USA fans: say goodbye NBC, hello ESPN

[zeph]

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/10/fo ... n-in-2018/

I for one pray ESPN will have the sense to remove commercial breaks.


Yeah right.

[dans79]

My buddy and I where talking about it this morning. I think this is Liberty's first move in breaking open the F1 market in America. ESPN is part of most basic cable packages, while NBCSN usually requires a higher tier package, so switching to ESPN should put it in-front of more viewers.

Hopefully they, will broadcast more practices, or have them online like NBC does, or it will be a step backwards imo.

[1158]

I seems like it has more to do with F1 wanting to start their own streaming/online content and NBC not wanting to have that competition.

Although we take great pride in having grown Formula One's visibility and viewership since we became its exclusive US media rights holder in 2013, this will be our last season with the series. In this case, we chose not to enter into a new agreement in which the rights holder itself competes with us and our distribution partners

I hope that's the case. ESPN is goingt have just as many commercials if not more.

[Mattdk]

I for one pray ESPN will have the sense to remove commercial breaks.

Yeah right.

Hopefully ESPN has less commercials than NBC. Watching using NBC's online streaming the commercials are extremely repetitive. NBC also seemed to use the same length of commercial breaks they do during NASCAR races which they shouldn't since the race is much shorter.

[zeph]

My buddy and I where talking about it this morning. I think this is Liberty's first move in breaking open the F1 market in America. ESPN is part of most basic cable packages, while NBCSN usually requires a higher tier package, so switching to ESPN should put it in-front of more viewers.

Hopefully they, will broadcast more practices, or have them online like NBC does, or it will be a step backwards imo.

Is ESPN 2 also a part of basic cable? I'm not sure. I know NBCSN is a part of the upgrade tier on Frontier (formerly Verizon). Most of the races will be broadcast on ESPN2, which made me suspect it is not a part of the basic package.

Just like most of the races now are on NBCSN, but a few big ones will be on NBC, and if there's something more important going on they'll move the race to CNBC/MSNBC (I can't remember which).

[TAG]

To anyone discussing the commercial breaks thing. Is there any sport that runs commercial free in the US? I know my mind was blown too when I heard by UK friends all talk bout how that was the norm, but in America, not so much. I'd be happy with a televised FP1 and FP3 session for starters. As well as a crew that didn't have a combined age of 215 years old.

David Hobbs is a piece of history and it's nice to hear some of his wisdom at times, but for the majority of the broadcasts he's either senile or defecating in his depends diapers because he's clearly not aware of whatever is going on in the race. Steve Matchett needs to go. Whomever they do bring in, it would be nice if they were actually on site as opposed to in a studio somewhere because NBC Sports apparently only had budget to send them on side for Monaco and the USGP. No pre race or post race from any of them. Will Buxton seems to be making big steps in his career and I fear him being the only bring spot on the line up right now, may leave for greener pastures somewhere.

We'll see soon enough.

[dren]

I don't mind those guys. They do a pre and post race show, too.

I welcome the move to ESPN. It'll let me trim down my cable package or look elsewhere since the only reason I've kept it is for F1 on NBC Sports.

[Chuckjr]

Bring back Bob Varsha as host please!!

[zeph]

I welcome the move to ESPN. It'll let me trim down my cable package or look elsewhere since the only reason I've kept it is for F1 on NBC Sports.

I know ESPN is a part of the base package, but is ESPN2 as well? As that is where most races will be broadcast.


As for Diffey/Hobbs/Matchett/Buxton, they moved from SpeedTV to NBCSN, so I suspect they will move on to ESPN as a part of the deal.

[dans79]

Is ESPN 2 also a part of basic cable? I'm not sure. I know NBCSN is a part of the upgrade tier on Frontier (formerly Verizon).

That will depend on your provider and what region of the country you live in.

[SteveRacer]

Maybe im alone in this but i really like the combo of hobbes and matchett. I was also very happy when Varsha went away. I am worried that f1 will not be a priority for espn and will get overlapped by other broadcasts.

[SectorOne]

I seems like it has more to do with F1 wanting to start their own streaming/online content and NBC not wanting to have that competition.

There´s probably nothing more in F1 i look forward to the most than this.

[Bill_Kar]

Nothing to do with US, just a question.
Were you satisfied by NBC commentators? I watched once via livestreaming, and I thought they were unbearable.

[Zynerji]

Varsha stood in for Diffy a few races ago, and i forgot how much i liked him.

US commentating is below Sky with Brundle, but i can't stand Crofty...

My dream setup would be Brundle and Varsha.

The US gets the world feed, but they should just run the SkyTV commentating, or just run their entire stream.

The NBCSN online (how i watch) has the most horrid repeating syndrome ever. Last year it was a single Honda commercial, over and over... This year, it's the Chevy Equinox. Ugha

[zeph]

Nothing to do with US, just a question.
Were you satisfied by NBC commentators? I watched once via livestreaming, and I thought they were unbearable.

Well, let's just say that if the objective is to attract younger viewers, these guys aren't gonna do it.