If anybody wants to see Quad racing on TV lets start sending some emails to ESPN. They now show sno-cross w/ sleds. The ATV market is exploding and I think they need to be made aware this is bigger then they think. If you like the idea respond and then go to ESPN.com and let our sport be heard!!!!!

 

Sent off a nice long comment about Quad racing. I truly hope they do start broadcasting ATV racing, it would be great.

 

I emailed them. I told them with the sudden explosion in the ATV sport, it would be a smart move to start airing some of these races. I told them we would back them up(information wise) if needed.

 

I think the nationals are supposed to be on one of the sports or outdoor channels on Saturday mornings pretty soon.
ERIC

 

I read in a magazine "Dirt Wheels" that the USA Network will start showing the GNCC races saturdays mornings atv and dirtbikes. I sent them an email, but they have not resoponded.
Peace

 

While I am timid to admit this, I work for ESPN. While I am not in a position to influence the company on the programming, I will try and give everyone a reality check.

ESPN is a business. They are in it to make a profit. Do you guys truly understand the costs behind producing a sports show? I was surprised to find out all the cost myself.

First you need the equipment to tape the show. Now this is not just one camera or two. But a whole bunch. To produce a quality show you need a camera at every angle that is needed to catch the action. This is not only including a cameraman on the ground, but rather cranes or towers to get the shots from above the action. Again these cameras are not the ones you buy in the local store, but rather high tech stuff. Big bucks.

Every camera needs an operator. You now have to pay the salary of each cameraman. And you need a handful of operators inside a truck switching from camera to camera. Of course there are a few chiefs needed to sit around and tell the indians which button to push. All these high tech operators are not paid the minimum wage either.

Now you need travel expenses since the races are all over the country (or east coast). Hotels and plane fair are required for all the personal need to produce the shot. Not to mention the truck and shipping cost of equipment getting to each race. With the race is over two days, and set up/tear down time you are now looking at about a 4 to 5 days. Cost is getting higher.

Once the race is actually shot, you need to bring the tapes back to CT and have them edited to the final production. This requires other equipment and technical people, more cash.

Now in order for the company, ESPN, to make any profit on the race production, ads need to be sold. This requires more people to go out and sell the ad time. More money!

So the total production costs of each race MUST be lower than the total amount of revenue brought in through ad sales. Now you can see the business side of producing a show. Another thing to consider is the time slot. While we (the ATVers) would like to see the show on at a prime time slot, can this sport actually compete with the major sports already on? Nope. So now you are looking at a middle of the nighttime slot, which the ad sales for this drops. While ATV sales are quite high, we are such a small segment of viewing population that I cannot see it worthwhile. Take Honda. They already place ads in the SX race shows and others (like MNF). Do you think they want to drop thousands of dollars on another, less popular show? Nope. Especially when none of the pro racers are running stock form quads. Everything is aftermarket. And the aftermarket companies are already backlogged up to a year for the pro type quads.

While I am not trying to discourage you guys from sending emails or phone calls to ESPN. By all means please do. I for one pray that our sport makes it to the big time like SX. But understand this…SX just recently made it to the main programming of ESPN. Can a GNC race compete with the level of jumping and fun factor to the average viewer as SX? I doubt it. Those guys are getting much bigger air than the pro quad racers.

 

Thing I find really funny is that they will cover lawn tractor racing and not quad racing. Go figure?

 

i no they already got the cameras, they should use them.

 

That is a really good point, I have SEEN lawn tractor racing... There really wasn't much excitement; it was rather funny to think someone would ACTUALLY be brave enough to race those things in front of a camera. I think I might get embarrassed doing that. There has GOT to be at least a little more money in quad racing. Unless the companies who sell lawn tractors were sporting all the cash for the commercials.

 

I'm with SaMsOn and BlackHawk, sure we can understand the time, money and manpower investment a quality television show, but you're telling me that lawnmowers, snowmobiles and even spelling bees on ESPN2 are all bigger ad getters? The majority of boat and automotive racing circuits uses full aftermarket rides unrecognizable to what we see in the showrooms. I'm not sure, but I'd think we could not go to the Yamaha dealer and purchase a Jeremy McGrath replica bike off the floor after watching him fly through the air on ESPN. I think we'd all be content starting small with a half-dozen camera angles and a show condensed into 1/2 hour. I'm confident that the ATV community and some fringe viewers would tune in and generate at least enough ratings to show the program at 1am instead of some Pool tournament.

Whew...I need to go for a ride!