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Further reaction to the BBC Surrendering horse racing to Channel 4 from 2013

Further reaction to the BBC Surrendering horse racing to Channel 4 from 2013

Story Update: As reported on ATV Today earlier this week Channel 4 has secured a four-year deal to broadcast the Grand National, the Derby and Royal Ascot from 2013 after taking the sporting events from the BBC. ATV now takes some analysis of the channel hop with Simon Johnson, Consultant, Sport + Media Group at Charles Russell.

Story Update: As reported on ATV Today earlier this week Channel 4 has secured a four-year deal to broadcast the Grand National, the Derby and Royal Ascot from 2013 after taking the sporting events from the BBC.

The deal brings to an end all horse racing on the BBC and leaves Channel 4 the sole broadcaster of British racing on terrestrial television.

We have more analysis now from Simon Johnson, Consultant, Sport + Media Group at Charles Russell:

“This is a great deal for racing and Channel 4 will provide excellent coverage.  But this raises serious questions about the BBC’s appetite to remain the channel which shows the crown jewel sporting events.

“The BBC has long put it about that they are the place where the Nation comes together to watch the major events. Well, with the decision not to bid enough to retain the rights to the Grand National, they have run up the white flag and surrendered that policy.

“We all recognise that the BBC has to allocate its’ scarce resources carefully and live with reduced sums available.  But, as a Licence Fee payer, I am astonished that they think it is a better use of resources to show 10 Live F1 Grands Prix simultaneously with SKY – events for which they outbid ITV a few years ago-than to broadcast exclusively crown jewel events like the Grand National and the Derby.  I think that is an odd perception of the role of the BBC.  Formula One has been and can be shown on any channel.  The Grand National never has been until this deal.

This deal has major ramifications for the BBC’s long term commitment to live sport.”

What are your thoughts on the BBC losing their last remaining horse racing rights, leave a comment below?

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