Formula 1 will NO LONGER be televised in the United States.

[sam_gordon]

Don’t forget… what if the internet breaks down? It’s not like Apple can just shift it to an offline linear channel if that were the case…

And for those with cable, what if cable goes down?

 

[sam_gordon]

The bottom line is this is/was a business decision. Broadcasters (whether linear or non) are not obligated to give viewers the programming they want. Sports has been moving more and more toward a "pay to view" model for decades. MNF went to ESPN in 2006. Yes, occasionally games will be on ABC, but not often. Meaning, if you want to watch MNF, you need some kind of subscription, and probably some 3rd party box tied to your TV.

Look at all the "mini" sports networks... ACC, SEC, B1G, to say nothing of the networks that carry many baseball games. Games that used to be on linear TV (actual affiliates instead of carried by a network) now require subscriptions.

Why should F1 be any different?

 

[kdonnel]

This is just another sign of the demise of broadcast television.

https://fortune.com/2025/07/16/tv-networks-viewers-more-time-streaming-broadcast-cable-combined/

Based on this where would you want your content shown?

During June, viewers spent more time watching streaming services than they did for broadcast and cable television combined.

In June, 46% of Americans’ TV time was spent on streaming services, led by YouTube and Netflix. Cable television networks represented 23.4% and broadcast was 18.5%, for a total of just under 42%, Nielsen said. It was the first time broadcast TV had ever slipped below 20% of total TV viewing.

Traditional broadcast TV will need to reinvent themselves to remain relevant in 20 years.

 

[sam_gordon]

This is just another sign of the demise of broadcast television.

https://fortune.com/2025/07/16/tv-networks-viewers-more-time-streaming-broadcast-cable-combined/

Based on this where would you want your content shown?




Traditional broadcast TV will need to reinvent themselves to remain relevant in 20 years.

I have to pose the question though... if someone was watching "live" TV (think "Big 4" or ESPN, FS1, etc) on YouTubeTv, Hulu+, and the like, does that count as "streaming" or "broadcast"? Watching MNF via the ESPN app?

 

[Nayan]

I have to pose the question though... if someone was watching "live" TV (think "Big 4" or ESPN, FS1, etc) on YouTubeTv, Hulu+, and the like, does that count as "streaming" or "broadcast"? Watching MNF via the ESPN app?

Streaming, which they do count...

https://www.nielsen.com/data-center/top-ten/

 

[_19disnA]

Always wondered how any of those rating agencies determine who/how many any are watching. If you are channel flipping and stop for a few minutes on a specific channel does that count?

 

[kdonnel]

Always wondered how any of those rating agencies determine who/how many any are watching. If you are channel flipping and stop for a few minutes on a specific channel does that count?

I think another reason that streaming is loved by the content creators. They can gather extremely accurate analytics on what is watched and how so they can justify ad prices.

Analytics on every consumer, not just the few Nielsen users which then have to be extrapolated.

Not only can they use the analytics to set ad prices but the analytics themselves can be sold and might be as valuable as the shows themselves.

 

[MillauFr]

And for those with cable, what if cable goes down?

Who has Cable TV anymore? The same people who still play CDs?

 

[sam_gordon]

Who has Cable TV anymore? The same people who still play CDs?

People who have it bundled with their internet?
People who don't have sufficient internet bandwidth to support streaming?

 

[MillauFr]

People who have it bundled with their internet?
People who don't have sufficient internet bandwidth to support streaming?

Yeah I get they scam people convincing them that if they drop Cable TV their bill will go up. Complete nonsense. They pulled that on me and I told them fine, cancel everything. Then they "found" a internet only plan that saved me money.

 

[bcla]

That’s something if I were the guy who ran the Emmys. If a particular show didn’t get shown on live TV in its entirety, it wouldn’t be considered for an award.

It wouldn't be live TV per se. Perhaps scheduled programming is what you're thinking of.

I first realized the Emmys were open to streaming programs when Transparent won a bunch. I don't really have a problem with it. A lot of it goes back to when cable/satellite programs were made eligible. I mean - I can't think of anyone who would find it wrong that The Sopranos got awards, although they did have it on a schedule. But these days I don't believe anyone really cares about it since all programming is available for streaming even if there's theoretically scheduling.

 

[DodgerGirl]

Do you remember when CART "Championship Auto Racing Team" racing was all the rage and it used to appear every Sunday on ABC but then when CART got sold they moved the races to Spike TV and then quit showing them all together because NBC was supposed to get the rights to CART racing and Formula 1 racing. I think for Formula 1 fans having the races moved to Apple TV is a wrong move because I cannot figure out how Apple TV is successful and I think Formula 1 races should moved to Paramount+ rather than Apple. Because Paramount+ is big on sports and racing would've been a perfect addition to them

 

[hardcorestitch]

Do you remember when CART "Championship Auto Racing Team" racing was all the rage and it used to appear every Sunday on ABC but then when CART got sold they moved the races to Spike TV and then quit showing them all together because NBC was supposed to get the rights to CART racing and Formula 1 racing. I think for Formula 1 fans having the races moved to Apple TV is a wrong move because I cannot figure out how Apple TV is successful and I think Formula 1 races should moved to Paramount+ rather than Apple. Because Paramount+ is big on sports and racing would've been a perfect addition to them

Plus at least they have the option to put races on CBS like they did early 2000s. Apple has NO regular broadcast channel.

 

[EACarlson]

Streaming is NOT television.

By your definition than there were only two or three races televised. As the rest were on ESPN, not a broadcast network.

 

[sam_gordon]

Aren't the NCAA basketball Semi-Finals on TNT or TBS, not "broadcast" television now? Meaning (shock!) you need to have a subscription, and possibly a 3rd party box in order to see them?

 

[soccerdad72]

Aren't the NCAA basketball Semi-Finals on TNT or TBS, not "broadcast" television now? Meaning (shock!) you need to have a subscription, and possibly a 3rd party box in order to see them?

I believe so, yes.

Most of the NCAA tournament is on "pay" channels, with only one set of games on CBS for each time slot. The rest are TNT, TBS and, I believe, TrueTV.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Aren't the NCAA basketball Semi-Finals on TNT or TBS, not "broadcast" television now? Meaning (shock!) you need to have a subscription, and possibly a 3rd party box in order to see them?

The championship is still on CBS… at least every other year…

 

[sam_gordon]

The championship is still on CBS… at least every other year…

So? The point is there are hundreds of sporting events, even major ones, every year that if you want to watch, you need a subscription to do so. F1 isn't "special".

 

[Nayan]

Aren't the NCAA basketball Semi-Finals on TNT or TBS, not "broadcast" television now? Meaning (shock!) you need to have a subscription, and possibly a 3rd party box in order to see them?

You also need USA, FS1 (sometimes FS2), TNT and TBS for Hockey, Basketball, Nascar, College Football/Basketball and a host of other sports. Special events involving football/hockey you might need Peacock, Netflix, Nickelodeon and Disney+. If you are a die-hard fan of a team then you might subscribe to MLB.TV, Sunday Ticket, NBA, Center Ice, all which come at a cost.

Sports are no longer free and the days of watching most all of them (save for football) OTA is dwindling quickly. I am a huge sports nut, so yes I pay up to watch them. So do a lot of other folks. How Apple will handle replays, etc. is up in the air and I am sure we'll learn much more before the season starts.

 

[Nayan]

Do you remember when CART "Championship Auto Racing Team" racing was all the rage and it used to appear every Sunday on ABC but then when CART got sold they moved the races to Spike TV and then quit showing them all together because NBC was supposed to get the rights to CART racing and Formula 1 racing.

CART went bankrupt.

I think for Formula 1 fans having the races moved to Apple TV is a wrong move because I cannot figure out how Apple TV is successful and I think Formula 1 races should moved to Paramount+ rather than Apple. Because Paramount+ is big on sports and racing would've been a perfect addition to them

Paramount (CBS) had no interest in it. Apple offered the most money and F1 being a business that's what they followed. Nothing to 'figure out'. AppleTV is successful, they have some pretty awesome programming (especially if you are a sci-fi fan!) and rank as one of the top streaming services.