Time to Axe Formula1?

[Gromit]

The BBC needs to cut 20 per cent from its budgets by 2014.

// The BBC paid £300million to screen F1 in a five-year deal which runs until 2013.

At almost £3million a race, it costs more each hour than the most expensive dramas like the lavish Cranford and Dr Who.

http://www.dailymail....ls.html#ixzz1Po5RIVEr

And it is very boring. Time to hand it to Mr Murdoch?

[Hopkirk]

It went on ITV before, but it was a farce having advert breaks in the middle of the race.

Having said that, I begrudge giving any of my money to that Ecclestone man.

[milly143]

I might think it's boring and you might think it's boring but there were 8.3 million people who didn't think it was boring last weekend.

[R1Geezer]

No, axe the football if they must, or that pile of sh1te eastenders.

it's only boring if you don't understand it Gromit. Tell me Button's Canadian victory was boring!

[marval]

I could manage without it, but my OH would not be happy if it disappeared.

[jackthehat]

The bit where they go round and round is quite good..........the bit where they have 3 overpaid muppets trying to find different ways of saying the same thing for several hours prior to, or during an extended break in the middle of the race, is boring......

[ChuckFickens]

300million is the total BBC budget for all sports..... the exact amount they paid for F1 isn't known but is rumoured to be about 40million.

[Old_Geezer]

I find you have to be in the mood for F1 to watch it. Beer & mates help. Things going wrong (as long as no one is hurt) is exciting, as are the overtaking bits, but there is just too much just going around and around to hold the attention otherwise.

[Davethedog]

It amazes me, they have to cut budgets, but were happy enough to waste £440 million pounds +, moving to Mnachester for no good reasonn that I can see.

And I am totaly pro BBC, but how they can cry poverty after that is beyond me.

[anotheoldgit]

Ditch football, after all the matches are mainly repeats, and spend the money saved on Polo coverage.

[Gromit]

The BBC hardly has any football left except the protected ones. Their Football League contract runs out next year. SKY and ESPN have the Premier League. ITV have the FA Cup, Champions League and England matches.

The BBC pays peanuts for highlights.

[pa___ul3]

BBC don't show a lot of football, apart from MOTD, so there's not really much to ditch. The FA cup games they show every now and then though are always worth watching. How about keep catering for as broad a demographic as possible, that's the only fair way considering it's publicly funded.

[anotheoldgit]

Since this thread should have gone in the Sports section, and those Gromit digs at the Tories threads should be in the Politics section, is it any use having these other sections?

[venator]

At the end of the day, it's the audience figures that count. The Beeb probably pay less per programme viewer than most of their other programmes.

If the Beeb cut it, advertisers would queue up to pay millions to the sleazy commercial channel owners.

[joggerjayne]

Yeah, F1 is real yawn TV.

[redcrx]

they should get more of the motorcycle racing on instead, much more fun to watch and probably cheaper for bbc to buy too

[joggerjayne]

... or Netball, which is always consigned to stupid viewing times.