Formula One coverage moving to BBC
Twelve years ago ITV triumphantly snatched TV rights for the Formula One from the BBC and has been showing the Grand Prix’s ever since. However from 2009 things are all changing again. The BBC has made a deal with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to show the 2009 – 2013 F1 seasons exclusively in the UK.
The BBC contract covers all platforms and promises new innovations including online and on-demand coverage. Bernie says ”The BBC has some innovative ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base.” It comes at a time when the BBC has been losing more and more sports to ppv and subscription based channels.
The BBC does have a lot to offer the F1 fans. For a start the main one I can see is HD. Formula One has been filmed in HD for a couple of years now for other markets. However now that HD has become so mainstream and that BBC already has an up and running HD channel – there is every reason to expect that the BBC will broadcast every grand prix in HD.