Sky to Broadcast Motogp from 2014!?

Unless I'm reading it wrong looks like we'll all have to shell out a few extra quid to Rupert Murdoch a month from the 2014 season onwards.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/S...clusive+rights

Looks like the countdown to the end of free to view GP racing has begun

On the plus side it either means I'll spend more weekends on my bike instead of watching it at home, or I'll get on the bike just to go to a pub where I can watch it.

Anyone else's thoughts?

[pookie]

A real shame I think. I really really detest Sky .. and that was before they bought 24, lost, f1, bsb, f1, rugby, cricket, boxing, easynet, Premiership league.

Looks like its all going the same way as f1, wonder if it will kill it like a1gp?

BSB is on Eurosport, so if you don't have/want Sky and I'm not trying to sound like a salesman here, but you can get Eurosport on the basic Virgin TV package or just the channel itself for a few quid a month online.

And back to the topic, rereading the article "Sky will be in charge of providing the FTA* showing of 8 Moto GP appointments." *FTA means First To Air

That means it won't be for all the races (unless someone decides it should be an 8 race Championship...)

So a possible sharing between BBC (or Eurosport) and Sky like the F1 or maybe a new channel in the mix?

[pookie]

seems its sky italia that have the rights although bbc's current contract expires in 2013

I'm a sky viewer but I won't be paying for it...

If you look at all the sports that Sky has become involved in they have become corrupt and failing...Football, Cricket, F1.

One only has to look at the sky leadership to see the problem...

I'll be sorry to see it disappear from my screen but I didn't have it once before, I could only go and watching MC racing live, so I'll be going back to that )

[littleoldman2]

I have read this and cannot find any reference to non Italian broadcasts. Has anyone else ?. I watch the motogp on eurosport in preference to the BBC and very much hope they continue to show it.
Having said that given Sky's past performance with monopolising other sports I think the Sky F1 channel will become a full time, full on motorsports channel over the next few years.

Maybe the BBC / ITV of Channel 4 will pick up some kind of highlights package like they do with BSB and WSBK?

It's a shame though - I like the commentary on SKY but I reckon the beeb do a much better job of live / grid reporting and all of the interviews etc. (for overseas GPs) as well.

It only mentions Italy, but with the timing of the end of the BBC contract and Sky being a multinational company, I reckon it could be the start of something bigger. Then again maybe not.