Liberty Media has displayed that it intends to make good on its aspirations to improve the ‘show’, by establishing a firm agenda at its first race weekend.
A fairer deal for free to air viewers and the eradication of undesirable aerodynamic components have already been tabled at the season opening Australian Grand Prix.
Present in the Melbourne paddock, Formula One’s new owners Commercial and Motor Sports directors, Sean Bratches and Ross Brawn, didn’t hold back in specifying areas which require addressing.
In the face of impending exclusivity to pay television in the United Kingdom, Bratches opined that those unable to afford the privilege shouldn’t be neglected, and deserve a satisfactory service to that end.
Bratches’ reasoning that drawing, or merely retaining viewers to the sport, requires a duty of care, is a sound contention, whilst tending to the ultimate purpose for which Liberty exists.
» Every F1 race live on Foxtel
Reinstating full race coverage on a dedicated scale would fly in the face of Sky Sports’ looming tie-up, though it represents a future in which over the top streaming (OTT) is embraced, and only through exposing audiences to the sport can they hope to count on investment.
On the sporting side, Brawn has made it germane that he’s no fan of the revived ‘shark fins’, along with the accompanying vanes and discreet concepts which have enjoyed growing rise with each season to the detriment of the racing spectacle.
“We have cars with very complicated bodywork… it means as soon as they are disturbed by a car in front, they suffer”, Brawn remarked, which is a fundamental component in producing a quality event, yet has been left unattended in the modern era.
“Rest assured that we will be working with the teams… to find solutions if we don’t feel the racing is as good as it should be”, lends itself to transparency on Liberty’s behalf to improve proceedings.
Convincing outfits which may not be inclined to alter the regulations, preferring to serve their own selfish motives represents his greatest challenge.
Liberty’s original timeline, targeting 2020 for the realisation of changes outlined upon assuming control – which coincides with the conclusion of the current Concorde Agreement, remains in place. More immediate alterations for factors which don’t profoundly affect a season would be well served at Brawn’s behest.
It would have been easy for Liberty to gloss over the commencement to the sport’s new chapter and eased its passage in inconspicuous fashion, thus their representation this weekend is a positive indication that they’re here to make a difference.
The gloomy skies of the previous regime are already lifting, with all accounts from the paddock suggesting that the atmosphere is an immediately improved one which will only become even more superior if Liberty remains true to its word.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
The potential is endless with the tools at Liberty's disposal and as a group which has pioneered the method to utilise such features to full disposal, the final product will be salivating. Formula One itself is an awesome marketing tool which has been gravely mismanaged in the digital age, thus the two in unison are a perfect storm. As for Brawn. He knows what he's doing, nobody should doubt his intentions. Enough said. He tells us to be patient, our faith shall be rewarded.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Listening to Brawn and Bratches speak yesterday continues to urge me back into wanting to write my proposed thesis for university, which I canvased before graduating initially. It would basically be an outline of how Formula One can integrate new media into its marketing and distribution structure. How (using Bratches' example) being aligned with NBC in the States should allow the sport to utilise the network's other ventures such as TV, film and theme parks. All these untapped areas are finally going to be exploited and that is going to be amazing. And that is all from a media/marketing/communications point of view. Going over to the sporting side and what Brawn is looking at, there is cause for optimism too. The notion of poacher turned game-keeper will be an interesting story to watch.