The announcement of television rights for the V8 Supercars for 2015 onwards was cetainly big on bluster. It trumpeted comprehensive coverage for fans when Channel Ten and FOX Sports take over broadcasting duties.
As is the case with so many announcements these days, the devil was buried very deep in the details.
V8 Supercars executives probably hoped the details wouldn’t take the gloss off the most expensive deal in the history of the sport, worth a whopping $241 million.
Now, on the eve of the first race of the new season, more details have been released. Gor a regular fan who doesn’t have access to Foxtel, the sad reality is that they will only be able to watch six full races a year.
The Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Townsville’s street race, Sandown 500, the Bathurst 1000, the Gold Coast 600 and the season-ending Sydney 500 at Olympic Park will all be broadcast from start to finish, while the rest will be delivered on Channel Ten (or ONE) in the form of one-hour highlights.
If you’ve got Foxtel and you’re a diehard V8 fan, the announcement will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven.
Why?
Because in around 365 days time, you’ll get to see every practice and qualifying session, as well as the Top Ten Shootout and the race itself. Live, ad-free and with high definition pictures.
The one exception to that rule is Bathurst, where there will be the occasional ad break – to be expected in a race five or six hours in length.
Full disclosure here: I have Foxtel. That makes this new broadcast deal pretty awesome for me.
It’s the majority of fans – a huge majority if the comments on the V8 Supercars Facebook page are anything to go by – who are going to miss out on the bulk of their favourite sport.
It’s no secret that a lot of V8 fans are from rural and less affluent areas.
Some of these fans don’t have the luxury – like I do – of being able to pick up the phone, call Foxtel and get cable hooked up.
So what does that mean? Essentially, your favourite sport has sold out; it’s going to pay television for the bulk of the season.
If you don’t have Foxtel, you have to go to races if you want to see most of the season – that is if there’s a race near you. A race weekend is an expensive trip and isn’t always possible.
The broadcast deal announcement talks about increased hours of television coverage – 1140 in total, up 360% from this year. But nearly all of that will be on Foxtel channels.
They also trumpet that there will be primetime replays on Channel Ten and One-HD, which will open the sport up to new viewers.
Make no mistake – this is just the spin doctors at work, trying to make the best of a bad situation.
In this day and age, you can’t just whack a one-hour highlights show on television two or three hours after the race has ended.
Channel Ten did that back in the day, with their 3pm-5pm Sunday slot (and Channel Seven for years before them), but things were different then.
It was the Shell Championship Series, they raced AU Fords and VT Commodores and guys like Johnson, Bowe, Seton, Brock and Skaife were still driving.
Back then, Twitter and other forms of social media hadn’t been invented. Nor had internet streaming, legal or otherwise.
There are simply too many ways for fans to find out the results of qualifying or the race. Try as you might, sometimes you just can’t avoid knowing who won.
No matter how you try to present the concept, to a real fan a highlights package is never the same as seeing the entire race.
Even if you’re the most diehard V8 fan, what are the chances you’re going to sit at home and watch a condensed one-hour replay of a race that you already know the result of?
Not good, especially on a Saturday night.
So, what then? You record the package and it sits on your DVR for another 12 or 14 hours, and suddenly it’s Sunday. You will more than likely just delete it.
On the plus side, Channel Ten is bringing RPM back, Foxtel is retaining V8Xtra and launching a new show called Motorsports 360. There will also be comprehensive internet streaming options.
Being able to watch the race on your iPhone, iPad or Android while you’re out and about is a tremendous concept.
Of course, aside from the re-launch of RPM, you’re going to have to pay for the privilege. As much as some fans might want to, the fact is they can’t. They just don’t have the available funds.
That’s sad, but it’s also a reality of life in Australia, and the V8 Supercars either didn’t know that or just don’t care.
You can’t help but think V8 Supercars have delivered a gut punch to the people that have been the heartbeat of their fan-base for a long time.
How else do you explain taking all but six full race meetings off network television and replacing them with a one-hour highlights package?
Foxtel, obviously, have plenty of money to throw at the series, because the nature of their work is subscription television (though I bet we’ll see a slight subscription increase as a result of this).
And the dollar signs – all 241 million of them – have obviously flashed in the eyes of CEO James Warburton and his staff, so they’ve jumped at the chance to make a massive amount of cash. Channel Ten are given the free to air rights, with the kind of money on offer from Foxtel unlikely to be matched by a free to air station for motor racing.
You also can’t blame Foxtel. They’re doing what they think is best to secure good content for those who pay, sometimes up to a small fortune, for subscription television service. They now have a slice of every major sports product in Australia. Their job is to expand their portfolio, and they’ve done it very well in this case.
V8 racing is a solid get. It mightn’t be as popular as it was, but they still have a solid fan-base.
Will that fan-base dwindle now? How do you maintain interest in any sport if you can’t see the bulk of the races?
This is a sad move by V8 Supercars, and one that doesn’t make sense.
After one of the most competitive racing seasons in the history of touring car racing in Australia, V8 Supercars should be trying to expose their sport to more fans, not marginalising the fans they already have.
I wonder if they’ll feel the same way if their traditional fan-base crumbles away due to a lack of exposure.
Five years is a long time to wait to make a change. Hopefully, for V8 racing, it’s not too long.
robert
Guest
channel ten you are doing the wrong thing by v8 supercars because this year you have made it had for vision impaired people who are able to see more of the race at home instead of at the curcuit because we cannot afford to go or like my self dont have family or careers able to take us to the races there are lots that have other disabilitys as well who cannot get there eitheir and we are die hard fans just like the ones able to go and we look forward to watching all of the caterory of other races that support the v8 races and you are killing us with so called one hour highlights that we dont even get because of your bloody adds we want to be able to sea and hear the full days of the weekend in stead of your add break highlight which is aload of rubbish just because your net work staff get their payment you lot donot care about the pubilic what so ever l, used to compete in the old touring car rounds and now your trying to stuff my enjoyment of it all just for the money and stuff the rest of the pubilic is your networks attitude and because it is hurting alot of the above members of the pubilic you donot careless from robert so we are all discussed with you and your lack of telecast skillsyou and your lot donot care about us what so ever.
Laurie
Guest
Been an avid supporter of motorsport since the days of the Armstrong 500 at Ph[llip [sland, fore runner to todays Bathurst and have given monetary support all these years by way of merchandise purchase and trackside attendance when possible. Myself and my mates have now decided to boycott all channel 9 broadcast of v8 supercars in protest at the sellout of this sport to Foxtel. This now means we will no longer be purchasing any associated merchandise such as clothing, model cars and the like.We refuse to be forced to subscribe to pay TV to watch what we have always had free access to previously. Our sentiments are hereby expressed. Stuff Foxtel
Matthew
Guest
With the season almost over it's quite clear they won't have much of a fan base left come the start of the 2016 season , the crowd numbers for the Gold Coast 600 weekend showed just how quickly the fans have dropped off after being shafted by the new media deal , so the category surviving 5 years of this current deal is an impossible task based on fan comments and feedback . Another boost to the ratings of chanel 7 on weekends with AFL being the only sport with free to air coverage on a Friday night , Saturdays and Sundays , Gillon McGlaughlin is looking the smartest CEO of them all now in the future building stakes !
Mal
Guest
I'm not interested in paying to watch TV especially when it's full of adds the whole idea of pay TV was to pay for no adds so if ten can't broadcast it live then give it back to seven they did a better job anyway I'm sure I'm not the only one pissed at this
Denise
Guest
I love the V8s but can't afford fox we have been duped
Geoff Vincent
Guest
NOT HAPPY!!! Feel like we have been dudded. v8 supercars ought to be ashamed of themselves and Channel Ten should have thought about the fans before agreeing to a deal like this. Utter disgrace. I love the v8s, and I feel I have been left on the street corner wearing my red holden shirt and waving a hrt flag and realising the parade has already passed. Gutted
phil
Guest
I do agree completely with your comments and infact we are one of those families that doesn't just have the extra 50 bucks to go to foxtel with but I think its a little bit of cant please all the people all the time....
Bill Childs
Guest
I am so sad, hearing the news that the V8's will only be shown in full on fox tell. well I'm a pensioner down there with the low income earner who has trouble affording food far less foxtel tv. we need to stop thinking that everyone is rich. a very bad and and inconsiderate move.
kombivan
Guest
Whilst I don't want the teams to suffer from lack of funds, the idea of lining Murdochs pockets even more is abhorrent to me. Call me cynical but this smacks of government money grab, think of all the gst they will rake in courtesy of the Libs best mate Murdoch & Testra. $50 p/month min? No doubt with a minimum sign up of 2 years plus installation costs. The F1s will be next. Not happening in this house.
Wayne
Guest
I have watched nearly every race for as long as I can remember (I am now 51 years young) and sadly with the majority of the races going to pay TV I will watch it no longer. I will now spend the extra time with my children (now 11 & 12), who have also grown up watching the V8's by my side and follow Craig Lowndes with passion, sadly this too will end. Well done the V8's have just lost 2 generations of fans that no doubt would have put the time aside once a month to watch this great show on wheels with their children in the future. Time to change priorities and use the extra week ends that have just been freed up to get out camping, fishing, water skiing and any other fun activity that we can do as a family, so I guess all is not lost. A shame really.
Boxy
Guest
Lay blame at the feet of those that deserve it - Channel 7. Their refusal to provide sports in HD is a slap to all sports fans country wide. They treat AFL fans with contempt and do the same to the V8's. How they can show Bathurst in SD yet provide HD feed for O/S viewers is appalling. FTA networks also refuse to pay to have their HD channels broadcast on Foxtel cable connections. Thank god it's going to Foxtel. Follow @AFLinHDpls and join the campaign to get all sports in HD on FTA for Aussie fans.
Graham smyth
Guest
Chris I'm not goin either to dear might play darts instead. So good comment
Mark WH&S
Guest
Look its very sad, that the day has fallen for the ford v's Holden age is closing. My V8 days go way back to FLAGIES CORNER and enjoyed the afternoons with a game of cricket with the drivers after a days practice run. Yes some people will go for the foxtel, others will just have to accept what is placed in front of them. But I will not lie down on this. This series is and always will be owned by the fans, so lets fight back by NOT SUPPORTING THE SPONSOR'S. Dont support the sponsors, I certainly won't be updating our VOLVO'S with New VOLVO'S and will not purchase any product related to V8's. Thats my say, I wish all happy viewing. (5yrs) Ps, lets see what happens when the footy goes only to Foxtel, hhmm.
Ray tomlin
Guest
I am an aged pensioner, who along with many others can not afford pay TV. Looks like you have just lost a V8 fan.As I live in Tas. I had to save for a few months just to get to see the racing here, but as I will not be able to view the rest of the races, why bother trying to get to the local one.
Angela May
Guest
I suppose we don't know yet what channel it will be on? I am assuming it will be on one of the HD channels so even if you have foxtel but not HD you will have to pay extra.
Scott Fleetwood
Guest
Thanks for nothing v8 supercars, I can't afford pay tv. I used to watch every race and new everything there was to know about he series. You can stick it up your arse. I'm watching ambrose in the nascars. Thanks for nothing
Tim C
Guest
Welcome to the end of V8 supercars as we know it. This will spell the end of the grass roots level support which has helped propel the sport onward and upward. Hope your 240 million keep you warm at night! RIP V8s.
Chris
Guest
I was a keen fan of V8 Supercars & the ATCC before that. Been going to Bathurst for 20 years. This years will be my last. V$upercars has sold out the fans. I'm taking my money & loyality to the 12 Hr race & club racing at the 3 tracks within 2 hrs of home. Screw V$upercars.
Shanakar
Guest
This is the worse decision V8 Supercars could have done and the only reason it was done is due to the immediate money they will see. Long term however they will lose more than what they will gain and I'll explain why. V8 Supercars at the moment is at the cusp of dwindling to nothing as sponsors continually move out of the sport in favor of other sports, and teams are having a hard time finding sponsors also because the sport is losing its appeal. Instead of finding ways to fix the sport, they've decided to go the PayTV route and get so much money. This is a blatant stab in the back to all the fans who have followed and supported the sport throughout all the years. Formula 1 did the same with SkyTV in the UK and other countries and last year they recorded record viewer drops since 1998. The Sky deal didn't raise enough % to merit the deal and this year the viewership count had dwindled even more with more people opting to live streams and other sport events entirely. I myself live in Rural Victoria where only Austar is available. To have Austar with the sports packages required to view the V8 Supercars next year you are looking at a 70+ dollar monthly subscription at a minimum, and their prices are constantly going up and up. I had Austar and disconnected from it because it was just not worth the money. I think V8 Supercars will see a decrease in not only viewers, but supporters. The problem is that Australian's are also a bunch of idiots. They will continue to go to the races even though they don't support this deal, some of them will pay for Foxtel even though they don't like this deal. If Australian's really want to make the series open its eyes, then don't go to the first race of next season, don't watch it on TV. Lets see how the V8 Supercars series will feel when all the grandstands are empty like what happened in Bahrain F1 and Malaysia F1 a couple years ago where people just didn't go and they opened the weekend for free just to get the grandstands packed. Didn't work. If Australian V8 Supercar fans were smart, they'd do that too, but they won't because they're stupid enough to sit there and take it up the ass rather than band together and do something about it. And those who say "What can I do?" Well, don't go to the races, don't pay to watch it. Show them how much their decision affects the fans. Dislike their facebook page. You think if they see a decrease of 10,000 or more people per race or a decrease of tens of thousands of fans on their facebook page won't make them open their eyes? It will, unfortunately that won't happen. I myself am neither going to any races this year even due to the deal next year. I've already disliked their page, and its only that level of response by the fans that will make them think.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
Sadly, not even Mel McLaughlin's potential presence on Channel Ten's coverage is going to help this deal.