Spa 24 hrs on Player TV - professional coverage? - 10-Tenths Motorsport Forum

Steve Tarrant · 30 Jul 2006, 14:08

I am pleased to see FIA GT racing on TV, but how serious is a tv company that joins the race half a lap after the start, and then take a 2 min advert break with 1 min to go so that we don't see the winner chequered flagged over the line?

Surely they need to employ someone in production that knows what a race is about, and when to time ad breaks.

I know a number of race commentators read this forum, if anyone involved can shed some light on these stange editing decisions I and I'm sure others would love to hear.

Steve

Audi R8R · 30 Jul 2006, 14:10

It's certainly at the unprofessional level that ITV showed at Imola last year.

I can't believe that after 24 hours they need to take an ad break at that point, especially when the first part of the ad break is for a channel I'malready watching.... Duh?!

Someone there needs a talking to, seriously!

courageous · 30 Jul 2006, 14:14

I agree, but would be willing to forgive them if they respond to our concerns and next year (assuming it is a multi year deal) it does not happen.

BUT

My main concern is the apparant lack of awareness that the channel shows anything more than poker - just look at their website (www.player.tv), plus I sent several emails in the weeks before the race to try and find out their plans for showing the race, all went unanswered - hardly professional!

Silk Cut Jaguar · 30 Jul 2006, 17:31

I didn't watch a great deal of their coverage but I couldn't believe it when they cut to a commercial half way around the warmup lap and then returned to the race towards the end of the first flying lap. That's just unforgivable for race coverage.

Somehow they managed to make the same mistake for the end of the race too, cutting to a commericial with 2 minutes left of the race and then returning to the coverage with the winners standing on their car waving flags.

Two of the most crucial stages in a motor race and they decide to show adverts instead.

MotorsTV seem to show more trailers for their FIA GT highlights package than Player do on their own station for the live coverage. Here's hoping Player only got it on a 1 year deal...

SALEEN S7R · 30 Jul 2006, 22:43

Whilst I agree that Player didnt really do a good job for this years Spa 24hrs in fairness the rest of the coverage they have given to the FIA GT championship has been pretty good. IMO. Motorsport is a new market for Player and they are on a pretty steep learning curve, im not saying what they did today is okay because it isnt but hopefully they will learn from this and it wont happen again.

Player arent the first Channel to make a mistake whilst broadcasting the FIA GT championship, a unnamed pan European channel has in the past made this kind of mistake and cut to a badly timed advert break, and they werent only like it for the FIA GT championship either. Thats when they bothered to stick to their TV listings. Personally im willing to forgive Player this time and let this blunder slip this time, if however it happens regularly it may well become a bigger issue. This is the only time they have messed up so far this season and hopefully it will be the last time too. At least they are giving full live coverage of this years regular FIA GT races...

strider · 30 Jul 2006, 23:03

I'm sure it has been said before, but Player is simply not a motorsport channel, so what do you expect?

SRO tend to do one year deals for TV production, so I expect they will look at it again for next year.

Audi R8R · 30 Jul 2006, 23:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

I'm sure it has been said before, but Player is simply not a motorsport channel, so what do you expect?

SRO tend to do one year deals for TV production, so I expect they will look at it again for next year.

That's rubbish! They're a TV channel, ITV isn't a motorsport channel, but they haven't made the same mistake twice, Player managed it at both ends of the same race...

Surely anyone, with at least a small amount of intelligence and common sense knows that the two most important parts of a motor race are the beginning and the end...

So which two bits did they screw up?

Ranald · 31 Jul 2006, 09:53

DSC reported on the Le Mans 24hr coverage on both MotorsTV and Player. They said that Player showed similar coverage of Le Mans as they did Spa. At Le Mans they also missed the start and finish of the race due to adverts, pretty unforgivable really.
I personally think that the coverage, adverts aside, isn't too bad. The commentary is quite good and at least we get the whole race(almost). But the coverage is very unprofessional on the part of both Player and the TV production team. Often the images and sound have no relation ,although Spa was better, and at most circuits there aren't enough cameras which means we get 6 cameras for the whole track and dull coverage. Players promotion is terrible and close to non-existent.
I really hope this is a one year deal for Player or that they come back next year with a completely new, and much improved package. I think the fact that Player won the contract to broadcast the series shows how little competition there must have been form other broadcasters.

JAG · 31 Jul 2006, 18:04

Showing FIA GT on Player is a waste of time.

NOBODY is aware they show the bloody series, it doesn't matter how good or bad the coverage is.

If the average guy on the street wants to watch a little motorsport they switch through the sports channels.

strider · 31 Jul 2006, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audi R8R

That's rubbish! They're a TV channel, ITV isn't a motorsport channel, but they haven't made the same mistake twice, Player managed it at both ends of the same race...

If you're comparing Player with ITV, then that's a rubbish comparison! You should at least compare like with like.

Just have a look at the Player website, as suggested earlier, then you might understand better why the channel is as it is.

Audi R8R · 31 Jul 2006, 19:58

How can you say it's a rubbish comparison? They're a TV channel, it doesn't take someone with vast amounts of experience in broadcasting to know that the most important parts of a motor race for the people watching are the start, the overtakes and the finish...

Whether they're focusing on Poker or other things, they have the contract and missing two of the most important aspects of the most prestigious race of the season is, frankly, amatuerish. Someone needs talking to if that's how they think the coverage should be run.

It would be like showing the world poker final live and cutting to comercials just as the final cards are being turned over... hardly pleasing for the advert watching punters. Nothing better to make someone not watch a tv channel (and therefore, not watch your advertisers adverts) than ****ing off the viewers.

strider · 31 Jul 2006, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audi R8R

Someone needs talking to if that's how they think the coverage should be run.

Sound like just the job for you, as you're such an expert.

SALEEN S7R · 31 Jul 2006, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Sound like just the job for you, as you're such an expert.

Coudnt have put it better myself.

Audi R8R · 31 Jul 2006, 23:50

I'd know not to go to a commercial break at the start and the end of a motor race, any motor race. I'd say that puts me several steps ahead of the person in charge on Saturday and Sunday.

If the pair of you have to resort to personal insults as you disagree with a person's post then I suggest you take a long hard look at what you've posted in the past, especially you Saleen S7R, there's been a number of times I have had to correct you in the past. And I'm not the only one...

There are a number of people on here that have expert 'knowledge' of what they speak. Shame a great deal of the 'fans' don't listen to what they're saying half the time and just carry on posting regardless of what's been written before.

Regards
AudiR8R

SALEEN S7R · 1 Aug 2006, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audi R8R

there's been a number of times I have had to correct you in the past. And I'm not the only one...

Sometimes I do make mistakes yes, you do also though, but perhaps not so often. Although this is generally because you tend not to post as often as myself and others here, therefore shouldnt make as many mistakes! You have however in the past slipped up more than once yourself. There is one big differnce between the majority of members here and yourself, most people here dont profess to be experts. You do. Whether or not you are is down to personal opinion...

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