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Just when you thought it couldnt get any worse

povol

povol

Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
I can not believe this ....,even though something like this has been rumored for weeks.Pro Racing relegated to infomercial staus

AMA Pro and SPEED Announce New AMA Pro Prime Time Race Event and Studio Show

Race and Studio Combo Series Airs Saturdays on SPEED for 26 Weeks Starting In March

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 18, 2009) - AMA Pro Racing and SPEED announced today an innovative and unprecedented new programming format that will see 2009 AMA Pro Road Racing events, highlight coverage of other AMA Pro disciplines and a variety of in-studio and at-event features showcased every Saturday evening in the AMA Pro Prime Time show on America's leading motorsports television channel.

The 26-week run for AMA Pro Prime Time begins March 21, and will air every Saturday night on SPEED at 10 or 11 p.m. ET (7 or 8 p.m. PT), with each program ranging in length from one to three hours depending on weekly content. The programming schedule will feature flag-to-flag coverage of every 2009 AMA Pro American Superbike and AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race, ample coverage of other AMA Pro Road Racing divisions and select exposure of other motorcycle disciplines under the organization's umbrella.

The race programming will be packaged within a studio show that will offer viewers a variety of features, including in-studio guests, expert analysis, breaking news announcements, motorcycle unveilings and much more. Popular SPEED personality Ralph Sheheen will be the in-studio host for AMA Pro Prime Time while the race coverage team will be anchored by host and play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey, pit reporter Greg White and a to-be-named analyst.

"This is a landmark day for AMA Pro Racing television in that it combines the best of both worlds for our dedicated fans," said AMA Pro Racing President Roger Edmondson. "For the first time, viewers will know exactly when and where to tune in to not only see AMA Pro Racing but also get the latest news and information through an in-studio component that has rarely been coupled with flag-to-flag racing in the past."

Offering viewers destination television through a regular time slot has worked for numerous sports and entertainment properties in the past but has not been offered in a race event and studio format to U.S. motorcycle racing fans until now.

"This effort was a true collaboration between SPEED and the new leadership at AMA Pro," said SPEED President Hunter Nickell. "We are psyched to be able to deliver weekly appointment television to this extremely passionate audience."

In addition to AMA Pro Prime Time, additional programming on SPEED will see live coverage of the season-opening AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Daytona 200 by Honda under the lights at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, March 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET. The season-opening AMA Pro American Superbike race will be featured in the premiere of AMA Pro Prime Time on March 21.

The competition on AMA Pro Prime Time will include 39 races from both the AMA Pro American Superbike and AMA Pro Daytona SportBike classes that will air within a week or two of the actual events throughout the season.

"We can't recall a previous example of such a multi-faceted motorcycle program and we are honored to move forward with this innovative offering in partnership with our colleagues at SPEED," Edmondson said. "They obviously share our dedication to AMA Pro Racing and we want to thank them for the support as we work together to build the profile and audience of major league motorcycle racing in this country."

The 2009 AMA Pro Road Racing season will begin at Daytona International Speedway the first weekend in March. The weekend will be highlighted by the first Daytona 200 by Honda under the lights, Friday, March 6, for the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike division. The Daytona kick-off will also feature AMA Pro American Superbike competition and races for additional AMA Pro Road Racing championships.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT. AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.


How is that for positive spin
 
I'm very disappointed by the delayed coverage, but please reserve judgment until you see the finished product.

There are a few positives that could come out of this situation.

1) We might actually get to see the entire race. 3 hrs is more than enough time to show the major AMA races.

2) The commentary will improve. I hope they continue live commentary but I hope the stupid remarks get edited out. More insight dubbed in the mix would be nice as well.

3) The coverage won't be interrupted by other sports coverage.

As long as the studio show is focused on airing race content it will be fine. NASCAR has it's own channel, no reason to believe DMG can't strong arm fox into creating Speed 2 HD. Run AMA, WSBK, and GP events, get some syndicated American Chopper, and add a few new shows.
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Feb 19 2009, 11:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm very disappointed by the delayed coverage, but please reserve judgment until you see the finished product.

There are a few positives that could come out of this situation.

1) We might actually get to see the entire race. 3 hrs is more than enough time to show the major AMA races.

2) The commentary will improve. I hope they continue live commentary but I hope the stupid remarks get edited out. More insight dubbed in the mix would be nice as well.

3) The coverage won't be interrupted by other sports coverage.

As long as the studio show is focused on airing race content it will be fine. NASCAR has it's own channel, no reason to believe DMG can't strong arm fox into creating Speed 2 HD. Run AMA, WSBK, and GP events, get some syndicated American Chopper, and add a few new shows.
<


I will give you credit, you are one optimistic son of a gun. I fail to see how showing a race on a 1-2 week delay can be a positive.The time slot alone tells me they are not expecting hardly any viewer's. I guess the 1/10th of 1 % of people who actually follow bike racing and has absolutley ZERO social life might stumble across a race while looking for Saturday Night Live. Are you trying to tell me you will watch a race that you have known the results of for 1=2 weeks,on a Saturday night at 10-11 pm. Of course,by that time, you might be drunk enough to have either forgotten who won,or be really really drunk and think its live.
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Maybe they can get Billy Mayes to do the commentary.

The name of the show is even a joke AMA Pro [Prime Time]. I guess for you west coasters,it will be Primetime,on the east coast it will be AMA Pro Bedtime.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Feb 19 2009, 04:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I will give you credit, you are one optimistic son of a gun. I fail to see how showing a race on a 1-2 week delay can be a positive.The time slot alone tells me they are not expecting hardly any viewer's. I guess the 1/10th of 1 % of people who actually follow bike racing and has absolutley ZERO social life might stumble across a race while looking for Saturday Night Live. Are you trying to tell me you will watch a race that you have known the results of for 1=2 weeks,on a Saturday night at 10-11 pm. Of course,by that time, you might be drunk enough to have either forgotten who won,or be really really drunk and think its live.
<
Maybe they can get Billy Mayes to do the commentary.

The name of the show is even a joke AMA Pro [Prime Time]. I guess for you west coasters,it will be Primetime,on the east coast it will be AMA Pro Bedtime.

DVR? That way I can FF through the commercials, too.
 
I'm only optimistic because content quality is what makes me most happy.

It's rare that I'm able to commit 2 or 3 hours to watching a live event. Plus, I frequently rewatch things on DVR or my computer.

1-2 weeks is a bit ridiculous, but if content quality improves, I'll be much happier.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Feb 19 2009, 12:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>If it's not same day coverage I can't be bothered.

I hear ya, most times i cant wait for Sunday to see Saturdays results.And a lot of the time,i will look to see who won the GP race before i go out on my Sunday ride.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Feb 19 2009, 11:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I hear ya, most times i cant wait for Sunday to see Saturdays results.And a lot of the time,i will look to see who won the GP race before i go out on my Sunday ride.
What's the point in watching a race a week late? Much less two weeks late. You already know the results, and in the case of the AMA you know that Mladin won by a lap and the fight for second was probably not much of a fight after a couple of laps.

It's too bad that Edmonson probably thinks his new three hour show airing all the races will be great for the sport. It would have been nice to see how a reasonable person would react to the television monopoly of their creation strangling any chance their new endeavor ever has of gaining a television audience.

"You mean to tell me that my NASCAR is on this channel from 8 AM until 10 PM? And the only time I can get motorcycles on here is from 10 PM until 1 AM? Fuhhhhck."
 
The quality of the show could be good; I'm pleased to see that it could be as long as three hours!

The tape delay is bad, however. I think that is more a product of the difficulty in getting things together this year. I expect live broadcasts to return next year.
 
I just read the announcement and although I am curious to see how the race studio show part of all this is going to pan out along with the actual coverage (more Shaheen and Greg White, yippy), I am still pissed off about the delay part. I hate finding out the results of a race before watching it, it removes the thrill for me. I am already miffed that Speed TV is only planning on showing race 1 of WSBK on Sunday, now a week or two delay for AMA? Seriously, we have all said this before, Speed is doing like every other ........ network, pandering to the mindless with their reality crap tv. Nothing pisses me off more then when "Pinks" or "Monster Garage" comes on when WSBK race 2 or WSS should be shown. I wish it would go back to being primarily racing as it should be. Oh well, I will do like a lot of you guys, set the DVR, wait, and avoid the forums.

Lex, I like your idea for a Speed 2 HD, with MotoGP, WSBK, AMA, etc, a serious dream come true for all of us, if it is ever done.
<


In other more positive news, I booked my hotel for the WSBK/AMA race at Miller this year, can't wait!
<
 
It will be a dramatic change up in what we see televised in the next year or two. Once everything goes digital, they will look at the reports of what is popular and adjust.

We can all pray that this dose not put more Nascar reality type shows that kill off motorcycle coverage, but dose the opposite.
 
Perhaps this obnoxious delay is how Edmonson solidified the support of the venue owners? I remember many venue owners remarking that they lent their facilities to the AMA out of passion for the sport. Apparently, many races were highly unprofitable for venue owners.

The AMA can't afford to lose any venues, but maybe the delay will be history when the AMA returns to profitability?
<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Traverser @ Feb 19 2009, 01:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It will be a dramatic change up in what we see televised in the next year or two. Once everything goes digital, they will look at the reports of what is popular and adjust.

We can all pray that this dose not put more Nascar reality type shows that kill off motorcycle coverage, but dose the opposite.


Before, NASCAR and the AMA used to compete for coverage on speed. DMG will not let Speed run NASCAR 24/7 if it hurts AMA exposure; especially since DMG doesn't profit from NASCAR reruns.

DMG wants maximum exposure. I'm sure they had to use a fair amount of coercion in order to get the new AMA show (I doubt Speed wanted to up their AMA budget). If DMG are willing to force Speed to cover AMA now, it seems that AMA coverage will continue until DMG relinquishes control (if that ever happens).
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Feb 19 2009, 02:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Perhaps this obnoxious delay is how Edmonson solidified the support of the venue owners? I remember many venue owners remarking that they lent their facilities to the AMA out of passion for the sport. Apparently, many races were highly unprofitable for venue owners.

The AMA can't afford to lose any venues, but maybe the delay will be history when the AMA returns to profitability?
<

I can only hope that's the case.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Feb 19 2009, 08:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm very disappointed by the delayed coverage, but please reserve judgment until you see the finished product.

There are a few positives that could come out of this situation.

1) We might actually get to see the entire race. 3 hrs is more than enough time to show the major AMA races.

No commercials? Are you smoking crack? Not only will there be interruptions but I expect there will be on screen commercials and tags during the race as they do in Nascar.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>2) The commentary will improve. I hope they continue live commentary but I hope the stupid remarks get edited out. More insight dubbed in the mix would be nice as well.

GREG WHITE! enuf said

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>3) The coverage won't be interrupted by other sports coverage.

That is until some Nascar minor-leagues event runs late into Saturday night.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>As long as the studio show is focused on airing race content it will be fine. NASCAR has it's own channel, no reason to believe DMG can't strong arm fox into creating Speed 2 HD. Run AMA, WSBK, and GP events, get some syndicated American Chopper, and add a few new shows.
<


Dreaming.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ Feb 19 2009, 10:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The quality of the show could be good; I'm pleased to see that it could be as long as three hours!

The tape delay is bad, however. I think that is more a product of the difficulty in getting things together this year. I expect live broadcasts to return next year.

DMG ruffled a lot of feathers by changing the paradigm of American motorcycle racing; however, they are very shrewd and business savvy men. They have had much success with Nascar, and the duo of Edmundson/France (who happen to be on a very short list of the richest men in motorsports) will figure out a way to bring exposure to this sport. This to me is the silver lining in all of this.

Have you seen SX coverage lately? I forget the name of the company, somethingVision, anyway, they have a pretty cool coverage. SX is enjoying a create following, well at least more than roadracing ATM, I'm thinking DMG will push to get to at least their level.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Feb 26 2009, 12:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No commercials? Are you smoking crack? Not only will there be interruptions but I expect there will be on screen commercials and tags during the race as they do in Nascar.

No, I'm sure they will show tons of commercials. However, since it's not live, there is no reason for the audience to miss 5 laps of action. They can show commercials then restart the race broadcast right where they left off.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Feb 26 2009, 01:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No, I'm sure they will show tons of commercials. However, since it's not live, there is no reason for the audience to miss 5 laps of action. They can show commercials then restart the race broadcast right where they left off.
But that would require making sense, something Speed doesn't have a track record (no pun) of doing.

If a producer can continue to rehire greg white, are they really that bright?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Feb 26 2009, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No commercials? Are you smoking crack? Not only will there be interruptions but I expect there will be on screen commercials and tags during the race as they do in Nascar.


Don't worry about the commercials.... if it's anything like it is over here they only put them on at the crucial parts of the race, first corner, overtaking manuvers, crossing the finish line stuff like that! Ha

Perhaps that's why they're bringing in all these new rules, if it's more of a presession then no-one will miss anything.

Anyway if you didn't have adverts when would you go to get another beer!
<
<
 
I swear that DMG could braodcast every race live, in HD and send free food to your house and some of you would still find something to be pissed about....for ..... sake....give this .... a rest for a few weeks and lets see how the season unfolds....if after 4 events, there are things that you don't like, lets make a post and get some CONSTRUCTIVE critism going and maybe even send Edmonson and email with a link and show him some reasonable, thought out discussion on where we would like Road Racing in the US to go.....but until there are a few races completed, no one really knows how this will go.....so sit back and relax.....
 

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