Here is an explanation from Richard Last - SKY's Director of Sport - regarding MotoGP
"I can fully appreciate your comments and understand how frustrating this type of thing can be and I realise that my response is unlikely to change your opinion in the short term but I would like to explain how we have ended up in this situation.
"Our acquisitions team (which I am the head of) did start discussing the renewal of the rights with the broker and the rights holder in October last year. Unfortunately we have a difference of opinion in how we value coverage of the races.
"I know there are a large number of followers of Moto GP and it is our job to try and bring as much coverage of the events and other LIVE Sport to our customers as we can.
"In order to do that we need to spend our budget carefully and try and keep any increase in costs at a level that allows us to deliver the best result for our paying customers.
"Over recent weeks and months we have been through some difficult negotiations with some of those deals only taking place in the final few days or hours before the season starts.
"We found ourselves in the same position last week - we could not reach an agreement and the first race was imminent.
"We posted the situation on Facebook on Friday as it was at that point that we genuinely feared we may not get a deal.
"On Saturday and Sunday I had conversations with the rights holders but they too would not budge. (It does take two parties to agree or not agree a deal).
"We have made another offer for the remainder of the series and we hope that we are successful with that offer.
"I do understand how annoying this is for Moto GP fans such as yourselves but I do believe we are trying to act in the best interest of our subscribers by keeping costs at a reasonable level. If we agreed to pay all the sports the money they want we would have to continuously increase the cost of a subscription.
"I am sorry that we have not been able to satisfy you and apologise for the annoyance we have caused.
"I very much hope that you will decide to stay with SKY and continue to enjoy our coverage of the Superbikes and we will continue to talk to the Moto GP folk to try and get that back on SKY as soon as possible."
Bookmarks