mark419ny

so i am a subscriber of motogp i am on yearly auto billing yet they want me to buy the testing? is this correct?

Segfault

I stopped buying their Videopass a few years ago. If you buy something then this is an agreement between two parties. In my opinion they got greedy and I voted with legs. They think they can do it because they have monopoly. Now I search for free streams on the net and so far never missed a race. Is it illegal? Then shame on me. Or shame on them for charging too much?

AJV80

I don't think so, I did have to renew my annual video pass to watch the valencia test. Not sure why your auto billing did not renew itself?

michaelm

I consider the subscription to be rather good value for my entertainment dollar compared to pretty much anything, and believe I still pay less than many because I have always auto renewed my original subscription a decade or more ago.

Despite being far from a Dorna/uncle Carmelo fan I also have a philosophical opinion that if everyone uses pirate streams/content there will eventually be no content. An easy position for me perhaps because I am reasonably well heeled while I continue to work/remain un-retired. I actually am unsure if I could access the testing on MotoGP.com because it was live on my cable TV subscription in Australia. I do like the live timing during the season despite everything being on my cable TV.

Segfault

Their price more more than doubled since I started buying it - many years ago. I just cannot believe it to be reasonable. If I bought it I'd feel I'm a sucker, I could not enjoy it. New subscribers may feel it differently, they see the price and have to decide whether it is worth their money or not. I used to be in business myself before cancer took me down and what I see there is unreasonable markup, abuse of their monopoly.

Edit: This is something all copyright holders love to recite to us. And it is not true indeed. Ultimately piracy is what keeps lid on their pricing. In this case, who would care about pirate streams if there was reasonably priced legal service? Very few, I know I would pay gladly for it, I used to do it. Furthermore, if piracy really caused them to go bankrupt then there still would be content, someone else would pick up the business and try and sell it in a better way. This is how it always is in the real world. Competition is what benefits the customer and keeps prices down. They have managed to eliminate the legal competition and rise the price. They would rise it even more if there wasn't any alternative.

michaelm

As I said I am not a Dorna admirer and they are monopolists as you say. Certainly I enjoyed WSBK in former days and followed it fairly avidly, and hardly watch it now since Dorna bought it and dumbed it down. I am perhaps fortunate in my current financial circumstances which are for sure not forever, but the MotoGP.com subscription is still good value for me compared to a single concert or night out at a swish restaurant. (EDIT Still paid 120 euros/under AUD 200 for my recent renewal).

Segfault

I just had a brief look at Dorna value. It has been grown over 200% within 10 years. I'm sure somewhere can be found more detailed financial information, but such a growth is impossible without huge profits. And don't forget, profits is the money they didn't manage to spend. It does not include lavish lifestyle of executives (on company expenses account), dream salaries, etc.
Piracy may be evil, but so is monopoly. It is evil vs. evil. It really does not matter what you call it. That's the real life in the real world. The fact you may spend in a pub more in one night is really quite irrelevant consolation, isn't it? With this logic I could justify buying a pair of socks for $50.

AJV80

Its $200AUD a year, which isn't cheap but its the only sport I really love so I can justify it, I totally understand if others couldnt/wouldnt pay that amount but everyone's different. I do enjoy the no spoilers feature, access to all sessions and the additional content and the historical races access is a cool feature for when im bored doing a night shift.

Segfault

Nothing wrong with that.

Edit: I'm not sure I recall it correctly, I think I paid $50 for my first year, long time ago. Maybe it was $60. It would still be in the same price range if there was competition instead of monopoly.

320Dave

Don't compare your earning power in Aus compared to mine here now in spain.

When I lived in sydney I could pay for subscriptions etc

Here in spain its quite effed up and thanks fucking god they brought DAZN along because the other suscriptions were over 90euros a year.

Now I pay 5 euros a month and get all motogp (not sure about the testing), all MMA cards UFC and Bellator and alos plenty of boxing, superbikes and some stuff all in 1.

5 euros would be roughy 8aud