F1 » Bernie: Teams need F1 more than F1 needs them

**: "before Bernie brilliantly turned it into the commercial masterpiece"

I think you give Bernie too much credit. Yes, he did a good job, but he was also in the right place at the right time. All sports have seen huge changes in coverage over the last 25 years with the advent of cheaper cameras, portable cameras, satellite broadcasting, colour TV. The difference between F1 and all the other sports is that every other sport has seen TV revenues go back into the sport. Only F1 gave away its commercial rights for the next hundred years to a buddy of the president with no oversight, no tendering process, nothing.

(cont)
There are many (ex F1) tracks that would welcome the chance to host a race that would bring in a similar revenue to F1 at a fraction of the cost that Bernie is charging.
FOTA could also save themselves a small(?) fortune by not paying Bernie's extortinate rates to compete and by properly spreading out the revenue earned from TV rights could allow privateers to compete without having to wait 2 years for some proper comeback.

If Bernie truly believes that the teams need F1 more than F1 needs them, then he should just move on and let the teams do a breakaway. If he is right they will come crawling back after they fail.

Of course we all now that he is wrong, under his theory the premier league would be just find and dandy if Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, ****nal, Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and Tottenham all decided to leave and start their own league. How many believe that load of rubbish.

With all of Bernie's money, you'd think he could afford a decent haircut now and again.

With apologizes to the one who like snakes,Idont remember the name, but the only word suitable is SNAKE

@ 2Pac

Most free-to-air networks rely successfully on a broadcast sponsor & advertising to pay for their F1 coverage ... in most cases the majority of that income comes from the manufacturers or the various team sponsors.

Pay TV relies on the same sources, but can also draw from subscriptions ... & with 90% of fans favouring FOTA, they would be forced to please the larger group.

There will be plenty of available money to buy FOTA's series, with major networks even outbidding each other.

Shirley, its not just TV revenues that he makes money out of. When teams bring along their VIP guests and guest from the sponsors, the money for the VIP passes all goes to Bernie at around £2000 per person on average. The circuits who build the VIP facilities that Bernie demands get very little revenue from it.

your right Yirmin Snipe, FOM know that if the FOTA teams do leave his "Golden Egg" is cooked.

your analogy with the Premier League is spot on, without the big 4 the interest would definitely wain.

I mean could you really imagine FOM trying to promote an F1 championship comprising of Williams, Force India and a load of no-name teams nobody has heard of, with drivers nobody has heard of? It would be embarrassing.

AUTOGYRO,the FIA has to form the regulations,I understand that you mean makes the rules,according to the EU and to BE himself the FIA/MM cannot make rules and that includes cost cutting.

Dale, are you aware there is a global credit crunch at the moment and that advertising revenue in all forms of media are falling at the moment at a dramatic rate?

listen m8, I want to see a FOTA series as much as you do because I'm sick of the FIA/FOM shenanigans, but I just think it's not as simple to accomplish as many people believe.