For our Italian readers, you’ll have a new look to the Formula One coverage in Italy in 2013. The Sky Italia network will be covering all the races live while another free-to-air broadcaster will cover half the races.
If the scenario seems similar, that’s because Sky Sports in the UK has been doing this since the beginning of 2012 when the shock announcement came that the BBC could no longer sustain its F1 coverage and would be handing the package to Sky Sports F1. The network is a pay TV subscription.
There was a lot of angst over the move from BBC to BSkyB in the UK at the time but after six races, we’ve heard very little grousing about the coverage quality or disappointment of British F1 fans and the pay TV subscription format. Italian broadcaster RAI has traditionally carried the F1 events but the new move has pleased the commercial rights boss Bernie Ecclestone:
“We have worked with Sky Italia in the past and I have no doubts about their production standards,” said Ecclestone. “We have a similar agreement in Britain that is working very well,” he added.
Let us know what you think of the coverage if you are in the UK and what Italians can expect from their new pay TV coverage from BSkyB in the comment section below.
