Ecclestone Decides to Cancel PPV F1 Coverage

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone confirmed today that his company has indeed closed down all digital pay-per-view services of the Formula One World Championship.

Broadcasters in the United Kingdom (Sky's F1 Digital+), France (Canal Plus), Germany (DSF) are some of the institutions informed that Ecclestone's FOM will not be offering pay-per-view services in 2003.

Ecclestone said: "We have told all of our broadcast partners that FOM will no longer offer a separate digital pay-per-view service.

"Over the last six years we have developed very sophisticated outside broadcast facilities and we now intend to focus these resources on providing the best live feed to our free-to-air broadcasters."

Germany was the first country to screen the sport on pay-per-view television, while the interactive service has spread across Europe and Scandinavia.

Sources at FOM told Atlas F1 the decision to shut down all PPV service was made after it became clear the digital broadcasters would object to a rival free-to-air coverage that was based on a similar feed.

In the last few days discussions were held, which eventually lead to the decision to cancel all pay-per-view service in favour of improved terrestrial feed.

The British press has already reported earlier this week that the pay-per-view coverage has been cancelled, but Ecclestone himself denied the reports initially.