PUBLIC OPINION OF F1’S PAY TV FUTURE
Sky secures all races exclusively from 2019 onwards
Live Formula 1 coverage will not be available on terrestrial TV from 2019 after Sky Sports tied up a new six-year deal to show all races exclusively, in a move that has divided opinion among fans of the sport.
Sky Sports announced the new deal last week, which will run from 2019 until the end of 2024. As part of the deal, Sky Sports will have exclusive rights to broadcast all grands prix live within the UK, but will also provide free-to-air coverage of all races via highlights packages. The British Grand Prix will be shown live and free over Sky, but all other live races will be pay-per-view and for current Sky Sports subscribers.
F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone said: “I am delighted we [Formula One Management and Sky Sports] will continue to work together. Sky’s commitment to the sport and standard of coverage is second to none.”
Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: “Since 2012, we have demonstrated unrivalled commitment to F1, offering fans innovations, including a dedicated channel and the very best broadcasting talent.
“We are delighted to strengthen our coverage for viewers even further, with live and exclusive F1 from 2019. We look forward to working with F1 to progress, develop and enhance coverage of the championship during the agreement.”
The new deal means Channel 4, which picked up the remainder of the BBC’S F1 contract following budget cuts this year, will not screen live races after its current deal expires.
Channel 4’s head of F1 Stephen Lyle said the broadcaster would look into options for the future. “As far as I’m concerned the [Sky] news doesn’t affect our contract we have at the moment, so nothing has changed on that score in terms of how we are approaching it. We’ll obviously look at it and then what to do from 2019 onwards.
“We’ve been concentrating on delivering F1 for this season and the next two. It’s been a job to get it all together that quickly. At the moment we’re concentrating on what we have.”