60 replies to this topic

[dau]

Just came across these 2012 numbers, figured it would fit in here. (There's no global TV thread, is there?)

F1 TV audience 2012 compared to 2011:

Brazil +8.9% (+7m) [FTA+PayTV]
China -34% (-25m) [?]
Germany -6.9% (-2,5m) [FTA+PayTV]
Italy +15% [FTA(9 races)+PayTV]
Russia -12.8% [FTA+PayTV]
Spain +11.5% [FTA]
UK -8.8% (-3.8m) [FTA(10 races)+PayTV]
US -3% (-0.3m) [PayTV]

All numbers from the F1 Global Broadcast Report via Pitpass. Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt also adds that "for the first time, the report did not publish a total figure for the global TV audience" and quotes Ecclestone that "a small handful of territories didn't meet expectations in terms of reach, with the Chinese market suffering a decrease which could not be absorbed by a significant number of increases elsewhere."

http://www.guardian..../formula-one-tv
http://pitpass.com/4...-TV-goes-global

Edited by dau, 17 February 2013 - 10:56.

[Craigster]

Just came across these 2012 numbers, figured it would fit in here. (There's no global TV thread, is there?)

F1 TV audience 2012 compared to 2011:

Brazil +8.9% (+7m) [FTA+PayTV]
China -34% (-25m) [?]
Germany -6.9% (-2,5m) [FTA+PayTV]
Italy +15% [FTA(9 races)+PayTV]
Russia -12.8% [FTA+PayTV]
Spain +11.5% [FTA]
UK -8.8% (-3.8m) [FTA(10 races)+PayTV]
US -3% (-0.3m) [PayTV]

All numbers from the F1 Global Broadcast Report via Pitpass. Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt also adds that "for the first time, the report did not publish a total figure for the global TV audience" and quotes Ecclestone that "a small handful of territories didn't meet expectations in terms of reach, with the Chinese market suffering a decrease which could not be absorbed by a significant number of increases elsewhere."

http://www.guardian..../formula-one-tv
http://pitpass.com/4...-TV-goes-global

Thought F1 was free in the US? Surprising that it dipped when they got their race back

[teejay]

As long as I can "illegally" stream it FOM and Bernie can go jump.

[H2H]

It is a shame for the RAI, but go figure. Their coverage was actually quite decent, even if all was viewed through red glasses. Liked the Austrian coverage better, especially when Wurz supported it. Wendlinger was also not bad. The Swiss one is quite basic. It is great that both are not chopped up.

[D.M.N.]

Just came across these 2012 numbers, figured it would fit in here. (There's no global TV thread, is there?)

F1 TV audience 2012 compared to 2011:

Brazil +8.9% (+7m) [FTA+PayTV]
China -34% (-25m) [?]
Germany -6.9% (-2,5m) [FTA+PayTV]
Italy +15% [FTA(9 races)+PayTV]
Russia -12.8% [FTA+PayTV]
Spain +11.5% [FTA]
UK -8.8% (-3.8m) [FTA(10 races)+PayTV]
US -3% (-0.3m) [PayTV]

All numbers from the F1 Global Broadcast Report via Pitpass. Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt also adds that "for the first time, the report did not publish a total figure for the global TV audience" and quotes Ecclestone that "a small handful of territories didn't meet expectations in terms of reach, with the Chinese market suffering a decrease which could not be absorbed by a significant number of increases elsewhere."

http://www.guardian..../formula-one-tv
http://pitpass.com/4...-TV-goes-global

To clarify, all the figures quote above are reach figures - how many viewers F1 reached across 15 minutes of transmission during 2012.

[dau]

Thought F1 was free in the US? Surprising that it dipped when they got their race back

Oops. Of course it was last year. This year is the first on NBC Sports Network.

[sheepgobba]

Strangling the breathe out of the fans slowly to kill its fanbase.

[Craigster]

Oops. Of course it was last year. This year is the first on NBC Sports Network.

It is still remarkable that the number of people who watched F1 in America fell last year despite the return of the US GP. So much for the 'glow' of having a home race!

[JRizzle86]

As long as I can "illegally" stream it FOM and Bernie can go jump.

I have to agree, whilst i might be willing to pay for F1 in some scheme i am not willing to pay for it at such a premium because i am also funding the access to 400 other channels of which i couldn't give a toss about.

[gm914]

As long as I can "illegally" stream it FOM and Bernie can go jump.

This.

[Ross Stonefeld]

To clarify, all the figures quote above are reach figures - how many viewers F1 reached across 15 minutes of transmission during 2012.

Yes, the Global Broadcast Report can be a bit murky to 'read' at times. Live average audience per event is my preference, it's more comparable to other sports, TV shows, etc.

[dau]

Yes, the Global Broadcast Report can be a bit murky to 'read' at times. Live average audience per event is my preference, it's more comparable to other sports, TV shows, etc.

Yea, i just came across that article and thought it was interesting, but i'm aware it's far from a complete picture.

Not sure if it deserves its own thread though. Especially with Pitpass senior business editor Christian Sylt only giving a few examples. I guess normalfolk can't access the official report, can they? Would be interesting to see how F1 fares worldwide.

[Craigster]

Live average audience per event is my preference

Where do you access this data for F1?

[D.M.N.]

I guess normalfolk can't access the official report, can they? Would be interesting to see how F1 fares worldwide.

Where do you access this data for F1?

I don't think FIA publishes the report, unfortunately.

[Deluxx]

Thought F1 was free in the US? Surprising that it dipped when they got their race back

2012's broadcasts were plagued with poor advertising, extreme amount of adverts, and due to money loss; a less than stellar product. That turns a lot of people off, free or not. Why watch a race for commercials (seemingly) every 2 minutes?

[Craigster]

I don't think FIA publishes the report, unfortunately.

Ross seems to know how to get the data as he says that live average audience per event is his preference. My question is how does he access it? I presume that it isn't in the report because he also says that the report can be a bit murky to 'read' at times. Unless I've misunderstood this, Ross seems to be saying that there are other figures (live average audience per event) in addition to those in the report which have been written in the article. If I'm wrong then it doesn't matter as it means that we have got the important details in the article which dau linked to. Thaks again

[Disgrace]

Television austerity for the lose.

[D.M.N.]

Ross seems to know how to get the data as he says that live average audience per event is his preference. My question is how does he access it? I presume that it isn't in the report because he also says that the report can be a bit murky to 'read' at times. Unless I've misunderstood this, Ross seems to be saying that there are other figures (live average audience per event) in addition to those in the report which have been written in the article. If I'm wrong then it doesn't matter as it means that we have got the important details in the article which dau linked to. Thaks again

No, the data bureax's across the world will have access to the live average audience (like BARB in the UK).

[Ross Stonefeld]

All these figures are created by advertising/media agencies, if you had a copy of the Global Report it would list them in their appendex. It will probably be a different one each race.

Though you can also get them from the ratings monitors in each country, which is where the agencies do. Though we're lucky DMN manages to get them from another guy and updates the UK figures as the season goes along.

[SUPRAF1]

How does this trend compare with motor-racing in general around the world? NASCAR, WRC, WEC, Indy etc. ?

[FerrariFanInTexas]

F1 is not totally "free"in my part of the US. There are a limited number of races Fox would carry on its free over the air network but most were on Speed.

In order to get Speed on my cable carrier (Time Warner) I had to pay extra for an enhanced sports package that got me Speed and a few other more marginal sports channels.

[Craigster]

All these figures are created by advertising/media agencies, if you had a copy of the Global Report it would list them in their appendex. It will probably be a different one each race.

Though you can also get them from the ratings monitors in each country, which is where the agencies do. Though we're lucky DMN manages to get them from another guy and updates the UK figures as the season goes along.

I see. thinking about it though, for me it seems more useful to know the total audience reach for the year rather than live average audience per event. I mean, do I really care how many people globally watched the Malaysian Grand Prix last year? However, I can see how it could be useful to know how many people watched F1 last year IN Malaysia. The article which Dau found gives us the highlights of the best info (audiences in Germany, UK, America etc) which is a great help and a nice find. Now all we need is more!

[Ross Stonefeld]

I'd rather know how many people watched a race than individuals watched a season.

Because under the F1 Report I think I'm only counted once, even though I watched 20(?) races. So saw sponsor logos 20 times.

And if you're Etihad and you sponsor only one event, your home race, you're interested in who saw that race, not the season totals.

[Craigster]

I'd rather know how many people watched a race than individuals watched a season.

Because under the F1 Report I think I'm only counted once, even though I watched 20(?) races. So saw sponsor logos 20 times.

And if you're Etihad and you sponsor only one event, your home race, you're interested in who saw that race, not the season totals.

But I'm not Etihad, Vodafone or anyone like that. I'm a bloke who watches F1 in the UK and would like to know how many people here share my passion compared to say Germany or the US. The data Dau presented can tell me that but I don't get any of it by knowing how many people watched the Malaysian Grand Prix or the Korean Grand Prix. Probably depends on personal taste or need for specific info as you say

[Ross Stonefeld]

I still think per-race is better. It tells you how many watched that weekend. You'll get similar amounts for every race, even though it may not be the same people. And it's the only way you can get any reference for it.

If you say "X people watch Bundesliga" you have to think of how many televised matches that is. It might be 10, it might be 100. But if you say "15million watched the FA Cup Final" you can relate to that, and compare it to how many people watched the British GP.

A well constructed report would give you both, or at least running totals as you go along. Though a running total would be slightly different. And a lot higher than F1's claimed figure.

Edited by Ross Stonefeld, 16 February 2013 - 23:14.

[Linus27]

I have to agree, whilst i might be willing to pay for F1 in some scheme i am not willing to pay for it at such a premium because i am also funding the access to 400 other channels of which i couldn't give a toss about.

This also.

[Craigster]

I still think per-race is better. It tells you how many watched that weekend. You'll get similar amounts for every race, even though it may not be the same people. And it's the only way you can get any reference for it.

If you say "X people watch Bundesliga" you have to think of how many televised matches that is. It might be 10, it might be 100. But if you say "15million watched the FA Cup Final" you can relate to that, and compare it to how many people watched the British GP.

A well constructed report would give you both, or at least running totals as you go along. Though a running total would be slightly different. And a lot higher than F1's claimed figure.

From a personal perspective I prefer the total reach because I don't care for knowing how many people worldwide watched some race in the back of beyond. From the perspective of a corporation I can't imagine that your point has much weight because you don't hear about comparisons between how many people watched the Monaco GP with the Arsenal vs Manchester United match. They compare the total reach (500 millions) of F1 with the Olympic opening ceremony or World Cup finals. I have never read of viewing figures for individual races in F1 being compared regularly with viewing figures of matches in other sports (tennis, football, rugby etc). Maybe you can find one or two articles containing this but it is not common and certainly not as common as the 500 millions total reach figure being used in comparisons. That's the important number and therefore the data which comprises it from the different countries (as Dau provided) is for me, and I imagine for companies, what is needed.

[mattferg]

Just came across these 2012 numbers, figured it would fit in here. (There's no global TV thread, is there?)

F1 TV audience 2012 compared to 2011:

Brazil +8.9% (+7m) [FTA+PayTV]
China -34% (-25m) [?]
Germany -6.9% (-2,5m) [FTA+PayTV]
Italy +15% [FTA(9 races)+PayTV]
Russia -12.8% [FTA+PayTV]
Spain +11.5% [FTA]
UK -8.8% (-3.8m) [FTA(10 races)+PayTV]
US -3% (-0.3m) [FTA]

All numbers from the F1 Global Broadcast Report via Pitpass. Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt also adds that "for the first time, the report did not publish a total figure for the global TV audience" and quotes Ecclestone that "a small handful of territories didn't meet expectations in terms of reach, with the Chinese market suffering a decrease which could not be absorbed by a significant number of increases elsewhere."

http://www.guardian..../formula-one-tv
http://pitpass.com/4...-TV-goes-global

I said when the unpredictability of the start of the season was happening that this would lose viewers - making it look like anyone could win in F1. I guess I may have been right.

[Ross Stonefeld]

From a personal perspective I prefer the total reach because I don't care for knowing how many people worldwide watched some race in the back of beyond. From the perspective of a corporation I can't imagine that your point has much weight because you don't hear about comparisons between how many people watched the Monaco GP with the Arsenal vs Manchester United match. They compare the total reach (500 millions) of F1 with the Olympic opening ceremony or World Cup finals. I have never read of viewing figures for individual races in F1 being compared regularly with viewing figures of matches in other sports (tennis, football, rugby etc). Maybe you can find one or two articles containing this but it is not common and certainly not as common as the 500 millions total reach figure being used in comparisons. That's the important number and therefore the data which comprises it from the different countries (as Dau provided) is for me, and I imagine for companies, what is needed.

No, they compare event to event. When they list the top 10 most watched sports every year they compare event to event. Olympic Opening Ceremony vs Super Bowl vs Champions League Final vs Most Watched F1 Race.

[Kyo]

Didn't know Brazil is the largest market and certainly did not expect an increase in viewing figures. Interesting.

[Craigster]

No, they compare event to event. When they list the top 10 most watched sports every year they compare event to event. Olympic Opening Ceremony vs Super Bowl vs Champions League Final vs Most Watched F1 Race.

No. You can find articles showing this but I am sure I can find more which compare the total reach with the World Cup final, Olympic opening ceremony etc. For me the total reach is most valuable and it is the data produced by the F1 TV report, as Dau has shown, so it seems official enough. You are entitled to prefer the live race audience method but I see little value in it for the reasons I mentioned above

[Ross Stonefeld]

You tend to either see PR BS figures like "2 billion people saw the Royal Wedding" or actual figures like the average live audience for Sporting Event X was...whatever.

The latter tends to be more accepted. Total season reach is a useful stat, but it doesn't help you calculate your media value. Which is the primary driver.

The F1 TV Report is no more official than the other data, it all comes from the same place. And the F1 TV Report also has credibility issues as it is a PR document primarily.

[Watkins74]

Thought F1 was free in the US? Surprising that it dipped when they got their race back

SPEED said they got 500K viewers which is huge for them. Remember it is a worldwide rating so maybe the time zone hurt viewership in some other countries. Also a bunch of SPEED hardcore viewers were at the race.

[Craigster]

SPEED said they got 500K viewers which is huge for them. Remember it is a worldwide rating so maybe the time zone hurt viewership in some other countries. Also a bunch of SPEED hardcore viewers were at the race.

The figures in the article provided by Dau are a lot higher than that. Do you mean that SPEED said it got 500k viewers for the US GP or for the entire season?

[Ross Stonefeld]

That report claims they lost 300k over the season, not for any one event. Their per-race average would be about 500k.

Edited by Ross Stonefeld, 17 February 2013 - 00:43.

[Watkins74]

The figures in the article provided by Dau are a lot higher than that. Do you mean that SPEED said it got 500k viewers for the US GP or for the entire season?

Sorry. I was talking Austin only.

[Craigster]

That report claims they lost 300k over the season, not for any one event. Their per-race average would be about 500k.

Gotcha. This kind of confusion is why I prefer to think of the total. Much simpler!

[Ross Stonefeld]

But the US total may only be 750k-1m. For instance if they're claiming a 300k drop is 3%, that means we have 10 million F1 fans in America.

We don't. We have a smaller, much more dedicated following. So a greater % of our fanbase is watching alllllll the races.

So that's why the global report is odd to me.

[Craigster]

But the US total may only be 750k-1m. For instance if they're claiming a 300k drop is 3%, that means we have 10 million F1 fans in America.

We don't. We have a smaller, much more dedicated following. So a greater % of our fanbase is watching alllllll the races.

So that's why the global report is odd to me.

Who knows? It's interesting news anyway and thanks to Dau for sharing it.

[krea]

I guess pay tv is a factor but that more and more races are all over the world is a reason for the decline.

[Rubens Hakkamacher]

In 'Murica:

We've got NASCAR within driving distance of everywhere.
We've got Top Fuel racing within driving distance of everywhere.
For non-motor sports fans, there is football more than everywhere.

.. and it all costs much less to be a fan of than F1.


I'd say theoretically half of all motorsports fans in the U.S. could potentially be F1 fans, if it were done right and at an affordable price. How many people is that?

Instead, we have one race, and it's not affordable at all.

Then, FOM is stripping the entertainment factor from F1 as much as it can - smaller, weaker and softer engines, less exciting technology, more restrictions, fake tire rules, pay drivers, on and on.

Really, not a good recipe for the future here, or elsewhere IMO. At some point the global economy is going to impact F1 even harder, making it even less possible for smaller teams to compete.

Look at what's become of WRC....


Entertainment: 1,000 hp cars, exotic V10-12 engines, big displacement/scary loud, high revving, cars that look cool (and individual), no pay drivers, no making wacky tires and .... fuel economy "racing"????

There will always be people who watch. I will. But there is no rule that says it has to be a Big Deal automatically, forever. It can go away. FOM has to be aggressive instead of smugly complacent.

[Rybo]

It isn't easy being a F1 fan in the States. Speed is atrocious when it comes to live coverage and they always cut to commercial during the race. Add to that most races are intended for a European Audience so the timing isn't too convenient for viewing. Its either stay up late or wake up early. Its actually easier to wait until its over and watch it on your own time. That however leaves some to be desired as you can't reap the benefits of suspense or have a real time interaction ie Twitter.

[bourbon]

It is not free anywhere in the USA, except the 6 races on NBC that are delayed by 4 hours (west coast) and meant to entice new viewers.

Edited by bourbon, 17 February 2013 - 05:07.

[kosmos]

Really surprised by the Spain data, their FTA contract ends this year, I wonder what will happen there, the people that got the rights some years ago said that it's not a profitable business for them. F1 will die if it goes to payTV in Spain.

[BigCHrome]

I said when the unpredictability of the start of the season was happening that this would lose viewers - making it look like anyone could win in F1. I guess I may have been right.

I very much doubt that. Everyone loves unpredictability in racing.

[mattferg]

I very much doubt that. Everyone loves unpredictability in racing.

Unpredictability yes. Randomness due to tires, no.

[SpaMaster]

Thought F1 was free in the US? Surprising that it dipped when they got their race back

SpeedTV is not free. NBC, in which the races would be shown from this year, is free-to-air.

[BigCHrome]

Unpredictability yes. Randomness due to tires, no.

The only race which was won ONLY because of tires was China.

[Dipster]

Didn't know Brazil is the largest market and certainly did not expect an increase in viewing figures. Interesting.

I'm not. I lived there for a few years until quite recently and they are nuts about racing, including F1. And there are TVs all over the place, at taxi ranks, supermarkets etc. (showing mostly futebol of course. They are more than nuts about that!
The fact that they have had a few interesting and successful drivers in the past helps of, course And there are many very wealthy Brazilians who are prepared to support local drivers is no bad thing either. at creates interest too. And there is great wealth in the country (look at the economic figures) because it has so much to offer those who are prepared to try their luck in business. Great place!

[dau]

But the US total may only be 750k-1m. For instance if they're claiming a 300k drop is 3%, that means we have 10 million F1 fans in America.

We don't. We have a smaller, much more dedicated following. So a greater % of our fanbase is watching alllllll the races.

So that's why the global report is odd to me.

Yup, reach doesn't really say much about the actual fanbase. It's more like the potential fanbase, i guess. People who somehow come across F1, spend a minimum of 15min there and can therefore be reached by F1-based advertising, whether they decide to become a fan or not. Probably important for the sponsors or those who plan to become one.

----

@bourbon: Oh, ok. Changing back to PayTV then. But you're just paying for your cable/sat provider, you don't need a separate subscription for Speed, do you?