[Piemonedmow]

I don't post on the forums anymore for various reasons, but I thought I'd post this.

Eurosport set to become World Rally Championship promoter as North One's Qatar deal falls through - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com

North One is dead. For god knows how many years they've screwed the WRC over with dismal coverage and now they're finally dead and buried.

Some person North One source said: "It's unbelievable. We have come so close to landing this. The deal was on the table and, believe me, it would have been by far and away the best thing for for us and would have allowed us to further devalue the World Rally Championship for many years to come When will people realise that these sort of companies go out of business because they do a poor job. This isn't the credit crunch, it's not Islamic militants or even the coriolis effect, this is some people who were rather disconnected from the audience and were making a product that many didn't want and kept on doing it for many years not realising the mistakes they were making.

Together with the ineptitude of the FIA, North One are responsible for the downfall of the WRC and I think with Mini and VW throwing their hats into the ring, we could be in for some good seasons.

Goodbye and good riddance, you won't be missed, don't let the door hit you on the way out etc etc etc.

[Karensmith]

North One also did the ITV F1 coverage.

[Piemonedmow]

North One also did the ITV F1 coverage.

Which woz crap. North One fully deserve to be out of business, the F1 coverage was only watchable when ITV were doing it in the UK because FOM supply the feed. If it were North One doing it there'd be one camera covering the whole circuit.

[assohillA]

Only good thing from North One was the timing, splits and stage times. Also the tracking was good, ok that was only for teams but I heared they intended to extend that to the public in 2012

[FYIbiatches]

North ones coverage was sub par for sure...it is a pity all these people are without a job but you get what you deserve.

I really hope Eurosport lands the deal, the guys there are true professionals and they know how to cover sports.

[BundEnhamma]

Only good thing from North One was the timing, splits and stage times. Also the tracking was good, ok that was only for teams but I heared they intended to extend that to the public in 2012

... which the IRC and many club rallies in Europe do routinely. You can get live times now for even small rallies - IRC and even some smaller rallies have trackers. This is a function of the equipment suppliers not North One in my opinion.

[Koayrbzh]

I really liked last years IRC coverage on Eurosport, if i can get WRC and IRC on Eurosport this year i would be really happy! i really don't care who is in charge, as long as its good coverage! thats is really what we all want.

[furillo]

Now we can enjoy WRC in peace.

[dremucha]

When will people realise that these sort of companies go out of business because they do a poor job.

No, they went out of business because Vladimir Antonov got himself arrested and they couldn't find a new investor in time. Antonov bought the company that controlled NOS, and it went into receivership when the London police caught up with him.

[Unonounaple]

Well this Vladimir Antonov thing is the final blow for NorthOne in any case.

I have to agree with Daniels. The shows they put on were really boring, but there were some improvements recently. There were lots of free contents on YouTube which gathered many views, the Power Stage which I liked, and big improvement of onboard footages. But promotion of the actual events are costly. Even most of those YouTube viewers are never going to see the rally and with the lack of free to air, unlike BBC for F1 (not counting OneHD which is Australia). But atleast not as bad compared to "FOM", with races like Istanbul losing millions due to zero promotion by Bernie, and not even allowing F1 footages on YouTube.

I personally feel its more due to the FIA for not giving WRC more attention and the manufacturers to keeping the cost of sport so expensive, simply lack of manufacturers and variety of national drivers.

I'm not excited that EuroSport does it now, especially their previous WRC coverages were boring. But they did do a decent job with their own created IRC series and its live coverages are great. So maybe they'll bring something new for the fans.

I only feel bad for the employees who will lose their job, I hope they can find a new job with the new promoter. I certainly wants to see Becs and Colin around. Also what will happen to wrc.com and youtube.com/wrc and WRC Radio? I hope the new promoter retains those features especially the live splits.

This is funny, a Norwegian tv station asked me to provide a preupload version of Marcus Gronholm funny moments video to them because NorthOne couldn't provide the materials in time. I refused a signed photo of Marcus because stating I did not create the materials which is copyright by NorthOne. I regretted deleting my Youtube account so the video isn't there anymore.

[apatteopipt]

Looking forward to see what Eurosport can do. Not sad about North One, at all.

[alecoplesosse]

Good news! Good riddance North One! North One's coverage was the most appalling I have EVER seen of rallying.

I hope Eurosport lands the contract...

[Phassetus]

Well this Vladimir Antonov thing is the final blow for NorthOne in any case.

I have to agree with Daniels. The shows they put on were really boring, but there were some improvements recently. There were lots of free contents on YouTube which gathered many views, the Power Stage which I liked, and big improvement of onboard footages. But promotion of the actual events are costly. Even most of those YouTube viewers are never going to see the rally and with the lack of free to air, unlike BBC for F1 (not counting OneHD which is Australia). But atleast not as bad compared to "FOM", with races like Istanbul losing millions due to zero promotion by Bernie, and not even allowing F1 footages on YouTube.

I personally feel its more due to the FIA for not giving WRC more attention and the manufacturers to keeping the cost of sport so expensive, simply lack of manufacturers and variety of national drivers.

I'm not excited that EuroSport does it now, especially their previous WRC coverages were boring. But they did do a decent job with their own created IRC series and its live coverages are great. So maybe they'll bring something new for the fans.

I only feel bad for the employees who will lose their job, I hope they can find a new job with the new promoter. I certainly wants to see Becs and Colin around. Also what will happen to wrc.com and youtube.com/wrc and WRC Radio? I hope the new promoter retains those features especially the live splits.

This is funny, a Norwegian tv station asked me to provide a preupload version of Marcus Gronholm funny moments video to them because NorthOne couldn't provide the materials in time. I refused a signed photo of Marcus because stating I did not create the materials which is copyright by NorthOne. I regretted deleting my Youtube account so the video isn't there anymore.

RR was and is run by Crown House Media, owned by Greg Strange, not NOS. Old gravel voice and Bex will be at RMC.

[pennadyFeet]

I don't post on the forums anymore for various reasons, but I thought I'd post this.

Eurosport set to become World Rally Championship promoter as North One's Qatar deal falls through - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com

North One is dead. For god knows how many years they've screwed the WRC over with dismal coverage and now they're finally dead and buried.



When will people realise that these sort of companies go out of business because they do a poor job. This isn't the credit crunch, it's not Islamic militants or even the coriolis effect, this is some people who were rather disconnected from the audience and were making a product that many didn't want and kept on doing it for many years not realising the mistakes they were making.

Together with the ineptitude of the FIA, North One are responsible for the downfall of the WRC and I think with Mini and VW throwing their hats into the ring, we could be in for some good seasons.

Goodbye and good riddance, you won't be missed, don't let the door hit you on the way out etc etc etc.

Amen to that, cant add any more really!

[pongeystrhjst]

I wonder what the US coverage will be like. Probably a tape delayed highlights show.

[Goalseexere]

I just wonder when we are watching some tennis match between two uknown's and the bit flashing across the top of the screen saying the rally has been delayed (and then postponed) because the tennis has overran will everyone still think that Eurosport is the best , i think we'll wait and see how this plans out and maybe the FIA will come up with a statement before the season is over never mind started .

[furillo]

Thanks NOS that you died.

[DoniandaCoado]

I think this can only be good for WRC, nothing was going to change very much with NOS at the helm anyway.

[assohillA]

I have noticed that on the main two social media outlets there is a campaign to keep Julian Porter in WRC. Now for one I like him and I think Jules 'the guru" as he is called and he does a good job. I just wonder if morally the media types who post on the social networks are abusing their power to keep their friends who have flown around the world, stayed in rally HQ, for 11 years in a job? Not that I think it will influence Jean Todt and FIA one bit! - I just wondered why there wasn't such a campaign to keep all those Ralliart, Subaru World Rally team, Suzuki Rally Team and latterly Petter Solberg World Rally Team personnel that lost their jobs in WRC. Don't get me wrong, I honestly feel really sorry for those who have lost their jobs in NOS, but they are not the first to have lost them. Also I think that NOS have had it good for a while, its been more than once during the last 11 years that 'financial rescue' was needed, it wasnt called North One last time it needed rescuing, and also where was the due diligence when Antonov invested? After all it was only months ago he invested, and IF the allegations of dirty money etc are true, well questions should be asked of NOS senior management. FIA may well have taken the 'once bitten' view and viewed this as an opportunity to re-start.

[dremucha]

Well this Vladimir Antonov thing is the final blow for NorthOne in any case.

It was in Antonov's interests to keep NOS afloat.

It appears his m.o. was to acquire high-profile investments, like Convers Sports Initiatives. He also bankrolled Genii Capital's purcahse of Renault F1, and bought into Spyker Cars and Portsmouth FC. He used these investments to give his bank, SNORAS, credibility in Lithuania. He then used his position to strip assets from local businesses that he loaned money to - deliberately under-valuing them, then giving them loans that they could not pay back, collecting the colalteral on them and then selling it off at a much higer price than he had originally valued them at. Antonov needed all of his investments, including NOS, to garner credibility in the Baltic states.