Hail James Murdoch

[dellzeqq]

(OT: When I was a courier, we used to deliver to Pennington Street during the disturbances there. I remember a courier getting hit on the petrol tank by a brick, Bizarrely, we were all jealous that he got a souvenir dent and we didn't).

I worked on the building that went up to the east of Pennington Street. Some idiot left a vibrating poker on at the weekend and it put some (small) cracks in the wall of the Times newsroom. The tough-guy journos who were so keen for other people to invade Iraq went all 'Elf and Safety' and refused to work.

By 'scoop' I meant just that - take exclusive rights and build the programme round those rights.

 

[zimzum42]

I think it's as simple as it looks - they get far more benefit from having it on the free channels as a means of advertising. Would be a bit pointless having it on Sky Sports as the only people who would see their logo would be people who have already subscribed

 

[bof]

I read somewhere ages back that part of the reason for Sky doing this was for publicity in the Italian market. Incidentally I used to know a long time senior News International guy - now long retired. He had dealings with Berlusconi's crew and his comment was "Now there's a real bunch of crooks"!

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think it's as simple as it looks - they get far more benefit from having it on the free channels as a means of advertising. Would be a bit pointless having it on Sky Sports as the only people who would see their logo would be people who have already subscribed

Agreed, no point preaching to the choir.

 

[tigger]

Here's a picture I took of James Murdoch on Saturday after the TT. Did I mention I WAS THERE!?

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Sky winning the TdF was the worse thing, with all the hoo-ha about cycling now and the sudden media popularity then I can see sky sports grabbing it next year and then we would have to subscribe to it to see it. Nightmare. He aint getting a nickel from me.

 

[andrew_s]

I think that both ITV and Eurosport are signed up for several more years of the Tour.
If Sky do get the rights afterwards, I just hope that the dirty digger's pegged out by then. As far as I'm concerned James comes under the heading of generic businessman

 

[zimzum42]

It makes no sense for Sky to have the cycling so long as they are sponsoring a team. Worry when they stop the sponsorship!

 

[tigger]

It makes no sense for Sky to have the cycling so long as they are sponsoring a team. Worry when they stop the sponsorship!

Yes maybe. Certainly I don't think there is at present a big enough audience of dedicated road racing viewers to help Sky leverage more subscribers. Of course this could change in the medium to long term if interest in pro cyling really takes off.

Sky's interest in cycling is much broader I think. Essentially they are perceived by the public as any other big corporation is - namely, a huge machine out for the money who cares about no one. We also need to consider the largely dumbed-down, depoliticied world we now live in. The main emotive triggers for the masses are (self) celebrity, sport and the (ever self-perpetuated by the media and government) green agenda. If your brand can be attached positively to these areas then in turn it will have a very positive effect on your brand perception. Participation through Inspiration, national sporting success plus an added sprinkle of carbon neutral - this is what makes cycling perfect for Sky.

Robert Tansey, chair of the Sky pro cycling board and brand marketing director of BSkyB, explains: “We ran a big analysis of pretty much every sport across the UK on things such as ease of access, environmental friendliness and likely British success. Cycling was the only one that ticked all of the boxes.”

More info here:
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/brands-look-to-exploit-wiggins-tour-win/4002864.article