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FOX Sports: Grand Prix ads “out of our hands” as fans vent anger

FOX Sports says its contract for F1 required it to simulcast TEN ads -but subscribers aren't happy.

FOX Sports had to defend its broadcast of the Australian Grand Prix on the weekend after motor racing fans took to social media complaining about too many ads.

Used to viewing sport uninterrupted, they complained about excessive ads interrupting the big event when they were paying for the privilege.

In a video statement, FOX Sports said, “As part of our deal to carry Formula One, we’re obliged to carry Network TEN’s ads during Qualifying and the Race.

“We can’t go into details on the contract, but the fact is it’s out of our hands for this one Race only.

“We’ll make sure you don’t miss any of the action by running a split-screen. So whenever Network TEN go to an ad break you’ll still be able to see all of the action here on FOX Sports.

“As fans ourselves we know it’s not perfect but we’ve done our best to make sure you don’t miss a second.

“It’s a one-off and for every other Formula One event this season, there won’t be an ad break in sight during Qualifying and the main race on FOX Sports.”

But it isn’t clear if FOX Sports subscribers will be subject to further ads next season, after a 5 year deal with TEN was announced two years ago.

https://twitter.com/TrevorTonkin/status/845868364849340416

17 Responses

  1. Seriously people we know the deal for the AU round and bitching about it every year is not gonna change things, I hate it as much as the next fan who pays for Foxtel but just remember the next 19 races are 100% ad free for the whole race and all practice and qualifying sessions.

  2. It’s interesting that NZ recently had a political debate about allowing key national sporting events to be shown on FTA, the events would have been shared by Sky Sports and other subscription services. The proposal did not succeed, so the current broadcast arrangements will continue as they are.

  3. people its not |Foxtel’s fault its the Australian Government it will happen next year also so start complaining now , you didnt miss any of the action cause there was pic in pic split screen those who watched FTA missed large chunks of the action then when back from ads ch 10 replays what happened in the ads , so you miss more . its 1 race every year in the season

    1. No, it’s not the government’s fault. The anti-siphoning list doesn’t guarantee exclusivity to FTA, and pay TV can show events on the list independent of the FTA broadcaster provided a couple of conditions are met (the biggest one being that the FTA licencee must have the rights to broadcast it to 50%+ of the population).

      Most likely the real issue is the details of the deal between F1 & 10…

  4. Whoever negotiated that particular contract clause should be sacked. Foxtel’s whole sporting landscape is meant to be ad free…..not difficult is it?

  5. Fox Sports Melbourne F1 telecast was dreadful because of the ad breaks which so rudely interrupted Sky Sports’ commentary. While Channel 10 commentators would have designed their commentary to fit in with Ch10’s ad breaks, on Foxtel, the ad breaks cut off the Sky Sports commentators mid-sentence. So much for trying to follow the commentary – it would only be ditched mid-sentence. And that first ad break after the start of the race just went on, and on, and on – absolutely terrible. Unless Foxtel can be ad-free for next year’s Melbourne F1, I’ll give it a miss and start the season off with the Chinese F1.

    Also, the Sky Sports commentators regularly mentioned that the F1 was available on Sky Sports (UK) in Ultra HD. I wonder if Foxtel will ever be going UHD.

      1. A very good question, Secret Squirrel. As others have said before, the $10 per month premium for HD Foxtel should have long since gone – HD is now the standard. At least there’s no surcharge for color or 2.0/5.1 surround sound.

  6. “As part of our deal to carry Formula One, we’re obliged to carry Network TEN’s ads during Qualifying and the Race.”

    Maybe they should have tried harder to get a deal that didn’t require ads. After all Foxtel customers are paying a premium to use their service. Or do they not care about their customers at all?

  7. This happened last year too. So yes it will happen next year. It also happens at Bathurst with the V8s. Always thought it was to do with the anti-syphoning list but it may just be the contract they signed.

    Channel 10 treatment of the F1 is a disgrace anyway… they show hours of coverage for the Melbourne race….. Show highlights of most of the rest of the races from the season. Then for the handful of other races they show live, they show maximum 15 mins built up to the races, most of the time it’s less cause the show on before hand has run over time (I remember a race last year they literally started the coverage with the start of the race, no intro, no nothing cause Extant had run late). They throw a million ads in and then finish the coverage as soon as the anthem is played. Ten….. Seriously.

    F1 was the main reason I got Foxtel. It’s Ad Free, I get 3 hours extra each…

    1. Couple of issues here, the ads in the local round is the trade off for TEN not showing every race live, Foxtel viewers got the better end of that deal. Also each race they show just 6 ad breaks during the race, usually limited to 2.5 minutes, so that 15 min in 2 hours the FTA viewers loose. Yes I hate how they cut to the race just minutes before it starts and barely hang around for the presentation. I love watching them on Foxtel, seeing the hour or more of lead up before the race, then the talk after. It well worth the price we pay for a few ads once a year of the local race!

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