So DORNA decides to put MotoGP on pay channels…

Or as it's known in Spain, Italy and the UK, the anti-K channels.

Someone who speaks Spanish (maybe even Carlos, if his Spanish is better than his English) can verify this information for me but it seems that:

Switching from RTVE (Public) to Telecinco in Spain caused the Qatar round viewership to drop 62.3% (1.7 million this year).

The change from Mediaset to Sky in Italy got 33% fewer viewers (3.2 million this year).

Switching from the BBC to BT Sport in the UK called the 89.6% drop (230,000 this year)!

 

Didn't Dorna sell the rights to broadcast to the pay channels?

 

I'm sure people like Repsol and Monster are thrilled with that.

WTF where they thinking?

 

gone the same way here in AUS too, channel 10 (free to air) have onsold the rights to foxtel/speed, the grumblings on stalkbook suggest that people are now using pirate sites to watch it instead.

cheers.joe.

 

Yeah, I thought that was implied in the thread title.

This doesn't impact them in the short run (I suppose), but at some point they will have to renew it. Or try to sell that in France (currently Eurosport), and other markets. That might change their price some.

 

Consider the information verified. Well, you understood what they said, anyway. I can't be bothered to actually verify their claims...

 

This reminds me of the brake harder and longer to go faster strategy.

Glad I have the season subscription, well worth the money to me.

 

Dorna started demanding insane fees from the media. I finally said No. I can still do a show without their help.

They're killing roadracing faster than Sean.

-jim

 

The author brought up that very point. If viewership is really this bad, then why did TV channels pay so much for it? Future contracts will likely be less, and sponsors are likely to pay less as well. This could be very bad for Dorna, esp since over 27% of their profit came from Spain alone last year.

No me gusta.

 

Got to wonder what Speedvision or speed or Fox or whatever it is this weeks pays to broadcast it.

 

I don't speak Spanish, man.

 

Should be next to nothing since that's the amount of the event they cover by the time you factor in the non-stop commercials.

 

The author did mention that there are 700,000 Movistar TV subscribers, which I'm assuming is internet TV in Spain, so maybe some of the lost viewers are there. Didn't mention the MotoGP website coverage, though.

Wasn't meant as a slight. Just corroborating your point, hombre. backatcha

Wonder if France is next?

 

That would suck. Eurosport coverage is great.
Actually, it's not free. It's a cable channel.
They also tried MotoGP on a free channel in parallel to Eurosport a couple of years ago. It only lasted one season. Maybe two, I'm not even sure anymore. I never watched it. It only covered the MotoGP race (with a half-hour pre-race show). No qualifying, no practice, no support classes.

 

It's only a win in the short run. Don't you think the price Dorna can charge TV channels and sponsors will be adjusted at the next contract negotiation?

 

True, but thats a bit short sided. Viewers may attend races, buy merchandise, be a fan next year, etc. To make an extra buck today at the expense of exposure and fan base may prove to cost more long term.

 

and when VR46 retires will really make them look at the market and prices