14/11/2014
NEWS STORY
The ever controversial Bernie Ecclestone claims that F1 doesn't need young fans as they don't have the money to buy sponsors products.
The Briton, known for his controversial comments, which most of the time are intended purely to cause mischief, is sure to succeed with his latest outburst.
At a time the sport is already facing a major financial crisis, with two teams seemingly lost and another three thought to be on the verge, and TV cameras pick up swathes of empty seats at races, the F1 boss has claimed that the sport doesn't need young fans.
"If you have a brand that you want to put in front of a few hundred million people, I can do that easily for you on television," he told Campaign Pacific-Asia. "Now, you're telling me I need to find a channel to get this 15-year-old to watch Formula One because somebody wants to put out a new brand in front of them? They are not going to be interested in the slightest bit.
"Young kids will see the Rolex brand, but are they going to go and buy one? They can't afford it," he continued. "Or our other sponsor, UBS - these kids don't care about banking. They haven't got enough money to put in the bloody banks anyway. That's what I think. I don't know why people want to get to the so-called 'young generation'. Why do they want to do that? Is it to sell them something? Most of these kids haven't got any money.
"I'd rather get to the 70-year-old guy who's got plenty of cash," he insisted. "So, there's no point trying to reach these kids because they won't buy any of the products here and if marketers are aiming at this audience, then maybe they should advertise with Disney."
Whilst team and drivers finally caught on to the social media revolution, Ecclestone, who doesn't use email and is unsure how to work his mobile phone, had to be dragged kicking and screaming before he would allow the sport to officially indulge and interact with the fans.
"I'm not interested in tweeting, Facebook and whatever this nonsense is," he says. "I tried to find out but in any case I'm too old-fashioned. I couldn't see any value in it. And, I don't know what the so-called 'young generation' of today really wants. What is it? If you ask a 15 or 16-year-old kid, 'What do you want?' they don't know.
When it is pointed out the social media can create a relationship between fans and the sport, thereby enhancing the F1 experience, again Ecclestone showed his woeful lack of understanding.
"How are you going to get all the fans to meet these drivers, who don't even want to meet their girlfriends? You're right that we should use social media to promote Formula One. I just don't know how. They say the kids watch things on (tablets and phones), but it doesn't mean they're watching Formula One. And even if they are today, will they still watch it when they are 40? The world has changed so much in the last few years, and I doubt that's going to stop. But with all the technology out there are limits to what we can do and the amount of time people can watch something.
"So, I'm not a great supporter of social media and I think we'll find that a number of things will happen. Very shortly these companies like Twitter will be charging for anything that's put on there that looks vaguely commercial. Otherwise they can't stay in business. Their shares have suddenly dropped 10 per cent this week, and it's because people aren't using Twitter as much."
There is so much we could say, such as how many 70-year-olds drink Red Bull, but if Bernie really sees F1 and its fans this way what's the point?