Ecclestone Courts Murdoch Pay TV as F1 Audiences Tumble
Formula 1 Courts Internet, Pay TV to Boost Audience
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Formula One Chief Executive Officer Bernie Ecclestone’s move to push more races behind a paywall is prompting concerns among team sponsors.
Ecclestone is making deals with pay-television broadcasters including Sky Plc in the U.K., Fox Sports in Australia and Spain’s Telefonica SA to sell exclusive rights to between half and all of the 20 races, breaking from a decades-old model of free-to-air television. The season-opening race is March 15 in Melbourne.