner-based channel) and ESPN (anyone reading this knows who they are). To watch all F1 events, you must have the cable channel Speed (another Fox-based channel).

Reaching my conclusion, having to pay to watch sport on television is neither innovative nor new. It has even reached radio, where I can listen to any baseball and hockey game in North America from the comfort of my car… at $14.99 a month for the satellite radio subscription. Cricket fans should count themselves lucky to have been able to watch what they have.

For the record, I cannot follow as much of the sporting world as I used to like to do, but I was a fan of virtually any sport with a round object and a goal. I know the rules of cricket but I don’t think I could watch for very long; it is slow-paced and would remind me of baseball. My favorite athletic sport is (round) football, and I was an early supporter of USA’s MLS.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:10:33 +0000

I agree with the very first comment, If the ECB wanted Cricket on the BBC it would be there. They took the money and ran off to Sky.

The problem for the ECB is that Cricket is booming, Sky’s coverage is great, but very few people watch it, as it is on Sky

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:10:04 +0000

F1 is not an sport. There’s too much sports on TV. Hence F1 on TV is good.

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:46:48 +0000

Sounds like the rest of us have to get some practise in before the bloggers and friends challenge race.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:05:55 +0000

Sush – no, my work colleagues! I’ve been to the Milton Keynes track a few times but we were at one in Docklands yesterday. Surprisingly quick for an indoor circuit.

By: Sush

Sush — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:47:31 +0000

colleagues?, you what?, no no no Keith… you do this amazing site on your own.. and thats it… no arguing with me.

By: Sush

Sush — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:46:14 +0000

which track did you go to Keith?, there’s a fantastic one in milton keynes (the best part of keynes i might add) called daytona (haha)

they do a special daytona 500, 5 hour endurance race, well they used to. I woke up the next day and my right leg was black from the vibrations.