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Listening to an Ecclestone interview earlier, I think he's upset with ITVs persuit of the football rights. They've already captured Premier League highlights, England home internationals and live FA Cup games from next season I believe, today is the deadline for bidding for the terestrial Champions League rights, which ITV are expected to capture. Whether it's concern that doesn't leave much cash in the pot for ITV to renew their F1 contract at the end of next season, or he feels their coverage or production values will suffer as a result, am not sure, but he kept referring to ITV being busy with 'other things'
The ITV statement is just contradictory nonsense. There's no way after years of showing Finnish, Spanish and German champions, they'd want to drop F1 with the prospect of an English champion for 'commercial reasons'. Last seasons Brazilian GP was the highest sporting audience figure of 2007. Sounds like a bit of sour grapes and trying to look like they took the decision to scrap the contract, when they quite clearly didn;t
EDIT Premiership football highlights are staying with the BBC beyond this season, they also are showing live Carling Cup semis and finals from next season, along with bizarely 10 Championship matches. Which unless they catpure the Champions League rights today, will be the sum total of their live football output
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