Our Appeal to Star Sports
We are Formula-1 fans from India and Star Sports is the only way we can watch the races live on our television.
But the coverage from the channel is becoming pathetic with each event. They have starting showing excessive advertising.
We are definitely not against advertising but here are some points we would like to raise:
1. Star Sports is one of the most expensive channels in the Indian market. They already charge a lot for what they show us.
2. They do not mess up their cricket coverage as badly. Why mess up Formula-1 races?
3. The channel shows their own programming promos during the ad breaks. WHY!
Here are some suggestions:
1. Get the sponsoring companies to develop precise ads which are shorter and less irritating.
2. Show 2 ads of 30 seconds each during the breaks.
3. Do not show ads after every 3-5 laps (depending upon the tracks). Previously ads used to come after 10 laps. That was much better.
4. Get back to the coverage if something important is happening on the track. Just like you do with Cricket matches.
5. DO NOT SHOW YOUR OWN PROMO ADS DURING THE TRANSMISSION. It’s a live event. Every second counts.
We welcome you to post your suggestions and complaints below. We need your support to start this movement to get across the message to Star Sports.
We would update this document as per your suggestions and complaints.
Power to the PEOPLE. Amen.
More at: India Broadband Forum.
Send your rants to Steve Slater.
Here is an example. Italian Grand Prix 2009.
First ad break comes after 5 laps. Here is what I saw during the ad break…
1. A promo of Star Sports for their new logo/branding.
2. A promo for the upcoming Cricket Tournament (Champions Trophy)
3. A promo for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix 2009
4. Tata Safari advertisement
So, essentially they ate up shit load of time for practically nothing.
Editor
September 12, 2009 - 3:38 pm
way to go admin.send this to steve slater.star sports has ruined the f1 experience at a time when its is being viewed by so many indians.
September 12, 2009 - 3:43 pm
we need more comments here. we need more votes on the poll. we need more and more hits. we need to make this thing popular enough that it is taken as THE petition against Star Sports.
September 13, 2009 - 2:07 pm
Yes, Star Sports has ruined the experience of F1 fans in India.
Formula one is not like cricket where cars go take a short break for every 5 laps. anything could happen at anytime. such an unpredictable sport makes the f1 fans more attracted to the sport. but instead of giving a good coverage without ads inbetween, star sports has just made our viewing experience bad.
I request F1 fans in India to send emails to star sports to atleast reduce the ads to ads per 10 laps or so atleast pls do this.
if they are still gonna continue showing more ads i am gonna stop subscribing and follow it on live f1 websites and watch highlights later on.
star sports s*cks.
September 13, 2009 - 1:59 pm
yeah. we hate star sports for terrible coverage of formula-1 races.
November 7, 2009 - 6:53 pm
I agree.
Coverage is pathetic. ESS (Espn Star Sports) should take a look at BBC or previously coverage of ITV or SKy Sports or Supersport (AFRICA) in other countries … this list can go on …almost every other broadcaster is better in F1 Coverage than ESS (Espn Star Sports). F1 and other Motorsports like WRC, Gp2, Le-mans etc etc are given ZERO priority despite ESS having hold on three channels.
Commentary : I have no word to express it. Pure B*llsh*t!. Firstly, get rid of Steve Slater – the old man is just incompetent and useless.
@admin please alter the poll; just make two option YES/NO ;)
September 13, 2009 - 10:00 am
Lets just start a petition. We will get enough signatures! Send it to Paula or Steve or Karun!
September 13, 2009 - 1:59 pm
in case you did not notice, this is actually a petition. we just need more signatures to make it a valid one.
September 14, 2009 - 12:47 pm
To star sports!
Yes it is terrible.. if u have to show ads then show it every 10 laps and please avoid showing ads of ur own ur own program more than once.
Ads every 5laps = approx 7mins = almost 12 breaks in just 1 and half hr.
It gets so annoying for viewers. Dont just think everything from earning money angle, think on moral angle. We pay you for star sports packages, you are not showing it to us for free. Showing ads is ok but “ads as per ur will” is morally incorrect because we are paying u to see the sport not ads.
Amish
September 14, 2009 - 8:53 am
2009 Season F1 live telecast by Star Sports to Indian Viewers is pathetic and terrible. I did not expect this from start sports where in they are more worried about telecasting ads and showing promos of their own programs during the live race. I dont mind showing ads during the live races but it has to be restricted to the maximum. This year Star Sports is showing ads for every 5 laps approximately for 1 to 1.5 mins. The worst part on those 1 to 1.5 mins ads telecast is that there are showing only 3 commercial ads where as they show other 3 ads on the promos of their own up programs which is really unacceptable during the live race.
In this season of 2009 we have missed some cruical pitstops of the race and some of the key moments of the race. For my TV box i am subscribing to Star Sports which has is the costliest channel in india and still i am not able to enjoy my F1 viewing with Star Sports because of delivering their ads for longer time and bad timing of telecasting the ads.
I request the program director or the management os Star Sports to take out this issues seriously from the viewers point of and do the needful atleast for the next season.
October 7, 2009 - 6:31 pm
There needs to be a regulation that payment channels shouldnt show ads.
We already pay for the specific channel, why should we pay to view ads and even more ads.
Star Sports telecasting F1 these days is really pathetic.
December 18, 2009 - 9:27 pm
yep star-sports suck bigtime
January 11, 2010 - 5:36 pm
i need free air chhenal in tatasky setup box
please send formula
my mobile no 9875117167
March 13, 2010 - 1:28 pm
Nothing has changed. The qualifying for the first race of 2010 has been the same disappointment. Ads during crucial timings during the session. Tomorrow is going to be worse. Star Sports SUCKS!
March 30, 2010 - 1:35 am
How is this a petition if Star Sports don't give a d**k s**t about it? Enough is enough, I'm cancelling my subscription as my blood boils each time I have to correct Steve's countless basic blunders and just when you gets thick into the action, we're taken to those useless self promotional ads again and again! I have the unfortunate event having met Steve together with some friends last month. The next time I catches him again, I will let s**t fly…bl00dy amateurs!!!
May 31, 2010 - 10:52 am
The massive logo for the world cup soccer is a huge aggravation since it covers up the face of the right most person / commentator when they show 3 in 1 panels.
it also covers points data for the top 2 rows.
are they INSANE?
this logo dissappears for ads of course!
June 27, 2010 - 1:02 am
why wasnt qualifying from valencia telecasted today?
June 26, 2010 - 8:10 pm
Fifa World Cup and Wimbledon… Both got priority over Formula-1.
June 27, 2010 - 12:22 am
hah. just checked. at least the race would be live.
July 26, 2010 - 6:29 am
Well, i live in Thailand and the coverage here is just as terrible as in India if not even worse. Today, monday i am going to watch the rerun of the german gp since i had to work last night. As always you really have to check on the starsports hompage if they really is going to show the race or if it´s been cancelled due to some more importent sports like a tennis or baseball. Well i checked and it´s on but when i looked to the left on the screen on the program schedule they actually had a small add saying Alonso is the winner of the german gp..WTF, thanks a lot you idiots. How stupid are these people?????. I really cant find anything good with the F1 coverage anymore, they show 5 min then its time for their damn own commercial again, or commercial?? they just show upcoming sports on their channel, over and over again, same adds through the whole race. And they cut the race even if their is something about to happend. CUT. And then you are lucky if you even get to see the replay. 7 min race then add WTF is wrong wit this pathetic sport channel????.