BBC Secures Formula One UK Sponsorship Rights
Public-service broadcaster, the BBC, has acquired the UK rights for Formula One in a five-year deal, from 2009-2013.
The deal sees F1 return to the tax-payer funded BBC from its commercial rival ITV which is exiting a year before the end of its current contract. It is thought that the BBC paid around £200 million for the rights.
Formula One boss, Bernie Ecclestone, said he was “delighted” with the deal. Asked why he had decided to split with ITV, Ecclestone said: “It’s not that we are unhappy with ITV, but I think maybe they will have their hands full with other things and maybe the BBC can service us a bit better.
“I think it will be good, a fresh face. I’m not complaining about ITV, I’m not saying they did a bad job or anything like that.
“But with all the other things they are loaded up with - and who knows they will get some more stuff - maybe it will be a bit more difficult to spend as much time on us.
“I think the BBC will do that.”
The BBC director of sports rights, Dominic Coles, said: “The biggest motorsporting event in the world is returning home after 12 years. We were delighted when Bernie Ecclestone approached us about the return of F1 to the BBC.
“F1 is a crown jewel of sports broadcasting, so to bring the rights back to their traditional home from 2009 is tremendously exciting.”
An ITV statement on Thursday said: “ITV plc today confirmed that it has decided to exit Formula One at the end of this season.
“This was a straightforward commercial decision for ITV and we are pleased that F1 will continue to be broadcast free-to-air.
“ITV will continue to broadcast live coverage of every race this season as Lewis Hamilton attempts to win his first world championship”. >> Read more at Sportsbusiness.com >>
F1 Racing Sponsors: PARTNERSHIP between USAG and SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO
USAG, a giant in the professional tool sector, is the new official sponsor of Scuderia Toro Rosso, competing in the Formula One World Championship. The long-term partnership is valid from the beginnig of 2007.
In the capacity of official, exclusive supplier of handtools to the Toro Rosso stable, USAG provide equipment and technical assistance. In exchange, it gets the chance to use the team’s name, logo, image and hospitality areas for marketing operations. The USAG logo will be displayed on the team trucks, on the totems near the pits, on communication material and on the website. (Read More about Formula 1 Sposnsorships >>)