Absence of Eurosport coverage related to Michelin?

eurosport put in a higher bid for the rights compared to BBC. how does that fit your theory?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Oct 30 2008, 04:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>At Valencia Randy reported that Weber was wearing a Michelin shirt with the word "Thanks" encircled by Eurosport stars.

Randy interviewed Weber and Weber went on to talk about the great relationship between Eurosport and Michelin. Both also spoke briefly about the important role Michelin played as a major sponsor of Eurosport's MotoGP coverage.

I'm pointing this out for one reason and one reason only.

It seems that DORNA pulling the plug on Eurosport would have coincided closely with the disappearance of Michelin's sponsorship money for 2009. Obviously, Eurosport can't put in a healthy bid if they've lost a major sponsor.

How long ago was it announced that Eurosport was going to be losing coverage for 2009?

I know correlation does not equal causation but this isn't environmental science---it is the realm of human endeavors.

If there is a correlation between BBC receiving exclusive coverage and the departure of Michelin, it would suggest that Dorna knew very early on that Michelin would be leaving at the end of the 2008 season.

Puig would also certainly have known seeing as he a relatively high ranking DORNA employee. Does that explain his desperation and the threatened boycott. Did he believe Michelin were packing it in extra early?

Obviously declining viewership and the Ducati/Kawasaki revolt both suggest that the BBC may have been getting exclusive regardless and that Michelin may have intended to remain if a deal could be brokered.

It's money in hand vs. declining viewership and Dorna's desire for a control tire.

For once I'm not sure which is more compelling Thoughts?

Interesting post, but Dorna didn't strictly pull the plug on British Eurosport. Their strategy was aimed at concentrating coverage with the national terrestrial channels at the expense of pay to view/satellite channels. It's also worth noting that British Eurosport submitted higher bid than the BBC. As I mentioned the other thread, I think the BBC merely wanted to retain the coverage -far from expanding it as Dorna mistakenly believe. I'm convinced as the new owners of the footage they'd be quite happy to cut Eurosport in for a substantial fee, which I'm sure the satellite channel would be happy to pay - (WSB ran on both channels for many years when the BBC had the deal with Octogan). I believe that BBC Sport, Dorna and British Eurosport are busy trying to ratify an agreement, and I think Dorna now realising the ramifications of giving sole rights to The Beeb, will be anxious to retain the Eurosport coverage alongside the terrestrial coverage as they have done in France. Like Rog pointed out on another thread, they probably overlooked the fact that as a publically funded coorporation they don't advertise, and there was a great deal of vested interest for Dorna in those irritating commercials that Eurosport ran - be it Wudy sausages, Nolan helmets or Hein Gerricke. Whether they can hammer out a deal remains to be seen, but the decision does not rest with Dorna, rather the BBC.

So is there a pic of this shirt?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Oct 30 2008, 09:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Arabbiata, are you saying that the BBC have the final decision now that they have bought the rights? or are you saying they have right of first refusal since they are a preferred terrestrial network?
I'm saying that given that they have exclusive rights to the live footage, they govern any proposed distribution to satellite networks. This could actually be a very lucrative scenario for the Beeb - far from being in the interest of the sport, (which for months I have been at pains to explain to Goatboy), this is purely about money, marketing, and commercial gain. Whenever this is the case, integrity, depth and quality go straight down the pan, where superficiality and idiocy assert themselves - force fed at the expense of our freedom of choice. Look no further than the monoculture purveyed by monopolistic supermarkets such as Wal Mart or Tesco at the expense of independent high street specialist traders.

Dorna want to widen their audience, but the BBC unlike British Eurosport have no affiliation with bike racing in the same way that Eurosport had, your observation of the Michelin connection being one such example. Coverage will now be condensed into a dumbed down raceday format, unless you have the red button for BBCi, in which case you'd have been watching Eurosport in the first place as any self respecting serious race fan would do.

BBC now own the live footage, which is rich, being as I guarantee they won't even be showing all the races live themselves - but they can now block others from doing so. Another great step backward for our sport courtesy of our best mate Carmelo.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Oct 31 2008, 12:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm saying that given that they have exclusive rights to the live footage, they govern any proposed distribution to satellite networks. This could actually be a very lucrative scenario for the Beeb - far from being in the interest of the sport, (which for months I have been at pains to explain to Goatboy), this is purely about money, marketing, and commercial gain. Whenever this is the case, integrity, depth and quality go straight down the pan, where superficiality and idiocy assert themselves - force fed at the expense of our freedom of choice. Look no further than the monoculture purveyed by monopolistic supermarkets such as Wal Mart or Tesco at the expense of independent high street specialist traders.

Dorna want to widen their audience, but the BBC unlike British Eurosport have no affiliation with bike racing in the same way that Eurosport had, your observation of the Michelin connection being one such example. Coverage will now be condensed into a dumbed down raceday format, unless you have the red button for BBCi, in which case you'd have been watching Eurosport in the first place as any self respecting serious race fan would do.

BBC now own the live footage, which is rich, being as I guarantee they won't even be showing all the races live themselves - but they can now block others from doing so. Another great step backward for our sport courtesy of our best mate Carmelo.

+ 1

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Oct 31 2008, 09:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>+ 1
Did carmelo work for lehmann brothers as well?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Oct 31 2008, 01:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>So basically you are saying that Ezy has sold the sport to the low bidder at the expense of the fans in order to make nice with the terrestrial broadcasters who have a larger number of viewers.

I'm still not certain how this benefits Carmelo unless he's convinced that viewership numbers will go up. Even if they do, how does he plan on squeezing more money out of the BBC if there aren't other competing bids and if the BBC doesn't use commercials to boost revenues.

The only way the plan works is if the BBC do auction off the rights to broadcast live. Selling the rights is their only source of revenue if they don't show commercials. It seems like the BBC will want to sell the rights to every session they aren't planning on televising.
Whilst carmelo is reputedly a businessman/manager (with a hard g) this does not necessarily imply he is good at both or either, and it is quite possible he has just made a stupid business decision on this occasion rather than a stupid technical/sporting decision, with the difference that he could reasonably be expected to have expertise in business. This does not increase my confidence in him as the person who is apparently determining the rules for motogp.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Oct 31 2008, 02:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'><object width="425" height="350<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vPaUuBJ3P8o</param><param name="wmode" value="transparent</param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vPaUuBJ3P8o" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350</embed></object>

Here you go Goatboy.Sexellent, thanks

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Goatboy @ Oct 31 2008, 06:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Sexellent, thanks



sorry, it really is funny

Well yeah, it is sexellent, because I can believe it now