Fox!

After every race on Fox theres a thread started about how bad the coverage is, Speed is just as bad, same announcers and all. I haven't watched a Grand Prix on Speed/Fox/ or CBS in 6 years and haven't missed a race either. The internet in your friend, BBC coverage is great, and I would rather watch a Chinese feed than listen to the Speed goofballs screw up every race. No commercials on BBC either.

So, the answer is YES, theres something you can do about the crap Speed/Fox coverage, of course you have to be a true fan and watch LIVE, something too many around here find excuses not to do.

 

Fox and Speed are terrible. I watch all races on a live BBC feed over the internet now. Not exactly the best thing in the world to do but it's not annoying. The announcers on Speed are just.....fail.

 

Speed is a hell of alot better than Fox and I doubt I would be calling Varsha,Hobbs and Matchett goofballs but this is about the Fox coverage and not the Speed coverage.

 

It's the exact same feed, the exact same announcers. What's the problem?

 

They dumb it down when they broadcast on Fox and explain stuff most viewers already know.

 

+1 right. It's the same guys, it's just played on Fox.

 

How's that a problem? It's not like they're talking over the exciting play-by-play. Most of the time they're looking for something to say to fill the time while the cars circulate.

They're trying to bring in the 99.99999876% of car enthusiasts who don't follow F1

 

You yourself say that F1 is aimed at highly technical, smart people.

When broadcasting on Fox, they must simplify to help the broader audience grasp some of the nuance. Don't you want F1 to catch on in US and for future US F1 races to be well attended by Americans?

Oh, thats right, you don't.

 

You hit the nail on the head with wanting to simply F1 for the uninformed so those of us here who do not need it too be dumbed down imho are being just a tad critical. Kinda remind's me of the threads about Ferrari owner's being jerks as there is no difference between that scenario and this one, heck I'm just happy that F1 is still broadcast because international racing coverage is not what it was back in the good old days of ESPN when you could watch F1,IMSA,Group B and various other series on the same day.

Anyone can be a critic but I think it takes a bigger person to look for the positive rather than the negative.

 

I'm all about F1 expanding its base viewers in the states. The problem is that they have been trying and trying for many years and it has not caught on, it's like american football (soccer) in that way. That being the case, they shouldn't play just for the hardcore fans but they do need to find a balance between, "F1 nubs who know zilch", and people who know what is what with the sport.

BBC is great but they definitely play and talk to people who are in the know and perhaps that is the way fans in the states will come on board. It's like watching a movie like Star Wars for the first time where the beginning uses all sort of language and references to things that have never been explained but it certainly makes everyone curious because it alludes to a world far larger than what is currently being explained. This adds a mystery and a curiousity factor to the situation. If people are interested they will figure it out and research the issue, but there is no need in constantly explaining it in some dogmatic drumbeat fashion at every single solitary race. It's maddening.

 

John,
I really wish the BBC would air the races here in the states as I believe it would add a new perspective to the sport for F1 newbies and oldies alike. One can only hope I guess but atleast we still get coverage here in the states so all is not bad or lost. Oh and before I get beat down lol my opinion is neither right nor wrong just friendly banter.

 

Speed has plenty of nascar and auctions to cover. Let BBC America handle F1 with a live feed from BBC1 or something. Of course the problem with that is Fox/Speed pay huge $$$ to have F1 and I know BBC would not want their affiliate station, BBC America, paying that huge chunk since their main station, BBC1, already pays.

 

That would be ok with me but I would miss Varsha as I have always liked him since he first started commentating way back when and Hobb's (atleast for me) add's that certain spice of the good old day's. Crazy times we live in now with all the punting.

 

I usually watch the BBC pre-race show, then have been watching the high(er)-def Fox broadcast, then watch the post-race BBC show.

I've also caught myself going back and re-watching some of the more exciting bits of the GP from the BBC replay just to get the "better" version of the call.

 

This year I purchased a VPN account and am able to see the BBC coverage. Best 50 or 60 bucks I've spent this year.

I have to say that the commentating on the BBC is so biased towards Mclaren and Button, Lewis, and the other English drivers that it's pretty pathetic. The biggest missing element of the BBC commentators is that they do not have the eye for detail it seems that he guys on Speed have (or perhaps I mean just Matchett).

Just this weekend just for kicks I watched the BBC and the Speed coverage back to back.

The advantage of BBC is that they have significantly more air time, both before and after the race, unequaled access to the heavy hitters in F1 (McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull team managers are typically interviewed on each race show), and no commercials. Their qualifying coverage commentators are an absolute joke, the worst ever. So bad in fact that I've just turned the volume down or off while they ramble on. The race commentary is not bad, but in my opinion it's not as great as some here seem to think.

The Speed commentary is much less biased, a little bit more insightful as to technical issues with Matchett, significantly less coverage, no access to anyone of any importance and boat loads and boat loads of commercials.

Overall, I watch the BBC coverage, but what I think you are really missing with Speed are the commercials, the lack of access to F1 heavy hitters and more airtime before, during and after the race.

Overall the commentary to me is about a wash, each has their strengths, but neither is outstanding and both could definitely improve.

 

That is my biggest issue also and after modding a F1 forum for years which happens to be UK based I got fedup with the kid's "I have watched F1 since Lewis started driving and he is the best" kinda nonsense (no disrespect meant towards my UK based friends). I envy the UK in that their motorsports coverage in general dwarf's our US coverage but the nonsensical opinion (or should I say lambness) shown by UK based fan's is rather comical.

Yes I have always liked Eddie Cheever but Senna,Prost,Schumacher,Alesi,Berger,Lauda etc etc were always my favorites back in the day so am I wrong for not portraying national pride, no I'm not as the sport is bigger than that imho.

 

The Fox thing is a double edged sword.

On one hand, Speed has limited viewership and we want more exposure of F1 in the US. The time delay Fox uses allows it to be seen midday instead of at 4 in the morning when no one tunes in. Fox promotes it with promo's on their networks.

On the other hand, Speed has more time to give to it and the commentary is more to it's target of dedicated and knowledgable fans.


You can't have it both ways. To me, it's a necessary evil.

 

A tough call it is buddy and we cannot have it both ways but Speed does offer more insight for the casual fan/follower looking for more insight. We have a long row to plow in the US concerning F1 but I do not want to give up hope just yet, anything worth having is always a work in progress.

 

speed is bad, fox is on an entirely new level of awful.

i don't mind the speed commentary at all, just the damn commercials every 5 minutes are ridiculous.

bbc is the best

 

+1

 

So what makes the BBC's coverage so much better than Speeds coverage? Is it the commentary,technical input???

 

For starters you have two former F1 drivers. Speed has Hobbs, but his experience is now about 40 years back as opposed to like 10 years.

Second you don't have to deal with clueless Varsha and his political correctness talk.

Third the BBC commentators assume their audience has seen a F1 race before and don't start from absolute zero explaining everything and the kitchen sink.

Fourth the broadcast offers a lot more insight with the pre and post race show and no interruptions during commercials.

Matchett is Speed's knowledgeable commentator. There or thereabouts And I like their Aussie in pitlane. At least he has the gutts to occasionally voice an opinion (which Varsha is always quick to erase by saying something befitting Kumbaya and World Peace).

 

What is the best way to watch a BBC feed from the states and is there a way of time slotting it?

I used to watch on Filmon but they no longer have BBC1

Everything else I've tried is subject to freezing and dropouts.

Are there any reliable VPN accounts out there?

 

Subject only to ones opinion so I disagree and aswell we all should know by now what assumptions make you so...