And nice they are too. Wonder though if they're generic 6Nations graphics for an international feed rather than from the Italian broadcaster.
They looked Sky-esque in terms of the fontage so I'm assuming they were from Sky Italia.
They are indeed an English version of Sky Italia's graphics, although in saying they are "Sky-esque", they have very little in common pres-wise with Sky UK/Ireland (the Sky Sport logo isn't even the same colour as our Sky Sports). RTÉ uses them when covering Italian games (though there was the occasional drop into what looked like an off-air feed of BBC One - the BBC Sport graphics would occasionally appear, fully branded unlike the usual unbranded feed RTÉ use for England, Scotland, and Wales home games).
I thought the player focuses they do very cheesy, though!
Liking the new F1 titles, incidentally - the old ones reminded me far too much of Top Gear's Stig!
I've not much sympathy for the BBC losing it's remaining racing rights - the writing was on the wall when they cut back to 13 days a year a few years back and although I'm no fan of racing at all it has left many a hole in the Saturday afternoon schedule.
C4 are getting their just rewards for sticking with the sport week in week out for over 25 years, especially over the last decade where at times it would have been an easy decision (though completely wrong) to give it up. I think too from C4's point of view it is the best way to boost their sporting portfolio - and frankly there isn't much else around at the moment they could put their stamp on in the way they have previously with the cricket and Football Italia.
Whether the money - just £2.5m a year - goes back into the BBC Sport pot I don't know, but I doubt that gets much nowadays - though if they are looking to replace anything I'd imagine it would only be the Saturday slots. I'd hope to be honest it goes towards securing the Olympic contract - would like to see that deal signed and sealed ASAP.
The BBC have now got to make better use of the rights they do have - notably they can't hide the Diamond League athletics (the big European events at least) away on the red button when it could fit on BBC2 or BBC3 - especially with the red button coverage being axed. If they keep it on the red button they should show an hour of highlights on the Saturday afternoon - I doubt they'll have much trouble scheduling it.
Really though the bigger picture here is how BBC Sport has really suffered from the Tory cuts to the licence fee - and unlike local radio, 6 Music etc. there seems to be no compromise at all on it. Maybe this is the deal that is needed to really highlight how hampered BBC Sport are by the new licence fee agreement - and frankly it is better this than the Olympics.
Remember that FULL race coverage on the BBC only applies to Pacific GPs, those that complete before 1000 UK. Extended highlights are applicable for the ME/European races. No clue has yet been given as to the highlights disposition of the Americas races in the schedule.
Its 2 hours at 10:30pm for Canadian and US GPs. (Confirmed in the BBC press pack for the season.)
India is 90 minutes at 5:30pm, just like the (highlights only) European races (it starts at 9:30am).
Of the BBC meetings not mentioned in the above articles, Channel 4 will naturally pick up Ascot's King George weekend, and will presumably show the Welsh National at Chepstow in a double-header with their existing Kempton coverage a few days after Christmas.
Not immediately clear though if the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp will be lost from terrestrial screens. As far as I know it's a stand-alone contract. It would be nice to see Channel 4 pick this one up as well as some of the old BBC regulars such as the Arc Trials, the French Guineas, the French Derby, the Irish Guineas, the Irish Derby etc . . . all of which have disappeared from the main channels in recent years.
Clare Balding on Twitter says she's "not rushing into any decisions about what I will do in the future." I really hope Channel 4 make her an offer, as she'd be wasted on the BBC with just a few rugby league and swimming events each year.
I know I'll get moaned at for saying this. But I think Clare Balding should be made lead female, given Gabby Logan's secondary rugby union role, the golf and snooker.
I know Hazel is rated and loved by many on here, but I feel that BBC Sport should concentrate on core group of 3 to 5 presenters and I feel Balding has more of a profile compared to her.
I really don't know how Clare Balding would fit into Channel 4's racing coverage, as it's so different at the moment. I think she will leave the Beeb after the games however.
The race build up from 4.30am to 6am, had an average audience of 267k (25.39%), the race had an average of 874k (30.91%) and a five minute peak of 1.02m. According to Broadcast, the overall audience from 4.30 to 9am was 526k (16.68%).
Sky Media say 3.1m viewers 'tuned in' to the channel over the weekend. They quote a peak of 967k, presumably the 15 minute peak.
There have been some tweaks to the Formula One world feed graphics this year, though nothing drastic - new transitition animations, a new graphic explaining the tires situation and some other tweaks here and there.
I know I'll get moaned at for saying this. But I think Clare Balding should be made lead female, given Gabby Logan's secondary rugby union role, the golf and snooker.
I know Hazel is rated and loved by many on here, but I feel that BBC Sport should concentrate on core group of 3 to 5 presenters and I feel Balding has more of a profile compared to her.
I really don't know how Clare Balding would fit into Channel 4's racing coverage, as it's so different at the moment. I think she will leave the Beeb after the games however.
Clare Balding is a freelancer, so she could go anywhere. She's on the Paralympic coverage, so I expect Channel 4 won't have a problem with her!
Would be nice. Not many pieces of music move me to tears, but this one does. Every time. Without fail.
It's a difficult one to call. However, I imagine Channel 4 will not want to make their coverage son of BBC when it comes to the grand National, so I think that tune may not be heard.
As regards Claire Balding, well, again, same thing, does C4 want to make its coverage son of BBC? I doubt it, and it any case, C4 ahs some excellent racing presenters, Derek Thomson, Alastair Down, and others, so I'm not sure they need Claire Balding.
And on the part about the arc di Triomphe (or however you spell it), it was a C4 event until just after it took over the Cheltenham Festival, when the BBC outbid C4 to it. I've no doubt C4 will want to land it again., and boost their already large horse racing stable (sorry for the pun).
I''d imagine Claire would just join the current roster of presenters and would still end up on air more often than she did with racing on the BBC. I do expect C4 to try and lure her over as history shows that with the exception of Ortis Deely in the past with cricket and athletics they have lured over the main face of BBC coverage to be part of their new team too (Michael Johnson and Richie Benaud).
