No MotoGP on Sky !!

[denill]

Hey guys, have you read this ?

http://www.silver-bullet.co.nz/news.php3?id=2666

[marty]

WHAT??????? no rossi and his band of merry followers???????????? what will i do with my sunday nights now - no more chips and baileys waiting for it to come on?? GRRRR.......

the motogp is streets ahead of the superbike - hands down.

[What?]

no GP

[Coldkiwi]

courtesy of the silver bullet site...

OK. You can just sit there and take it - or you can write (politely !) to any, or all these addresses asking them to make MotoGPs happen on Sky.............

mking@skytv.co.nz - sky@skytv.co.nz and jdicken@skytv.co.nz

[k14]

Well that is just complete and utter arse!!! Moto GP is so good to watch, also the 250 and 125 classes!!

I cant believe that sky is such a bunch of dickheads to do this!!!

[denill]

I cant believe that sky is such a bunch of dickheads to do this!!!

BUT they will - unless EVERYONE gets off their arse and writes to any or all of the addresses given.

There is no excuse not too....

If you are reading this, you have the facility. So do it now.............

[k14]

Yip, just sent one.

Now everyone else needs to do the same!!

[denill]

Yip, just sent one.

Now everyone else needs to do the same!!

It would be interesting to read what you guys write and maybe of help to some.

I wrote:

Jill.

Thank you for your prompt reply confirming that MotoGPs will not be shown on Sky.

You wrote:

We have coverage of the THQ Supercross and the Superbikes this season.

But Jill that is of no comfort whatsoever...........
That is like saying to a Coro fan. There will be no more Coronation Street but we will be showing Emmerdale..............
Please reconsider that unthinkable decision and make the arrangements neccessary to make MotoGPs happen for Kiwis.

I feel that the normally complacent motorcycle sport fans will revolt.
These subscribers by their nature are not there for Rugby etc. They pay to receive motorcycle sport and the MotoGP is central to that.
Without MotoGP we have nothing........

Regards
Bill Walch
Copy to: mking@skytv.co.nz - sky@skytv.co.nz

[wkid_one]

LOL - I think you will find that they will not pay the exhorbidant broadcast rights fees regardless of what is said. They had a mutual agreement last time that reduced the costs.

At the end of the day - MB racing is a small target audience.

PS - has anyone checked whether any of the other channels are broadcasting it BEFORE hammering Sky?

However - my email to them

Jill,

It has come to my attention that Sky are no-longer going to broadcast the MotoGP for the 2004 season.

I would be interested to understand the rationale behind this. Whilst I can appreciate that the contract with Telstra/Saturn no longer facilitates the broadcasting - has Sky explored the opportunity of purchasing the broadcasting rights themselves?

Also - has Sky any awareness of the audience numbers that the series attracted in NZ and therefore the customer base they are alienating by not endeavouring to cover the series in 2004?

I note you mentioned we will have the THQ Motorcross. However you fail to acknowledge that this is a DIRT based racing event - which you have always had - so there is nothing new in providing this and it provides no solace for track racing fans. You also mention you have Superbikes - again this was already broadcast so isn't anything new. Also - if Sky were in touch with their audience and the shifting trends in sport - they would acknowledge that the SBK series is diminishing - and is no longer the 'World Championship' it was but more a marketing exercise for Private Racing Teams - especially now all the top riders are now racing MotoGP. My guess is you retained this through your affiliations with BSkyB rather than any proactive efforts to show Motorbike Racing on your service.

It is extremely disappointing that Sky have ignored what is a large and growing segment of their customer base - and especially at a time when Saturn is a growing presence in the market. It appears more and more that Sky are no longer showing what the customers wish to see - but rather what can be obtained at the best price. For Example - I would dare say more customers in NZ would watch the MotoGP racing than the Eastern Conference NFL game between the 6th and 9th placed teams - yet we are persistently given American sports as an appetiser between the NZ Sports. On this premise - why aren't we given the AMA Motorbike Championship - and only given NFL/NBA/NHL?

I have NEVER received a survey from SKY ASKING me what programmes I would like to see on your service - how then can you plan to meet your customers needs if you don't ask them what they want? Isn't this the biggest 'staple' of running a customer focused SERVICE organisation?

This was similar to Sky's dropping of the Premier Snooker Championship 4 years ago - whereby no acknowledgement or explanation was given after covering the event for 3 years.

I am certainly cognisant of the fact that Sky needs to run to a compromise and cater to the wider audience, whilst running profitability for already obsecenely rich shareholders - however this decision appears to run contrary to my knowledge of the audience figures of these broadcasts of MotoGP - I would be interested to know (unless sensitive) whether the viewing audience of the MotoGP races has grown or diminished thereby validating your decision or vindicating my email.

I would appreciate some feedback as to the decision made to not broadcast MotoGP.

[James Deuce]

Bollocks. It's gone and it won't be back. If they can ditch Formula 1 then they'll deep six MotoGP without a backwards glance. I would suggest that the decision is dictated by the cost to Sky and the lack of ratings when compared to that cost.

NZ is the land of the oval ball and I would also humbly submit that MotoGP may also have impinged on some rugby schedule.

Been through this with the F1 campaign and once they've made a decision they won't go back.



Jim2

[wkid_one]

Bollocks. It's gone and it won't be back. If they can ditch Formula 1 then they'll deep six MotoGP without a backwards glance. I would suggest that the decision is dictated by the cost to Sky and the lack of ratings when compared to that cost.

NZ is the land of the oval ball and I would also humbly submit that MotoGP may also have impinged on some rugby schedule.

Been through this with the F1 campaign and once they've made a decision they won't go back.



Jim2

Although I agree with tyou, an email takes 2 mins to type and send - wheres the harm

Re the F1 - that is why I asked the question - is TV One likely to take this up instead? My thoughts are they will given this is the F1 of bike racing

[James Deuce]

Sorry - should have made myself clear. I've sent the email. Just whinging here. I think I should probably

[denill]

Re the F1 - that is why I asked the question - is TV One likely to take this up instead? My thoughts are they will given this is the F1 of bike racing

Yeah, deep down I know you are right and Sky won't back down. So how do we lobby TV1 ??

BUT I am pretty pissed off with Sky and my sub could very well be cancelled.

The other BUT is; we can't just roll over and let the b*stards win. Motorcycling has enough enemies. We are second-class citizens and we need to fight for what we really deserve......

[Dave]

Heres mine:

Dear Sir/Madam.



I am disgusted to hear that the MotoGP series will not be shown on sky this year.

I have had sky since it was first released in NZ some 10 or 15 years ago.

I also was amongst the first to purchase digital at a price of around $1000 when you promised us Formula one that you then didn’t show.

Motogp is by far surpassing super bikes now for its level of entertainment and I would seriously reconsider my having sky given that you are dropping support of a series that I love to watch.

I hope you reconsider.

I may use my money to go to do outdoor activities and cancel my subscription.



Regards,

Dave Webley

[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