MikeJim

2012 (Speed): 314k live viewers, 204k on replay = 518k total viewers
2013 (NBCSN): 124k live viewers, 138k on replay = 262k total viewers

The move to NBC Sports Network did not go well in the US.

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/...etwork-is.html

mhm993

On the other hand, they broadcast the race three times on Sunday, so there was ample opportunity to see the race!

AudiOn19s

Possibly a situation like my good friend. His cable provider does not carry NBC sports so he was unable to watch the race. He's changing providers currently.

Vonschmidt

Hopefully F1 will return to speed after the folks at NBC get tired of playing at motorsports coverage. The business model they are using is not current,and I seriously question their survival.

Chads996

...and very little in the way of advertising the season opener. The schedule was only released a week in advance. My bet - the numbers go up for Malaysia.

C.

DB_NC_95C2

colleague at work would have to purchase a tier of 200 channels on Dish Network to get NBC SN, he's not going to pay the money, he will either watch the Univision races in Spanish or investigate NBC SN streaming

CCA

I'm not convinced Speed is a better home for the long haul. The direction the programming has been going and fact that it sounds like it's name is going as well, doesn't bode well. That said NBC-SN did not advertise the start well at all, which I'm sure hurt the numbers. Hopefully they will climb as the season continues.

Toby Pennycuff

Had to search for NBC Sport Network on DirecTV. It's at channel 220. Announcing team seems to work well with the addition of Leigh Diffey.

jbossolo

I actually liked their coverage, particularly that "PIP" view while on commercials. We'll see.

SeanR

That was the nice thing about the broadcasting. I recorded the original airing and watched it later in the day. Wonder if those count in viewership.

LostSouth

Hate the new coverage. F1 has always been a little more cerebral to me than the other forms of motorsports. With it's traditional limited passing, strategy was much more important. Leigh Diffey scream at an alarming pace for the first 15 minutes of the race was maddening. I'm pretty sure it was the director's idea because the others followed suit. Btw, nothing against Leigh, I typically like his work.

multi21

Probably a couple reasons. 1. Don't have NBC SN or couldn't find it

2. SPEED had a lot of carry over NASCAR viewers from their wall to wall coverage. F1 was squeezed in between the 5 hr NASCAR pre race show and their hit show " R U faster than a Redneck"

MikeJim

Yes, a replay view anytime within a week of the original broadcast is recognized as a "view." In fact, more viewers watched the Australian GP in replay than live.

2013 (NBCSN): 124k live viewers, 138k on replay = 262k total viewers

For the record, Speed TV will essentially disappear on August 17, 2013, to be replaced by Fox Sports 1, which News Corp. hopes will compete directly with ESPN.

MikeJim

Little known factoids:

Speed Channel launched in the US on January 1, 1996, in Latin America on July 2005, and in Australia on November 1, 2010.

The Latin American version was shut down November 5, 2012. The US version will shut down August 17, 2013.

SPEED Channel Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, thus the reason Varsha & Co. did their broadcasts from there.

The Australian version of Speed will continue and is owned by Fox Sports Pty Limited, a division of News Corp.

dbf73

The change is better for me. On Comcast, SpeedHD required buying a pricey extra channel package over my normal lineup which included low def Speed. NBC SP HD comes with what I'm already paying. Good first effort and I expect improvement with experience.