ESPN / Sky coverage (spoilers)

We're on the second GP of the season and they're already speculating about Ricci and asking McLaren about their driver lineup for next year. ?????

 

Just media trying to generate drama.

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I have Direct TV Now through a Roku. Using the Beta which now has a DVR capability. However, it only records the allotted time shown in the guide. Recorded & watched practice & qualifying yesterday. Ends of both got chopped off. No way to add additional recording time. Not happy.

Had to find out qualifying results online which I had scrupulously avoided all day on my phone at work to avoid spoiling it. Should've just spoiled it.

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Do they extend the coverage if things run long or do they switch to the next show at the time the guide has listed?

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This never would've occurred to me. Thanks for the solution.

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Not too bad today. I guess I'm getting used to the kind of banter this crew uses. Also, kudos to ESPN2 (and Mother's) for going commercial free the whole way. So, a step in the right direction.

 

yep, getting better, still have some homework to do.

 

I love their graphics and today's race had no commercials, awesome.

And it's fun to hear the pro Hamilton commentators. Hehe.

 

That was much better than the 1st race. It was a good broadcast.

 

Still can't hold a candle to the NBC coverage. You got so much more insight from Matchet and Hobbs.

 

Wow commercial free. Maybe no one wants to advertise on F1!

 

NBC coverage WAS NOT good in my opinion. Hobbs was [and is] a very knowledgeable and entertaining man, Matchet I can do without.

 

Point taken. However, I prefer to think that ESPN, having royally screwed up race 1, gave up some commercial money in the hopes of some goodwill toward the fans? Maybe . . ??

 

overall, I preferred the coverage the last several years as compared to this year. The coverage I've seen on DirecTV (SKY/ESPN) has missed a lot of the telecast at either the beginning or end of either practice, qualifying or the race, and the current announcers talk too fast and talk over each other. And I miss all the commentary in studio after the events, as well as the grid walk with Will Buxton. How can we petition to get the former team to present the broadcast?

 

Maybe they actually listened to the viewers after Australia.

Thanks to Mother's for the uninterrupted coverage! Pirelli should do the same since they get two hours of free advertising for their schiddy tires.....

 

But you also don't get to see actual passing because the passes always happen when commercials are on.
I like this new format where I actually get to see the whole race.

 

yuuuup, I would switch over to UniMas (they did'nt show the Bahrain 2018 race) as they ran commercial free in years pass. They showed the Australia 2018 race.

 

I have a feeling ESPN went commercial free this week because last week was such a disaster. I can't imagine they will keep up with the no commercials considering their dire financial straights. You may have missed passing live on NBC, but they always showed anything of interest on replay when they returned.

I guess it's a matter of personal taste, but I so much preferred the entire NBC gang and their pre and post race shows.

 

I enjoyed the commercial-free coverage, thanks ESPN (and Mothers)!

 

Found the race afterwards on the ESPN app, so enjoyed the no commercials as well. To me the sound mix is bad, with enough car noise that I can't hear the announcers clearly. This might my TV, or my hearing isn't the greatest, or that as a US speaker I don't focus in on the Brit accents as well, but I still think they could balance the volume of cars VS. voices much better.

Agree with the comment above that I'm still adjusting to the style of banter, and enjoy all the discussions of pit strategy today, and their observation that Hamilton must have been running in a lower engine mode when his team asked him to turn it up...and the announcers pointed out that the team must have had some telemetry issues since they should have already known what engine mode HAM was in.

 

Going commercial free solved the problem of the live broadcast with no commentary. If ESPN is just going to broadcast the feed and not have their own staff explain what is going on, this makes the most most sense.

But my feeling is it won't last.

 

Nothing at all wrong with ESPN's presentation of the Bahrain Grand Prix as broadcast by SKY.

As usual, the SKY commentary is by far and away in another class from NBC Sports'. The driver commentators
are guys who've actually been in the cockpit within the last three generations with Paul de Resta very much in the
frame for the Williams ride this year and Nico Rosberg joining later in the season.

How anyone may lament the departure of NBC Sports is beyond me. Complaining that the SKY presenters are
all English and not understandable, a complete cop out. Hobbs (English) was five decades removed from the cockpit, always
a colorful character and beloved, he deserves a long healthy retirement. Matchett (English) was three decades removed
from being a pit mechanic, he knew tires (boy did he know his tires) but his act was wearing thin. Diffey. Rather
than putting Diffey on a leaky boat back to Australier, NBC put him in the booth for their Indy Car coverage at
Phoenix. Gads!

The real difference in the broadcast team quality is that SKY's team are actually at the events rather than
squirreled up in a studio in Connecticut somewhere. This lends a great sense of place to each event. I've
opted for SKY's live streaming coverage now for about three years rather than having to listen to Diffey
harp on and on and I personally know guys who'd watch the UNIVISON broadcast rather than having to
put up with Diffey's antics.

And remember, a lot of what we're seeing is being directed by the host broadcaster. SKY has no control over
the images coming from the world feed while the races are on. They all get the same picture and sound so
its the level of commentary that makes the difference.

BHW