From GMM
Television ratings and major car manufacturers would appear to be ingredients Bernie Ecclestone cannot do without.
F1, however, shed no fewer than 25 million viewers last year, but the sport's supremo insists he is not worried because it "reflects the move FOM has made towards pay TV in several markets over the last three seasons".
A prime example is the situation in Britain, where only a select number of grands prix are now shown free-to-air on the
BBC, with only pay-channel Sky having the exclusive live rights.
That model has now been adopted in other key markets, and it has "boosted F1's bottom line as pay TV networks are prepared to pay a premium for rights to sports events since they drive subscriber numbers",
Forbes' F1 business journalist Christian Sylt explained.
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Photo: WRi2 |