Sky to show F1 races without adverts in 2012
2012 F1 season
Start, Valencia, 2011
Sky has confirmed its F1 race coverage will be free of adverts when it begins in 2012.
A spokesperson told F1 Fanatic: “There won’t be any ad breaks. Every second of every race will be live and uninterrupted.
“It will be the only place to watch every race live.”
Sky’s plans are at an early stage having just announced the deal, and decisions are yet to be taken on who will be involved in its coverage.
While Sky has begun broadcasting some sports in 3D the spokesperson said it was “way too early to say” whether this could also be used for F1 – which has only made its debut in HD this year.
The spokesperson said the price of a Sky subcription would not increase before September 2012 and added: “We’ll give it the full Sky Sports treatment: it will be on Sky Sports News, Sky Sports dot com, across mobile and online.”
BBC/Sky F1 2012 deal
Image © Red Bull/Getty images
Wayne said on 29th July 2011, 11:38
No interuptions! Well that makes it alright then *sarcasm*.
I for one will only be happy when I hear that it no longer requires a monthly fee (not holding my breath on that one though).
john said on 29th July 2011, 11:39
R.I.P F1
ajokay (@ajokay) said on 29th July 2011, 11:42
No adverts during the race, but before and after you can bet that most of the broadcast time will be taken up with ads and “FORMULA ONE SUPER SUNDAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY…!!”.
This is what really angers me though. Sky have millions of people paying hundreds of pounds a year, and yet they still run adverts on their own channels. I understand the need for the private and independent channels that use Sky as a host to have adverts in their programming, but Sky 1, 2, 3, sports, etc… whatever else they have nowadays. These are put out by Sky, and so should not have adverts on. And it’s not even low-key British-style advertising breaks, it’s full-on American-style 5 minute advert breaks.
Nik said on 29th July 2011, 11:42
Anayone have any suggestions on how to watch streams online?
taurus (@taurus) said on 29th July 2011, 11:42
If Brundle goes to Sky, you can probably guarantee that everyone who has Sky Sports will follow him. The BBC may as well drop it altogether and stop wasting our time with this half-hearted claptrap about free-to-air etc etc.
nik (@nik) said on 29th July 2011, 12:00
he said on twitter that he is out of contract and was ‘not impressed’ by the new deal. sky will sign him, they have to
Mike-e said on 29th July 2011, 11:42
Well…… that will be nice for the 6 or 7 people watching it….
Oliver said on 29th July 2011, 11:43
I’m still not paying for it. I actually have Sky now but dropping it tomorrow.
peteleeuk (@peteleeuk) said on 29th July 2011, 11:52
I currently have sky tv (not sports). I too am seriously thinking of dropping it at the end of my contract out of principle.
Bernard (@bernard) said on 29th July 2011, 11:43
maxthecat said on 29th July 2011, 11:45
Sorry but i don’t believe it.
AA said on 29th July 2011, 11:50
No ads? Don’t care – not paying £500 per year to watch f1. I’ll just go to a couple of races, and not bother following the season. I’ve watched every race for 20 years, but I’m not paying £50 per race. NO way.
nik (@nik) said on 29th July 2011, 11:54
there is more to this story – the BBC has two more full seasons of F1 left on the old deal, and they are selling that all to Sky as part of this new deal.
there must be a reason why they did it starting next year instead of at the end of the existing BBC deal, which was due to expire at the end of 2013
Mr Juggie said on 29th July 2011, 11:55
Yeh the bbc didnt elect to continue their contract because just possibly bernie set the cost too high, and he knew sky would pay more for it
Gusto said on 29th July 2011, 12:03
RIP The posion dwarf is selling F1 to a company that hacks the voice mail of murdered children, its a match made in heaven.
Steve Evans said on 29th July 2011, 12:04
Seems to me that the reason Sky were so interested in F1 was the record viewing figures the BBC were pulling in. But Sky are not going to get anywhere near that, and could possibly drop F1 a year or two down the line when they realise this. And hopefully it will be back on free to air. I think the sharing deal the BBC has done is a good idea, why couldn’t they share with Channel 5? Damn you Bernie!
TomD11 (@tomd11) said on 29th July 2011, 12:50
This is probably nonsense, but could the timing i.e. before the end of the BBC’s current contract be a ploy. Could they be hoping that F1 on Sky is a complete disaster so that when it comes time to renew their contract, Bernie and the teams want F1 on free-to-air and so will offer them a better deal? Or is this a new deal that takes the place of the previous one?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta) said on 29th July 2011, 22:52
New deal replacing previous one, but I could definitely see that happening in 2018 – or at least ITV or Channel 4 taking F1 instead.
wigster (@wigster) said on 29th July 2011, 12:04
Thats brilliant news. Problem is I won’t be able to stream it either as I have rubbish broadband since I live in the country.
Also there’s little chance of races being shown in pubs apart from a few when football isn’t on. There’s no ad breaks for people to go to the bar and “refuel”. Football is established and has many more fans then F1. Finally It’s not likely the pubs are going to be open at 6 or 7am for the Australian, Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, Singapore or Korean grand Prix, or 3am for Friday practice sessions is it?
At least I’ll get a (probably) rather cheap imitation of the current coverage on the BBC for half the races though. Hurray!!! Though for the other half I’ll have to put up with Crofty and Davidson on the radio. (which would be good, apart from the fact I’d actually like to watch the sport).