Five years ago a thing called Kangaroo TV appeared in Formula 1. It provided fans with opportunities that had previously not existed at race meetings: they could access to immediate and intimate race details and succinct data, while sitting in a grandstand, or standing in a queue to buy a burger. They know longer had to wonder what happened
in sections of the track they can’t see from their particular vantage point. They could catch all the action and keep up to speed. This added a new dimension to being a Formula 1 spectator, but the company struggled to convince hard-squeezed fans to part with more cash on top of the ticket prices and concentrated instead on teams and sponsors, who were allowed to brand their own Kangaroos and even to provide their own content. Despite this, making the Kangaroo successful in F1 was not an easy job and the company was restructured several times. The firm changed its name to FanVision Entertainment LLC, and its headquarters to New York City and today has established a network of permanent UHF broadcast installations in select NFL and NCAA college football stadiums and Formula 1 races. In 2010 alone, FanVision was present at over 170 live events in 20 countries. The rebranded business this year launched a new generation G3 device, which offers an upgraded live-event, handheld broadcast experience that brings fans even closer to the action. The device offers a new interface, an enhanced user experience and a variety of many new features, including multiple news sources, visualised statistics, team comparison, ability to personalise and track drivers head to head, and live positioning maps. The G3 also allows race fans to follow up to three drivers, an upgrade over the G2 unit. While other mobile devices rely on WiFi
and struggle to meet the demands of hundreds of fans seeking broadcast content at the same time, FanVision uses a dedicated, in-venue broadcast network that is fast, seamless and live. FanVision devices have become standard
equipment in the Formula 1 paddock and are used by all teams and officials. As an Official Supplier to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, FanVision works closely with the team on integrating their new bespoke G3 products into
their facilities on track.
“We entertain thousands of guests a year at Grand Prix, and we have a common motivation with FanVision to ensure these guests have the best possible experience at each event,” said Martin Whitmarsh, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal. “When there is action on track the G3 will allow our guests the access the best information possible and enhance their experience. When there is no action on track, our bespoke G3s provide a forum for our guests to keep up to date with the team and our Partners’ activities away from the circuit.”
Even the drivers love the device.
“There are so many parts that make Formula 1 fascinating and if you get under the skin of it you can get the most out of it, whether you’re working in the sport or following it,” said Lewis Hamilton. “For race spectators on track taking in the live atmosphere, the noise, the smell, the energy, the FanVision devices also let you feel part of the sport. You decide what you watch and the data you review. You can follow your favourite driver, keep up to speed on pit stop strategies, see the lines different drivers are taking through corners, understand how they are making up time and so on. It puts you at the heart of the sport.”
F1 fans now also have the option of owning the new and improved G3 device and enjoying the service at every F1 event throughout the 2011 season.
FanVision and Silverstone Circuits Limited have also worked together to ensure fans have the unparalleled “insider” level of access to F1 race video, camera angles and information that can only be enjoyed through FanVision’s innovative service. It will allow F1 fans to experience exclusive wireless access to live broadcast
feeds, up to eight onboard cameras, instant replays, interviews, official timing, team and driver data, stats and analysis, pitstop timing, BBC Radio 5 Live commentary and team radio communications. Onsite bookings will be available while stocks last at Silverstone. Online rental prices start at £60 per race for the G2 model.
For further information and to book online please visit http://f1.fanvision.com/
joeblogsf1 
Is this a paid advertisement?
i’d like to be able to have one just for home. Being able to pick the camera and hearing all the radio would be something I’d love. I’m starting to realise the more your get into F1 the more control you want over what you’re watching. I get so annoyed sometimes when a great battle unfolding on the timing screens but the world feed and the BBC seem to be ignoring it, or doing that thing where they just follow Vettel for a while.
It is a good device, I agree.
However, spectators pay a lot of money to go and watch a race and as such they deserve first-class amenities. They should be able to receive information as good as TV viewers get without having to fork out an additional £60 to gawp at a Fanvision unit. More TV screens, free handsets – is this too much to ask?
Joe, you haven’t responded to my tweets so please forgive me for asking this question again – was the Fanvision article is the Canada edition of GrandPrix+ a ‘promotional feature’ or paid for in some way?
Is there any reason why that level of info. is not available live on the internet to people at home?
I’m referring to: up to eight onboard cameras, instant replays and team radio communications.
It’s very useful at Silverstone, as some of the grandstands have been moved so far away from the track, they’re are quite literally in another county.
Sounds great, but did they address the initial issue…
“…the company struggled to convince hard-squeezed fans to part with more cash on top of the ticket prices “
Didn’t know you did advertising on the blog…?
Joe,
I already left this suggestion at another F1 blog, but have to repeat it in the hope someone from Fan Vision might see it.
Please start offering single-day rentals. A lot of fans only attend for Friday (as I did yesterday, Saturday or the Sunday. I would have loved to of used a Fan Vision unit, as I did for the Saturday and Sunday at Spa-Francorhamps last year, but the cost of £60 for one day’s usage is too much.
I understand logistics is probably the deciding factor, but think of it this way. Any units that are hired out on a Friday or Saturday, with a single battery and one set of earphones, could cost the public half of the three day rental. The user pays a £5 return deposit, that they’ll be refunded provided they return the unit at the end of the day rather than posting it back, allowing Fan Vision to re-use that same unit at the track for the following days.
Should Fan Vision think this is a great idea and would like to pay me lots of money or simply offer a unit free of charge for the Spa weekend, please pass on my email address 😉
Great blog by the way
Are these available at all tracks? I didn’t see any at Montreal last month but they were there back in 2007 when I rented one. A useful device.
If you’re going to cut and paste a press release you really should declare that fact at the beginning.
You may get to ‘own’ the device, but will still be charged a fee at every post-2011 race you take it too to get the feed. But if you happen to be attending multiple races this year you may get limited value from the 300 quid you’ll spend. I doubt many average fans fall into this category. And as for 60 quid rental I’d rather buy some beers and jelly babies, sit near one of the very many screens and have a radio with Radio Silverstone or Crofty on 5live.
Yer makes yer choices of course, it is a handy bit of kit. But too pricey for most pockets I think.
Sounds fab, if only it could be provided online so that those who aren’t fortunate to attend races can also have access to this information. I would love to be able to look at different lines taken, pit stop strategies, etc. For a sport that is supposed to be technical it seems to be lacking in giving fans more information.
Do you use it, Joe?
Advertising on Joe.com. Oh horror!
I was really sceptical when I saw these at previous races, but this time decided to bit the bullet and am really glad I did. The amount of additional information these receivers give you is superb. There were a couple of times yesterday when the fans around me didn’t know what had happened (Lewis went in for an early pitstop and fell behind Jenson). You get a choice of commentary from the track announcer or from the Radio5/Red Button feed and can see sector/lap times and are updated when your favourite driver’s position changes.
I’ll have no hesitation in doing the same next year, by when I’m guessing the old G2 units will have been retired and are replaced by the G3.
Oh, the other thing I wondered about is how would you get on when the batteries go flat (I was camping and there was no way to plug in the supplied charger anywhere). Anyway, it’s easy: Just take along your flat battery to the Fanvision stall and they immediately swap it for a fully charged one.
Advertising is fine: we get to use this site for free and Joe has bills to pay. All I ask is that when a press release is dressed up as editorial content the author should be transparent about that fact at the top of the page.
Dave. I agree