Speed channel to no longer carry F1 in USA

I'd prefer if you weren't so negative in case powers at be are reading here. haha

I will keep hoping.

I want the best of both worlds. Experienced American crew in studio and people who live F1 for the race call.


Isn't it quite common for a sport to have commentators from where the sport is most loved? Doesn't European soccer normally have British play by play people when on air in US? Doesn't the World Cup coverage have the play by play with Brits and Americans analyzing before and after? I cannot be positive on this, but I seem to remember the coverage being this way?

Back when HBO had Wimbledon (last in 99 I think), didn't they use the BBC commentators sometimes?

Just to confirm, the World Cup was covered over in the States by Ian Darke & Steve McManaman (mostly).... so impressed were the yanks at the reaction/commentary from Darke when USA scored in injury time to top the group they slapped him with a full-time contract and he's generally regarded as "the voice of soccer" here.

Also on the Fox Soccer Channel, many of the "panel" are Brits/Irish... Warren Barton is often the number 1 pundit (not sure if that's good news or not!).

The vast majority of games over here have a lead English commentator with sometimes American co-comms depending on who is playing.

As soccer is a quickly growing sport it's worth noting that they seem to have grasped the additional knowledge and experience can add to the attraction.

FWIW, I dislike (and have said as much on other threads) the commitment by Speed to the crucial aspects of the race weekend, starting coverage 2-3 mins into Q is unacceptable, pointless 'arty' features at the expense of the racing, and frankly a resounding fail in their ability to understand & communicate what's actually occurring during the race/qualifying. However, so useless were NBC towards the Olympics (and it was even worse for the Paralympics) I actually fear what they may do.

If NBC understand what they have, then they can do a good job with it.... if it's just regarded as a marketing exercise, then all USA viewers will be in for a rough ride during this contract.

I can see myself in 12 months time lamenting the loss of Speed, but time will tell. Hell, there's always a stream!!!!

Sorry Kids...This is AMERICAN television...The Sky thing is just NOT gonna happen.
Jp

Yep, we'll take Darrell and Michael Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Krista Voda.....

Yep, we'll take Darrell and Michael Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Krista Voda.....

FWIW, I dislike (and have said as much on other threads) the commitment by Speed to the crucial aspects of the race weekend, starting coverage 2-3 mins into Q is unacceptable, pointless 'arty' features at the expense of the racing, and frankly a resounding fail in their ability to understand & communicate what's actually occurring during the race/qualifying. However, so useless were NBC towards the Olympics (and it was even worse for the Paralympics) I actually fear what they may do.
....
I can see myself in 12 months time lamenting the loss of Speed, but time will tell. Hell, there's always a stream!!!!

I love the Speed talent. They feel like family to me after watching them so many years and Varsha/Hobbs going back a couple decades. I think they're all simply brilliant. I think they are sometimes limited to how much they can say about the action by always being in their fixed spot. However, they're awesome people and awesome talent.

However, also agree with you 100 percent regarding entering qualifying late and the arty features. I actually love the arty features and re-watch them and whatnot, but before/after the session, not during a live session or the race.

However, I suspect, unless they want to change, the NBC guys will do MORE arty features. They leave the live Indycar quite often for behind the scenes nonsense.

We need to get the F1 fans to put together the NBC shows (make the decisions behind the scenes). I bet then we'd get something as good as now if not better. Everyone has had some brilliant ideas here! I say, merge them all together! ha-ha. That's the thing. I think Speed must have had amazing fans behind the scenes since they had it 17 years, the best in the business. Will NBC have true fans, F1 people, or will it just be current NBC people?

Only time will tell I suppose!

Edited by mika911, 19 October 2012 - 01:52.

I'd prefer if you weren't so negative in case powers at be are reading here. haha

I will keep hoping.

I want the best of both worlds.

I commend your vision..
But having worked for 'the networks' I already know exactly what's being said in these upcoming meetings and all the large promises being made in boardrooms by people with myopic views about sport.

Were I in charge, I'd put YOU in charge.
Jp
EDIT: But having said that I have faith in the overall NBCSN idea.

Edited by jonpollak, 19 October 2012 - 04:14.

They should get Dick Ebersol Terry Lingner group someone not egomaniacal or self-serving to produce F1.

There fixed it for ya.

Folks there are not going to be fewer commercials ever.

If, in some bizarro twist, it would happen...it would be very short lived because it would lead to the ending of programming they couldn't sell ad time on.

someone not egomaniacal or self-serving to produce F1.

Good luck with that..
Jp

I am beside myself with happiness that NBC will have live streams. That is so cool. I don't care about commercials - just watch live timing while they are on. 30 bucks for whatever smart phone you have will get you the simulated race markers going around and living timing, comments, tyres being used, track conditions - blah blah blah. It is terrific.

I'm down for the change. I like bob dave and steve, but I don't really care who is calling the race - I usually disagree with 3/4 of what is said anyway becuase it is a bunch of opinionated, conjured BS (no matter who it is), and the rest - the facts about what is actually going on - well that is fairly easy to do, so I'm cool with whatever.

I commend your vision..
But having worked for 'the networks' I already know exactly what's being said in these upcoming meetings and all the large promises being made in boardrooms by people with myopic views about sport.

I certainly understand and appreciate your knowledge in this. I'm 99.999999 percent sure you are correct, and the direction they go is probably already made. At least I have a few more days or hours to hope, until we hear another announcement.

Trust me, I am sadly used to my hopes being dashed. I hoped Sky would get a DirecTV pay sports package here for a few hundred a year too. ha.

I missed that it was you JP in the earliest posts! I haven't read the forums in so long. It's really nice to hear from you again! Hope all is well!




bourbon - The live stream is good news as you suggest. That will surely benefit some fans who can't be tied to the TV, so that is a good thing!

Edited by mika911, 19 October 2012 - 05:38.

Good luck with that..

Yeah, being TV that wasn't lost on me.

Sorry Kids...This is AMERICAN television...The Sky thing is just NOT gonna happen.

Yet, that's exactly what happens on Fox Soccer, they take the UK Sky audio & picture feeds for the duration of the match. Pre and post-game (and half time) are Fox Soccer productions.

Of course Fox and Sky are part of the same family.

Of course Fox and Sky are part of the same family.

Which may be why it can work. Instead of paying FOM for the rights here you let your competitor pay YOU to use rights you already have elsewhere......

As an American, I can state that the quality of American broadcasters is at an all-time low.

The most widely regarded commentators of sports historically were all very reserved, and didn't resort to insulting the intelligence of the audience. Sadly that has gone by the way side over the last 10-20 years. I'm just thankful Fox Soccer actually uses British commentators.

I strongly suspect I will continue using the Sky TV streams just to listen to Brundle when races are on NBC next season.

I love the Speed team, and will mourn their demise. But what I will miss most of ALL will be the words of Sam Posey. To me, they are like the soul of motorsports. He spins his words into gold and magic. I'm sickened when the race was on fox, and some guy with a gravely voice tried to build up the hype - but just made it sound like amateur hour.
(I'm assuming Bob is under contract, David is considered 'too old', and Steve would be thought as part of the old team. And POOF, they will be gone)
Thank you, guys, for the decades of wonderful, reasoned commentary. And especially to the irreplaceable Sam Posey!
(I've been listening to these guys since way back when - like when I had to steal cable to watch F1!)

I love the Speed team, and will mourn their demise. But what I will miss most of ALL will be the words of Sam Posey. To me, they are like the soul of motorsports. He spins his words into gold and magic. I'm sickened when the race was on fox, and some guy with a gravely voice tried to build up the hype - but just made it sound like amateur hour.
(I'm assuming Bob is under contract, David is considered 'too old', and Steve would be thought as part of the old team. And POOF, they will be gone)
Thank you, guys, for the decades of wonderful, reasoned commentary. And especially to the irreplaceable Sam Posey!
(I've been listening to these guys since way back when - like when I had to steal cable to watch F1!)

Sorry, but I think Posey is the most annoying F1 TV personality of all time. I can't stand his over the top commentary trying to infuse his emo drivel at the beginning of every race. Here is hoping he stays home and keeps his claptrap to himself.

Sorry, but I think Posey is the most annoying F1 TV personality of all time. I can't stand his over the top commentary trying to infuse his emo drivel at the beginning of every race. Here is hoping he stays home and keeps his claptrap to himself.

Yeah. I am not a fan. I will be sad when we don't have David Hobbs though. Steve and bob can go away.

Sorry, but I think Posey is the most annoying F1 TV personality of all time. I can't stand his over the top commentary trying to infuse his emo drivel at the beginning of every race. Here is hoping he stays home and keeps his claptrap to himself.

Really? His two minutes at the beginning of the broadcast really gets you that worked up? As my kids would say, "First world problems".

Looks like it's going to be Leigh Diffey, Steve Matchett and David Hobbs in 2013 on NBC. Means they probably went for Varsha but Fox wouldn't release him from contract. No mention so far of Buxton or who the on-site grid reporter(s) will be.

Yuck

I like Diffey, sure he's not the greatest but never understood all the hate towards him. Good choice, though I was expecting Varsha to continue.

Leigh will also replace Jenkins on the IndyCar booth - meaning double single seater season for him - so I guess this means that his presence will be reduced in the Grand-Am/CTSCC coverage (replaced probably by Brian Till, only one clash with the ALMS)

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 23:08.

Looks like it's going to be Leigh Diffey, Steve Matchett and David Hobbs in 2013 on NBC. Means they probably went for Varsha but Fox wouldn't release him from contract. No mention so far of Buxton or who the on-site grid reporter(s) will be.

how do you know that ? I live in the usa and I would like to know

how do you know that ? I live in the usa and I would like to know

Reported on Twitter. Diffey has already acknowledged that it's true too.

how do you know that ? I live in the usa and I would like to know

http://www.autoweek....15/F1/121119885
http://auto-racing.s...broadcast-team/

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 23:16.

http://www.autoweek....15/F1/121119885
http://auto-racing.s...broadcast-team/

wow that is really good news , you should post this at the speed tv forum , they don't know yet

For the sake of continuity, too bad they couldn't add Varsha. Maybe 2014?

Do we know if they will actually be at the venue during the race weekend or will they be watching it on TV like the rest of us?

Do we know if they will actually be at the venue during the race weekend or will they be watching it on TV like the rest of us?

From what I have heard the 3 Amigo's have been in Austin from Tuesday to Thursday and will return to Charlotte to do the regular broadcast from the studio.

Looks like it's going to be Leigh Diffey, Steve Matchett and David Hobbs in 2013 on NBC. Means they probably went for Varsha but Fox wouldn't release him from contract. No mention so far of Buxton or who the on-site grid reporter(s) will be.

Great news! This is the perfect lineup... I'm glad they didn't go with Varsha.

Looks like it's going to be Leigh Diffey, Steve Matchett and David Hobbs in 2013 on NBC. Means they probably went for Varsha but Fox wouldn't release him from contract. No mention so far of Buxton or who the on-site grid reporter(s) will be.

Two outta three (four?) ain't bad. Here's hoping Varsha catches up with them in 2014. Would be neat if Buxton stayed on, as well.

Do we know if they will actually be at the venue during the race weekend or will they be watching it on TV like the rest of us?

If you're referring to next season, NBC Sports has already stated they'll be doing it from a studio, continuing the tradition started by ESPN after they called Varsha & Hobbs back to the studio.

Yuck

Ross, Hobbs used to be much funnier, but they told him to take it down a notch. I'll pass along a story from before your time that I think will make you appreciate Hobbs more. Hungarian Grand Prix, I believe 1989. Camera picks up Satoru Nakajima's car limping along with a broken left rear suspension. This was at the top of the hill, as the cars came onto the main/front straight. Hobbs said "That's an odd place to go off, I'd like to see a replay..." Replay showed Nakajima, shooting off the last corner, avoiding the sand pit by driving around it on the small strip of grass, then gassing it, causing the left rear to bounce off the armco, snapping the suspension. Slight pause...Hobbs: "Well, that was considerably far less clever than I first thought."

He used to come up with stuff like that routinely. I also recall when he once noticed a worn spot on one of Gerhard Berger's tires that must have been the size of a quarter...and from a tiny monitor mounted in a mini-van. I was impressed.

Edited by Jim Thurman, 17 November 2012 - 19:01.

From what I have heard the 3 Amigo's have been in Austin from Tuesday to Thursday and will return to Charlotte to do the regular broadcast from the studio.

What the.....

Could not agree more - I will miss the old team and really enjoyed Posey's commentary.

Any of the major US Networks will make a mess of the coverage. What happened to the ALMS coverage is a good example of what to expect.

DG

I love the Speed team, and will mourn their demise. But what I will miss most of ALL will be the words of Sam Posey. To me, they are like the soul of motorsports. He spins his words into gold and magic. I'm sickened when the race was on fox, and some guy with a gravely voice tried to build up the hype - but just made it sound like amateur hour.
(I'm assuming Bob is under contract, David is considered 'too old', and Steve would be thought as part of the old team. And POOF, they will be gone)
Thank you, guys, for the decades of wonderful, reasoned commentary. And especially to the irreplaceable Sam Posey!
(I've been listening to these guys since way back when - like when I had to steal cable to watch F1!)