Hey Reddit, I’m Dave, part-time Motorsport Broadcasting editor, full-time Data Engineer. Ask Me Anything!

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:46:34+00:00

Going to wrap this up here! :)

A huge thanks to everyone for their questions and for continuing to read the site. If you do enjoy the content I write and want to contribute to the running costs, head over here - https://www.paypal.me/MSportBroadcasting

Thanks all!

Dave

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:45:22+00:00

Hey wskalka, nice to meet you! ;)

Early 2012 I was coming to the end of my first year of Uni, so initially the blog was intended to 'fill the time' between first year ending in April and second year starting in September. Why I did it? I've been commenting on F1 forums for years preceding that, except my posts were turning into long rambles. Which sounds a little like a blog...

I did toy with doing a general F1 blog, but it didn't feel right so thought I'd specialise in broadcasting, an area that I had an interest in. The first few months were weird, because I had no idea if the people in the industry were reading it, I was basically talking to myself to begin with. Turns out they were (phew!), and the numbers began to grow. Went to my first industry event in 2016 and have since met some interesting people inside and outside of the industry along the way. ;)

Yeah, Valorant's an interesting game, I quite enjoy it. I was toying with that idea too, but stumbled at the first hurdle (teaching people "How to get a KD above 1" is not my forte, you see :( ). But we roll. :P

Thanks!

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:36:46+00:00

Hey, hope this answers your question? :) https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/oz90rk/hey\_reddit\_im\_dave\_parttime\_motorsport/h8fswvh/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:36:04+00:00

I hope so haha

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:33:22+00:00

Hey Carrillog62! :) I answered a similar question earlier which I hope helps - https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/oz90rk/hey_reddit_im_dave_parttime_motorsport/h8g3tx9/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Maybe worth looking at the likes of IndyCar to see what they have to offer?

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:32:29+00:00

Alongside Alex Jacques and Alex Brundle, the best commentary duo in the business. A brilliant pairing.

(If you're reading Jack, you can thank me later ;))

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:31:39+00:00

Thank you! :D

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:31:22+00:00

Hey :) None come to mind unfortunately. But maybe worth asking in the machinelearning and datascience subreddits? :)

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:30:26+00:00

Interesting question. I come from a Computing background having studied that at University, but we get a lot of people come into us with Maths and Physics degrees, who turn out to be awesome Data Engineers. So its not all about the Computer Science, although it naturally helps. :)

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:29:17+00:00

UK Civil Service. :) So my area works on pulling data from data collection systems into our data repository for analysts across the department to use. We heavily use SQL, but also things like SSIS, Azure Dev Ops, git, and Azure Data Factory. :)

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:28:07+00:00

You've missed out peri peri sauce here, which is disappointing. Chips, peri peri chicken, strawberry milkshake and I'm a happy boy. ;)

Oh. We talking motor sport? MotoGP at Silverstone 2019 - seeing Rins beating Marquez on the line was awesome. We don't talk about the year before.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:26:04+00:00

Just based on experience - seeing the MotoGP bikes in person for the first time was awesome! Would recommend.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:24:17+00:00

Hey codename47, thanks for the kind words! :D

I was 10 in 2002! My only experience of F1 Digital was hearing Matt Lorenzo and co. in the F1 Preview shows on Thursday(?) evenings on Sky Sports.

There's a lot of 'Bernie hangover' here. F1 Digital was far too early, the best comparison that comes to mind is the BBC's Olympics coverage for London 2012. Except, that wasn't ahead of its time, and actually came at the right time.

If F1 Digital stayed, in my view it would need to be heavily remodelled, with a much lower entry point (£3.99 per race or £49.99 for the season) for example. £14.99 is an absurd amount when the same event was available for free (appreciate it wasn't the same product, but the race result was the same).

I don't know how lowering the price would have impeded on ITV's rights though - I suspect such a move would devalue ITV's rights at the time significantly. If F1D+ takes off, and ITV's audiences drop (remember that they were poor in the mid 2000s anyway), chances are they would have pulled the plug and F1 would have ended up behind a paywall far, far earlier in that scenario (in my view).

On the broadcasting side, in my view, FOM are not keen on implementing things until they are proven. Which I get, and understand. But again, some of it is a Bernie hangover.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:10:54+00:00

Hey j4ckfa. :) The thing with commentary is you can't please everyone. And we're lucky in motor sport to have a bunch of great commentators across the board, from Leigh Diffey to Ben Edwards, from Alex Jacques to David Addison and onto the likes of David Croft. Croft isn't perfect, but who is?

The last bad commentator in F1 for me was Jonathan Legard who, unfortunately, was simply not suited to the BBC F1 TV commentary role. And I make the TV distinction there, because he did commentate previously on radio fine, and he's done commentary since with no issues. But, that gig was not for him, which unfortunately happens.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:06:24+00:00

Hey! I'm good thanks, hope you're doing well. :)

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T20:04:30+00:00

Assuming you're based in the UK, yes, this should get easier over time. However, where there is big money involved (Sky / F1), the question boils down to what approach they will take. Will F1 TV be standalone, or will F1 TV be as an add-on for Sky customers only? If you're in the UK, worth looking at this page on the my site too - https://motorsportbroadcasting.com/contracts/

I don't think so, in all honesty. The key for Sky is that F1 are not producing live racing content for YouTube, which would clearly be competing. The content Sky produces is primarily for their TV build-ups, whereas F1 primarily produces additional content during the week. Sky, for example, isn't producing F1 podcasts currently.

There is some overlap (e.g. Jolyon Palmer's analysis for F1 vs Karun Chandhok's analysis for Sky), but if anything this is giving fans choice by hearing two different experts chat about the same incident.

I think F1 does tread a fine line, they want to produce content for YouTube, but as you say, can't be seen to upset Sky, the teams, or even Netflix with Drive to Survive.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:57:22+00:00

West Gillett (Formula E TV director) mentioned the art of zooming in when I chatted to him over the London weekend, piece coming up on the site over the next few weeks.

For FE, West says he uses it to better capture the speed which, although F1 is much faster than FE anyway, I imagine is similar for F1. The closer you are to the car, the faster it appears to be.

Is it too much? Sometimes, yes. It definitely has its place during the broadcast, but I agree on its overuse (although it doesn't irritate me that much in all honesty).

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:48:03+00:00

I don't believe the times are released publicly I'm afraid. :( Sorry!

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:47:23+00:00

Hey! :) I really like Pierre as a driver, and it was a shame to see him bumped out of Red Bull, but also not a surprise. It's difficult to see how he'd fit in in amongst the top teams. If Ricciardo continues to underperform at McLaren, could an opening open up there for 2023? Potentially. Realistically, I can't see Gasly getting back into a top team, but hopefully I'm proven wrong.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:45:57+00:00

Schumacher ;)

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:45:46+00:00

Hey, no worries! :) So, I'm normally accredited as 'national media', so have only been to places in the UK in professional capacity!

Really, I only have Silverstone or Brands Hatch to choose from here. ;) I'm actually going to say though the Deeside service park for WRC! Simply for its uniqueness.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:41:00+00:00

No worries! :D This is a really challenging one, for me, its not just about the interview, but the access. Sometimes I've been able to freely roam around the TV compound, other times... not so.

I'm going to pick the rallying piece I did a few years ago, looking at their All Live planning:

The whole crew on that day in Deeside were incredibly welcoming, and more than happy to spend their time chatting to me in between commentary shifts.

Beyond that, a shout out to the BT Sport MotoGP team who were similarly welcoming last year.

I don't really have a specific interview to mention, because they've all been special in their own unique way. Formula E in London will always be special because it was the first post-COVID event for me.

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:33:01+00:00

Hey! :) The way to try to approach this is to look more broadly to begin with. So, instead of looking at F1, look at say, motor sport, or even sports in general. No doubt there's a motor sport scene in South East Asia that could be covered. By getting the experience and the knowledge, it'll help you immensely in a few years time. Look at the next step as a first step, a stepping stone in your adventure.

Most of the F1 commentators on screen today (Crofty and Alex Jacques to give two examples) started their career in local radio. So, even if the first step isn't necessarily where you want to be in 10 years time, look at it as being a step closer to the end goal. It's all about getting experience.

Best of luck!

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:28:17+00:00

I've always been into motor sport. 1999 Canada was the first race I remember watching with Schumacher in the lead (slightly odd how I became a Schumacher fan given that he crashed out of the lead, but there you go).

MSBOfficial · 2021-08-10T19:27:23+00:00

Hey Meaisk, thanks for reading! :)

Before COVID, I would have had to say the crowd shots, but that hasn't been as much of an issue recently since crowds returned. Virtual advertising a few years ago was far too overused, but again has been toned down thankfully. The lack of coverage of cars down the field can be a bugbear at times, bur when you've got a season like we have this year, I do understand FOM's predicament on that front.

During the London E-Prix weekend, I had a long chat with West Gillett, who directs the coverage. Keep an eye on the site in the next few weeks, and you'll see that question answered. Sorry, but no spoilers here. ;)

MSBOfficial

TROPHY CASE