Petition Speed TV

[Suzy]

About time, we need a channel dedicated to just motorbikes, or more programming for it.

Petition, Please participate!

Thanks!!!

[TommyG]

Although I agree with the movement, this isn`t going to do a thing...... :-[

[Suzy]

That's the attitude that will get us less time. The more people sign this petition, they will see the market for it and expand it.

[Super Dave]

Money is the market.

Who's going to advertise?  Suzuki?

A show of support would be good.

[spyderchick]

That's a pretty old petition. They cover F1 extensively, also have kept the Rally racing, they play virtually all M/C events of any note, (MotoGP, WSBK and AMA) along with a bunch of motoX events. They did lose Dakar to OLN, but I don't think that it got a very large viewership.

While I think it's important to let Speed know that we want more programming, Dave is right that the $$$ have got to be there for them to purchase the rights, particularly in regards to FIA(Formula 1) and FIM (MotoGP) events.

I remember 10 years ago when you were lucky to get a synopsis of the weeks events on MotoWorld (ESPN).

And yes, while some events are not same day, or even live, that's not goping to happen. Why? Stick and ball sports (both collegiate and national teams) are heavily wagered on in Las Vegas and around the country. These are money makers for more than just the networks that carry them.

No easy answers, but we are fortunate to have the air time.  

[L8brake731]

I love Suzy's enthusiasm ;)!
Petitioning the Media to make space for motorsports; let alone the motorcycle sporting is like asking your dog to bake a cake.
The BIGGEST reason NASCAR is dominating TV airtime is simple. Just look at the size of the advertisment board.
The ONLY time you get to see a sponsors name or even mention of it in our sport, is at the podium, for a brief minute or two.
Advertising brings in the $$ to get things moving with the media. Until we find a way to carry big signs for our sponsors around while we race; you won't get to see much in the way of our sport on ESPN or SPEEDVISION.

[spyderchick]

Anyone see Two Wheel Tuesday yesterday?

They had an interview with sports agent who was promoting Supercross racers. If you looked, you could get some subtle clues as to how he was getting the deals for his clients and bring fresh $$ into the sport.

He even had a book of rendered drawings showing potential sponsors what their logos would look like splashed across the rigs. This is how we will bring dollars into the sport, with potential for growth and new markets/audiences.  

[Suzy]

You may be right Alexa, may well be an old petition, but the cause that it died in the first place is that it did not get out enough to sign, Mike Davis is not anyone I know, but I am with his cause and if I can help him in anyway, I will.  ;D

[cleezmo]

I have to admit, I don't get all the SPEED haters out there. Yes, they play 14 hours of NASCRAP a day. Yes, we don't get all the races same day or live. Yes, Texas Hardtails gets more plugging than any REAL motorcycle programming.

BUT, like Alexa pointed out, 10 years ago we had virtually NO roadracing on TV. The odd 1:00am ESPN2 broadcast of a GP race, the occassional AMA national on American Sports Cavalcade on TNN (anyone remember that?), and that was it. I remember scouring the TV guide in college, trying to find the odd race broadcast to set my VCR...

Now we have every MotoGP and 250 race, every WSBK, every AMA race for your Tivo'ing pleasure, yet some people still complain.

The bottom line, like so many have said, is $$. NASCRAP has 100,000 fans at a race - try and find more than 10,000 at any AMA race (excluding the MotoGP Laguna round). The entire car says TIDE or VIAGRA or DUPONT - good luck catching the Napster logo on Zemke's helmet at speed.

More fans = more $$ = more airtime. I do my best to tell all non-moto people about how great watching racing is, how it's the best sport, and I've gotten some to come out to club races and such. But I seriously doubt a petition to SPEED is gonna get same-day broadcast of every race. There just aren't enough of us out there. Not trying to be negative, just trying to be realistic...

[ecumike]

What does 'more' roadracing mean?... don't they show most of the races by now? whether it's on Sat/Sun, or Tues.. hell they even show the 125 motoGP races sometimes.

Yes, instead of b1tching... maybe if everyone who signs that dumb petition donates $50 or some amount.. you can all pay for some ad spots that will allow them to run more races/air time, instead of running car shows where the other ad clients are wanting to advertise.

Instead of complaining (which is what this petition is), come up with a possible solution.  A solution is to pay for advertising during the races that you want to see that they aren't airing.

[L8brake731]

I have to disagree. Generally speaking; there has been more coverage on the "network" stations on motorcycle events (not excluding news coverage) than on the "SPEED"channel in the last 10 years as you said.
Speed has struggled to obtain it's contract from NASCAR and was pulled out of the frying pan just in time.
Advertising on "RIGS"? Maybe thay can do parade laps so the sponsors get their repetitions in during the program and satisfy the shareholders. Don't make the comparison of "ArenaCross to Roadracing, a way different venue altogether. Take for instance CCE and Supercross or whatever they called it.
Don't get me wrong here, I reaaly would like to see more motorcyle races and all that goes with it on any channel. I just think it isn't going to happen until there is a way to carry a billboard on a racer's back.
BTW: ESPN and whatever channels carried a race at weird hours, is due to a time slot that was not taken by BIG advertisers (on tuesday),Point in fact.
 I already pay (and you probably also) $50 to view what I want, just don't get quite satisfied on the M/C racing! ECUmike: $50 or some amount is just going to compound the problem by their own greed.

[Snarky]

Does anybody remember the old TNN (Nashville Network) back in the mid-late 80's?

I seem to recall seeing more than a few WSB/AMA/GP races, and not at 3 a.m., either.

[TommyG]

That's the attitude that will get us less time. The more people sign this petition, they will see the market for it and expand it.

If every licensed AMA member AND CCS member sign the petition it will still be a fraction of the Nascar fan base. Speed vision would be dumb from a marketing standpoint to do anything but increase Nascar air time. Any air time bikes get is fine by me. Get tivo or a DVR and enjoy! Besides, I already watch too much racing!!

[cleezmo]

Besides, I already watch too much racing!!

So true. Sometimes it takes me a week to get through all the races from a MotoGP/AMA/WSBK weekend on the TiVo! How many of us have 6 hours to sit down in front of the tube and watch racing all day? If so, I'm envious!

[L8brake731]

 ;DTIVO ;D

[Suzy]

Instead of complaining (which is what this petition is), come up with a possible solution.  A solution is to pay for advertising during the races that you want to see that they aren't airing.

Pay for advertising? Me?  I don't have that. I'm the average person who tunes in as an ethusiast, what do you expect me to advertise to get more air time for it, I could do a Corner Working commercial LOL.  ;D

[TommyG]

OR you could tatto speedvision on your chest!!! ;D

[Green_Knight]

OR you could tatto speedvision on your chest!!! ;D

I bet you could get some air time if you recorded the actual tatoo prossess  ;)

[Suzy]

OR you could tatto speedvision on your chest!!! ;D

I'll do it on my butt, not my chest LOL!!!!

Since this is all for a worthy cause.  ;D

[TommyG]

So, exactly WHAT is it you are doing with your butt ? ;D

[tug296]

American Sports Cavalcade.

[Suzy]

I'm sitting on it now, what are you doing with yours?? ;D

[ecumike]

Pay for advertising? Me?  I don't have that. I'm the average person who tunes in as an ethusiast, what do you expect me to advertise to get more air time for it, I could do a Corner Working commercial LOL.  ;D

The ads pay the bills.. so maybe if everyone who signed the petition chipped in for some ads that they want to run during a motorcycle race, SPeedTV would run an extra race for you on TV.

So anyways... why DO you sign the petition... I'm curious as to what outcome you think will happen if you sign the petition??  Do you think SpeedTV will run an extra AMA or SBK or maybe an extra MotoGP125 race?

Inquiring minds wanna know.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

This has been going on since FOX bought Speedvision 4 or 5 yrs ago. No matter what anyone says, FOX is going to keeep on putting 90% nascar programming on SPeed TV.

Old SPeedvision was a motorsports enthusiasts (ie non-circle jerk) dream channel. Rally racing, hydroplane racing, offroad racing, motorcycle racing, pylon racing (airplane), F1, Aus V8 supercars (my personal fav) and pretty much every NON NASCAR motorsports event. SV had approx 58mil viewers or so if I remember right,. FOX seen that and seen potential $$$ signs. Then they bought it and changed it to Speed TV.  At first they said they werent gonna change the programming and only add an half hour show on nascar once or twice a day. THen after people got used to that, they added more and more nascar and started pushing other sports either off the rotation or shoved them to odd hours. Fox has plans on getting TOTAL television rights to ALL Nextel Cup and Busch races. Guess where they are gonna air them? Right now FOX airs races on their broadcast network affiliates, FOX sports channel and MSC (regional channel). Nothing short of FCC intervention will change Rupert Murdocks mind when it comes to the almighty dollar. Nascar means big $$$ to the network.

[Suzy]

Well, I emailed and asked him to tell me how old this is and what new progress has been made on it. Will let you know, if and when I get a reply.

[Super Dave]

I reaaly would like to see more motorcyle races and all that goes with it on any channel. I just think it isn't going to happen until there is a way to carry a billboard on a racer's back.

The NFL is still pretty successful without much of anything more than the team logo on the uniform.  Maybe you'll see the sponsor of the apparel, but...

[Super Dave]

Does anybody remember the old TNN (Nashville Network) back in the mid-late 80's?

I seem to recall seeing more than a few WSB/AMA/GP races, and not at 3 a.m., either.

Yeah, and through the 90's.  

[Snarky]

Life was agood then!

[Super Dave]

This has been going on since FOX bought Speedvision 4 or 5 yrs ago. No matter what anyone says, FOX is going to keeep on putting 90% nascar programming on SPeed TV. ....Nothing short of FCC intervention will change Rupert Murdocks mind when it comes to the almighty dollar. Nascar means big $$$ to the network.

I dunno.  If your business is to make money, then that's what you do.  If NASCAR makes your business work, great.  When I was active selling racing fuel, guys that were doing local races in Madision or did a Busch or REMAX race spent more money that lots of riders that I knew that appeared to be "committed" to racing.  

I can like AMA racing all I want for personal reasons.  I like motorcycle road racing.  Let me rephrase it...I love it.  But the general bogus attitudes of lackluster teams that sell "sponsorships" to companies goes something like "your products image will be seen by (insert some number of viewers)..."  

NASCAR sells.  Meaning that the program called NASCAR is a selling opportunity for companies to reach customers that want to buy.

AMA motorcycle racing has had a problem with the outside support packages because of a "family feel" within the program...a program lacking in real marketing, real teams, and real pushes by those teams to establish marketing programs.

Yoshimura does not need a sponsor because their money is driven by a manufacturer.  Similarly for Graves Yamaha.  Honda America.  Ford does not support just a single team in NASCAR.  First, there is a rules structure that won't allow the motorcycle style support for parts and products that the AMA has...which is BS.  I have an idea of what bike I'm going to ride for this season.  There are a couple of optional parts that seem to be available to the rest of the world, but not through regular chanels here in the US.  Why?  No VIN's on some bikes?  Well, who's had their GSXR600 since November to work on?  Yamaha?  

Because of that, it's hard to promise much of anything in the way of fair play to an outside sponsor.  So, that does stifle the growth of this sport.  

A few years ago, I took CCS to task because the guy running the CCS ads had pictures in them...but no captions for the riders.  Honestly, I could care less about the bikes...How many GSXR1000's do I need to see to be board.  About two.  Show me a rider that I know that's fast on the bike, and I'll look.  

Personalities go a long way in developing a sport.  NASCAR recognizes that.  The NFL does.  The AMA has been lucky enough to have Mat Mladin and Miguel hang around a long time to give some kind of long term personality stability to it.  The return of Kevin Schwantz and Freddie Spencer to some track side work adds to that.

[Suzy]

I would like to see more TV coverage from Speed TV to more tracks. Tell me why they are not, can someone break that down for my knowledge.

[Super Dave]

More tracks?  Speed does all the AMA races.  It's the only spectator oriented series for motorcycle road racing.  The scheduling is set up for TV and the tracks usually have the facilities for media set ups, etc.  And who would pay to advertise a product during coverage of lightweight superbike amateur anyway?  

Does the AMA pay to have their program televised or are they able to contract it out for bidding?  I don't know.  

[Suzy]

I'm saying all races, CCS, WERA, etc., not just AMA. Why does there have to be an audience to tape a race? How does that make it more important to put on TV? We could fill a whole day of programming with all the races from different areas and orginizations.

[spyderchick]

I'm saying all races, CCS, WERA, etc., not just AMA. Why does there have to be an audience to tape a race? How does that make it more important to put on TV? We could fill a whole day of programming with all the races from different areas and orginizations.

Suzy, Speed won't air anything without major corporate sponsorship. In other words, they need to cover production costs and make a profit.

To convince a major cable channel to cover local club races, a producer will need to come to them with committed sponsors, a reasonable budget, something that works into their scheduling, and some sort af assurance that you would have a viewership.

In addition, there are all sorts of legalities to be worked out, from rights to re-air to releases from many of the individuals involved on the production at large.

In other words, producing one single hour of club racing is prohibitively expensive from the point of production cost/return on $$$.

No money to be made, no air time.

Case in point: Champ car series. They lost losts of air time to the IRL series. They were both basically racing open wheel cars (which to the average viewer, the specs didn't matter, the competitiveness of the racers did). The business and marketing wasn't handled the best by the Champ car folks, and thus they lost significant share to a brand new and growing national level sanctioning body (IRL).

The kicker in this scenario is that IRL folks all came from Champ car, and took the best ideas to form a marketable series. So now you have what was then the premier open wheel series cut off at the knees by better managment.

The pie was not large enough to support 2 open wheel series at a national level, both with spectator attendance, or for TV air time.

I'm sure Sean and Evelyn or Kevin Elliott would love to have even a little coverage of either series, but in reality, niether sanctioning body has the time, resources or money to get this accomplished. And really, in the end, with the coverage for AMA, WSBK and MotoGP, you don't have much of an audience left, because they will be watching those events, not the CCS/ASRA or WERA events that would probably get air time at 2AM.

[Suzy]

What a bummer. I understand more, thanks Alexa.  ;)

Kinda makes you wanna do this...

[Suzy]

Rumor  ???