Yeah but £12 if you're just on normal Sky package. What's a Sky Sports Package anyway? £20/month? Doesn't matter anyway because I don't subscribe to any of it, nor intend to.

Motorsportfun, you're completely missing the point. This isn't a case of the tv station promoting anything, this is some backwater channel that no-one wants because it's so expensive. People will happily subscribe to Sky, they'll even pay the extra money for some sports channels, but very few people will want to pay even more for a channel that shows American sports and lower league football. Moving the WRC to ESPN is like......well I can't really compare it to anything, it's that stupid a decision.

I am quite happy paying £1 a month for the eurosport etc part of Sky.... even if they prioritise the snooker over the Dakar....

ESPN has built up quite a motorsport portfolio in only a year:
DTM
FIA GT1
Superleague Formula
F3 Euroseries
and now WRC

I guess some of you will blame also if BBC will broadcast the WRC free and in "native" HD... I could guess money too! http://www.motorsportforums.com/imag...es/biggrin.gif

Agree, think that in Italy we follow all these series... via the championships web-tv!! http://www.motorsportforums.com/imag...es/redface.gif

I'm guessing there will be more than just the WRC added to that this season too.

It's terrible news for people who don't get the channel. No doubt about that.

But I promise you, aside from somehow setting up WRC TV, no other channel would give you this amount of coverage. Or anywhere close to it. Seems it was a toss up between this and out-of-date highlights and not a lot else on Five.

What I'm hoping is that ESPN bring Neil Cole on board as his tweets have hinted at something being in the works.

You can all come round my house and watch it if you like. My ESPN subscription just got much better value for money.

Live streaming for forum members? :P

Free on HD channel in Australia!!

Plus Cable/Sat TV don't air WRC but will find out if our Asian feed get WRC on ESPN (?!)

One HD? http://www.motorsportforums.com/imag...es/biggrin.gif

ONE HD

si si

I agree 100%, North One should have sold the WRC coverage cheap to anyone free-to-view....even Channel 5. Looking at the bigger picture, the main problem still lies in the lack of manufactures and competitors, but how do you attract them without the right coverage and media exposure!? Catch 22 situation!

I think the cheapest way to get ESPN look to be through BT Vision. We pay £7.50 extra a month for BT Vision, which has loads of great free movies and TV boxsets, on our telephone and broadband package. ESPN is an extra £9.99 annual payment, less than a quid a month, can't grummble too much!

I reckon ESPN costs about the same per year as going to Wales for the weekend and getting fleeced to watch our national round of the World Rally Championship.

Everything can be done on the cheap if you plan ahead. For the last two years i've done 2 days of Rally GB for £50 including camping, fuel (from Cheshire for two people in a car), food, and beer http://www.motorsportforums.com/imag...lies/smile.gif! Buy yourself some OS maps, or better still print them off via multimap.co.uk. It's not just the benefit of being cheap, you also get to pick your spot away from the 'pens', and you get to experience the lovely views Wales has to offer! All it takes it a little thought and a few miles of walking. Myherin, Radnor, Resolfen/Rhondda are in wasy walking distance of campsites or carparks. Do it in 2011, you won't regret it!

But rallying on TV is NOTHING LIKE watching at the side of the
stage. Saturday of last year's Rally GB was awesome with Loeb, Petter and Jari Matti in a different world. Just doesn't show on TV as good as it really is. Funny you should make the comparison with going to watch an event, I priced both options and feel that going to Spain for the cost of a year's ESPN subscription is what I will do.

will the WRC be on S4C,their rally GB programe was top class choper shots and all.i never have a clue what their saying but they allways give good coverage and they are on the normal sky package.

Believe me I know. I was just trying to make a point with a sly dig at GB pricing. It's not like the price even stops me going anyway.


And Doon. I've always wanted to do something similar. Something great about choosing your own spot.

WRC in HD ?

just imagine all those clouds of dust in HD - can be funny ;-)

but nevertheless I agree with MJW: live at the stage is live at the stage - that´s why I´m in Sweden in February :-)

WRC has been in HD not sure what resolution but it has been broadcast in the US on Discovery HD http://www.motorsportforums.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Its just upscaled HD but?

But it would have at least been recorded in 576 or 720!!!