No MotoGP on Sky !!

**SPman** · 20th January 2004, 21:13

So much for my decision to get Sky this year - no MotoGP - they can go take a flying f**k! I'll send an Email anyway. Perhaps Richards idea of petitioning TV1 might be worthwhile......although I wouldnt hold my breath.....

**Dave** · 21st January 2004, 08:24

Originally Posted by Coldkiwi

screw Sky then, lets email TV one, extol them for being wise enough to show F1 and then ask for Moto GP. Of course, the problem arises that sometimes they run concurrently (or is that F1 and SBK rounds?) and F1 would of course take precedence

If anyone-TV3 has shown more bike racing this year (except for sky),
Maybe they would be sympathetic.

**k14** · 21st January 2004, 09:42

Dont know where you get that from?

I dont think i have seen any motorbike racing at all on tv3, although i could be wrong.

All the motor racing i have seen has been on sky (live coverage of SBK and MGP) and delayed coverage on tv 1 on a sunday afternoon.

Although, tv3 might want to take the coverage cause they took the rally coverage off tv1 a few years ago and now show quite good coverage of it, the weekend that the rally is actually on. So that could be another idea.

**Photographer_nz** · 21st January 2004, 11:40

Hi Fellow Motorcycling People. I've sent the following to all those at SKY:
"To Whom it may Concern, It is with utter disgust that I have learned that Sky will not have the Moto GP this year. I am a keen Motorcyclist and have been a Sky customer for 10 years. Whilst the SuperBikes are likened to Touring cars, and it is to be commended that you are showing them, Moto GP is Formula 1 on two wheels. It is Not some small series that no one will watch. It is even more interesting this year as many riders have swapped teams, Rossi going to Yamaha being one of them, and new riders starting, eg: Hodgson and Xaus coming over from SuperBikes.I was so glad a few years ago when Sky took up showing it. It saved me having to go down to my local Pub to watch them on the Big Screen.
Whislt I think it should be part of the existing service I would, as a last resort, consider Pay-Per-View. I think you are making a mistake not showing the GPs, and I know there would be an uproar if Formula 1 was not shown. I hope you will listen to the voice of Motorcyclists and Customers.
Yours Sincerely, Ian Thornton."
I will send a modified version to TV1,3 & Prime. Ya got to do something. No use moanin' after it's gone for good !!!
Cheers, Ian.

**Coldkiwi** · 21st January 2004, 16:46

have sent an email, although now that I'm not a Sky subscriber anymore, I'm not so worried. Having said that, in my email I pointed out that there is no way I will bother subscribing again because of no MotoGP.

make the bastards pay I say

**mangell6** · 21st January 2004, 20:51

Isn't it great that SKY is making more room for the world champion rugby team to be seen on television.

LB · 22nd January 2004, 05:06

Originally Posted by mangell6

Isn't it great that SKY is making more room for the world champion rugby team to be seen on television.

Or perhaps re-runs of golf?

**wkid_one** · 22nd January 2004, 06:43

But hold on - you will have the full Nascar season on Sky as well, as well as 8 different soccer leagues from around the world - full coverage of the NBA, NFL and NHL seasons, wood chopping, drag racing, Argentinian Polo matches and of course Atheltics. Oh - and the PRCA Rodeo, 4 reruns of each rugby game....the AFL season as well, and I forgot Major League Baseball ( this has an immense following in NZ - so my apologies).

Indy car is another one well worth watching as opposed to MotoGP as well as the good old viewing staple of Powerboating (can't be without that)

**k14** · 22nd January 2004, 06:59

Yeah, you gotta love watching cars go round and round in circles for a few hours, it is just SO exciting!!

Has anyone got a reply from their emails yet?? I'm not holding my breath!!

**gav** · 23rd January 2004, 08:46

I just sign up for this site and the first thing I read is this !

Do we know if anyone else is covering MotoGP? Telstra/Saturn maybe? Great if you can get it, sucks otherwise. The only reason I first got Sky was for the bike racing, and then upgrading to digital, oh well, I'll email Sky and see if I get a reply!
Oh, and hi everyone!

**Hitcher** · 23rd January 2004, 09:56

Sepang this weekend too. I will wait with baited breath to see if Kawasaki look like being competitive this year. Brand-new bike running Bridgestones this season. Apparently they were only half a second off the Hondas at practice. It will also be interesting to see how Dr Rossi goes on a Yam (quite well, I suspect).

**jrandom** · 23rd January 2004, 10:23

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Sepang this weekend...

Yup, that new Kwak seems to have surprised people at practice, it'll be nice if we get something other than RCVs up front this year. Of course, it looks like we'll have to make do with reading about it on the race result websites after the fact.

If Kawa can somehow tie the new bike to the ZX-10R in people's minds it should wonders for sales. A little more difficult for Honda to relate the RCV to the CBRs, given the whole V5 thing.

Although I suspect that the 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' rule applies less to bikes than cars, since sprotbike riders seem to be well-informed as a rule. Witness the deserved on-road prevalance of the GSXR1000 in spite of Suzuki's dismal GP performance.

**k14** · 23rd January 2004, 10:49

Just got this reply:

Good Morning Kirk,

Thank you for your email and comments.

Once a contract for a sport has expired SKy puts in a bid for the continuation of rights.

Unfortunately our bid was not accepted by the distributor this year and they were unwilling to negotiate a price.

While we would love to continue showing the MotoGP, the asking price was prohibitive and since we don't have an unlimited budget we were unable to secure rights for this seasons races.

We will continue to put in a bid each season hoping to secure rights.

Regards,

Jill Dicken,
Programming Liaison Officer.

By the sounds of that there isnt any chance at all of it happening

**wkid_one** · 23rd January 2004, 11:19

and my reply

Afternoon Dan,

Thank you for your email and comments.

Once a contract for a sport has expired SKY puts in a bid for the continuation of rights.

Unfortunately our bid was not accepted by the distributor this year and they were unwilling to negotiate a price.

While we would love to continue showing the MotoGP, the asking price was prohibitive and since we don't have an unlimited budget we were unable to secure rights for this seasons races.

With regards to American Sport, this comes to us direct from ESPN International, and a deal is done for the whole channel, which at present includes the THQ and AMA series) not separate events. This does give us the opportunity to try a secure rights for other sporting events to which they are not rights holders, such as the Superbikes.

As with the MotoGP we have tried to bid for the Snooker World Championships however last year there was no overseas coverage given to this event. There are many sports and events that we put in bids for but are unsuccessful.

We will continue to put in a bid each season hoping to secure rights.

Regards,

Jill Dicken,

Programming Liaison Officer.

I will paraphase - 'we were too cheap in our offer, so you miss out'