FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

As a avid race fan I was shocked to see the press release “AMA Pro 2009 TV Deal Based Around 26 Shows Aired In Prime Time On Saturday Nights”. Does Speed TV and DMG think this is actually a good thing? This is the worst news I have heard yet since the rocky DMG/AMA transition began. Do they want us, “the fans” to be excited about this? They are touting all this extended coverage, interviews and commentary. This sounded great until I reach the bottom of the article only to find out that these races will be shown 1-2 weeks After the race weekend? Are we expected to lock ourselves in the closet and not expose ourselves to the media, RRW.com etc. for 2 weeks so we don’t spoil the outcome of the race when it does air? Do you think NFL or MLB fans would be happy if the big game was aired 2 weeks after the fact? I think not. We all know there has been much negative publicity and doubt with the transition to DMG rule. I for one was willing to sit back and give them a chance, after all I just wanted to see good racing. I’m afraid they have now lost my support also. Regards,

Jim Perrin 

Indialantic, Florida

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

What were they thinking when signing this deal. Maybe the DMG is trying to bury motorcycle racing to boost nascar viewing. As boring AMA racing was last year, who in their right mind wants to watch a week old AMA motorcycle race at 10/11pm on a Saturday night.

Last year I used to host race day on Sunday afternoons after our Sunday morning ride. On Tuesdays i would go to the sports bar on my lunch break to watch the races. Now of course I can watch them on DVR, but Comcast doesn’t have a quality DVR offering.

I guess the good thing is everyone could Tivo/DVR the races and skip past all the commercials and make SpeedTV and DMG advertising revenue drop. I can’t imagine the Japanese motorcycle companies purchasing commercial time for a 11:00pm time slot.

I guess last year’s AMA racing really was that bad after all.

LET’s GO FIM/Dorna – now they can put on a show.

One last thing: How is it that MotoGP can grab real prime time space on NBC for the US races and the best DMG can come up with is 11:00pm on a Saturday? Do they even know what prime time is?

Pathetic

Mike Forney 

Chester, Pennsylvania

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

Why would any race fan watch any of these races one to two weeks after they are run? Heck, by the time you are watching say round two, round four’s results may be up online already! How could any of the sponsors be “okay” with this program format? This idea is about as stupid as showing the lame rerun-highlight Moto ST races in the early winter. For the first time now I will probably get race results from RoadracingWorld before I see them on Speedtv. And to boot I’ll bet the show sucks anyways. If only one good thing can come out of this recession we are having right now, may it be the bankruptcy of DMG; therefore, someone who knows what road racing fans want and what road racing is will take over and do a better job.

Aaron Millar 

Lake Zurich,Illinois

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

Another sad season for motorcycle racing thanks to Speed and the negotiating prowess of DMG.

First Two Wheel Tuesdays vanished….then the mindless dribble of Stuporbikes came along with an assorted barrage of other mind numbing shows. Please Speed give us our races in real time or at least a slight delay to air it on the same day, you have got to be kidding me if you think that I want to watch clips and excerpts of the races and that I am going to be happy with that because we only know that it will be chocked full of commercials to fast forward through. It’s bad enough that DMG thinks that a neutered 1000 makes a superbike and that we really want showroom fresh 600’s as the premier class bike, I think the racing public wants to see the premier riders riding premier bikes that rival the bikes of World Superbike. Who cares if Suzuki kicks everyone’s butt in, maybe they just did their homework a little better and came up with a better package while everyone else languished in the back. I remember the days when you could barely throw a Suzuki at the finish line with a catapult and get it in to first place then a rider named Maldin came along and changed things….with a lot of work. I am sure that I will be watching the DMG Neuterbikes series run the track because first and foremost I am a fan and a racer but not without complaining and my trusty DVR.

Regards,

Daniel Blankenship 

Katy, Texas

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

I hate to get on a bandwagon but the comments to date really echo my thoughts. When I first read the AMA television package release I was excited, sort of a return to Two Wheel Tuesday ( a dedicated scheduled studio and race format program, did Roger not know about that one?) but as I read on and got to the “one or two weeks later ” part it all fell apart. Now I don’t mind knowing who has won a race before I watch it (actually calms my nerves and I can concentrate on the riding skills) waiting that long is just too long. Would Roger and the France Group ever even consider showing a NASCAR event two weeks later?

Speed is so full of mindless drivel beyond NASCAR that I am hard pressed to understand why same day live or taped delayed is a problem. My cable searches for shows so I do not need to know exactly when or where. While I appreciate the effort to get us a package, like most things DMG has done, it misses the point of what “fans of motorcycles” want. Once it is past current news it is just entertainment and that is DVD territory. DMG needs to understand that entertainment has a shelf life for TV and two weeks is after I have seen it in print. In this day and age seeing something in print before web or TV is strangely anachronistic.

So, good try but you missed again. Lets see than makes DMG about 0/5 1) Classes and rules that are related to the World events, 2) bikes that are actually fast, fun to watch and awe us, 3) manufactures involvement to give us great bikes and riders 4) racing as a place to evolve technology and 5) timely TV coverage.

I do have a theory about all of this. Roger is still pissed at the AMA for being canned in 1994 (even though he won his 3 million dollar lawsuit in 1998) and by buying AMA Pro Racing he has the chance to finally bury his nemesis out of spite. When AMA racing is dead and buried he can then create another racing entity to take its place like he has always wanted to. He just got Bill France to finance the demise of AMA. Just my opinion and I could be wrong”¦but I doubt it

Bruce Monighan 

Sacramento, California

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

I am glad that the 200 will be live again this year, but what is the deal with showing the superbike race two weeks after it has been run. I sincerely hope they can do better than that for the rest of the season. Well I guess the races will be shown at least one week late, since the races are on Sunday and the show is on Saturday. In this age of internet immediacy, I conceder same day delay only just acceptable. Showing races significantly after the fact must drive the recording percentage through the roof. And as we all know nobody watches the ads after recording. This cannot be good for the commercial value of the series.

Oh well whine whine.

Edward H. Gray 

Rockingham, Vermont

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

I record the AMA races on my DVR.

Then I read the results on www.roadracingworld.com

If either Spies or Mladin won I would delete the race without watching, unless there was something noteworthy in the broadcast ie crash or passing duel (rare).

I dont think I watched any of the AMA races live last year except the 200. Which was a mistake. Did not watch many of the races at all.

Bob Jablonski 

Shoreview, Minnesota

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

They are finally putting the proverbial nail in the coffin of road racing in the USA. I was going to attend Laguna Seca, as I have been doing since 1988, but now I have changed my mind and I will vote with my wallet. Boy how I miss the days of Speedvision, that was a class act.

Thank you for nothing AMA&SPEED:(

Jose Obando 

Congress, Arizona

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

It’s times like this, that I am glad I moved to Europe. Okay, I didn’t move because of the whole DMG/AMA fiasco, I was transferred via the military. But in retrospect, it was a great move!

Now I get all the racing I want from WSBK, WSS, MotoGP (125 and 250’s too), along with Qualifying; All live. AMA, er DMG, was on it’s deathbed, but I think I just heard the faint beep of flatline.

By waiting weeks to air an event, is not just a disservice to all the 2-wheeled fans in the U.S., but to the racers as well. I feel sorry for great racers like Hayes, Herrin, Hayden(s), Mladin, etc… as DMG is slowly destroying their livelihood, never mind us fans whining. Guess what DMG, no fans means no one watching the races on TV, which means no point in advertising to a demographic that doesn’t exist. Soon the advertisers will pull all their adverts, cause there is no point. When that happens, all road racing will cease on Speed.

DMG had promised big paydays (that promise now minimized) to keep the talent in the U.S., but I can guarantee you now, that come next year (maybe even this year), those paydays will again be minimized, to a point where the payouts will be less than they ever were in the past.

Long live the internet. It is now the only real venue left for fans in the U.S. to watch motorcycle racing. I hope that DMG sells the AMA to someone that really cares about “2-wheeled” racing! The one bright spot for U.S. fans… Spies in WSBK!

Lloyd Magruder 

Huntingdon, United Kingdom

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

Well, I can see there is no need to keep the speed channel anymore now is there? DMG has done nothing but ruin AMA road racing and this just put the last nail in the coffin. Ran out all the manufacturers and now running off all the AMA road racing viewers. With the economy as bad as it is Roger is a real rocket scientist if his intentions are the demise of the AMA.

As for me, no AMA watching……I’ll go online and pay for Moto GP and WSB instead of funding the AMA, the advertisers or DMG. 

Dave Hine 

Seattle, Washington

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

Mr. Edmondson,

I will gladly pay a reasonable fee to have a live or downloadable broadcast of the AMA races available on the same day over the internet.

Thanks, 

Kenneth Tirey 

Simpsonville, South Carolina

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

I’m sorry!! Really!! I will watch any motorcycle racing, anywhere, anytime, anyhow!! I watched and heard Jackie Stewart call world famous MX racers “drivers” for two hours just so I could fulfill my jag for motorcycle racing. Getting up at 3:00 AM to set the VCR cause I’m to stupid to figure out how to set the VCR on auto record. News bites, snippets, I don’t care. I even watched motorcycle soccer from Albania just to get a fix.

I don’t care if its on Lithuanian TV or only broadcast on the web, which I recently found. Andrew and the boys down under racing on street courses and places I can’t pronounce. I weathered through “Motoworld”, “Greg’s Garage”, no coverage, which, by the way, is the most prevalent condition. I am extremely happy that Speed, or for that matter, anyone will broadcast any motorcycle racing at a pre described time on a regular basis. Except for live broadcasts, I usually know the results as soon as they are available via the Internet. I watch for the vicarious enjoyment of the riding, being familiar with the track and knowing, as a rider, what skill it takes to put together a fast lap at Road Atlanta or not get in the dirt outside the “Corkscrew”. That is why I watch racing.

So THANKS!, be to the “Lords of broadcasting” for giving me Saturday nights that I can count on for a while…until they decide…that I’ve had a fix for long enough and cancel the whole deal…like “Tuesday Night Bike night”. And if they do I’ll just go riding. The heck with them all. I still have the “Dragon”. 

Ralph Daugherty 

Knoxville, Tennessee

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

First Greg White get’s the boot from the most fan-friendly show in the universe, replaced by StoopidBikes…I thought the insult couldn’t get any worse. Now I have to wait 1-2 weeks to see what everyone in any other sport gets to see live or at least a short time-delay of a few hours…THANKS spud channel… I’ll pay the fee for MotoGP and if there’s one for FIM I’ll pay for that. My Saturday nights are too valuable to sit around waiting for the crumbs of DMG. My wife will continue to watch NASCAR on occasion, but I won’t sit next to her while she does…I’d rather take a dump. If I ever see Roger in person, which I doubt, I’ll give him a couple sentences to tell him how well he’s serving the general motorcycling public. The plain facts are that with the exception of MotoST (and racing at tracks such as Blackhawk, even that’s questionable) he’s done nothing new or innovative to bring AMA racing into the modern era…and he’s losing business in a down market…maybe just cut your losses and get out now Roger?

Matt Roth 

Haymarket, Virginia

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

4 months ago we were afraid road-racing in America was dead, and now people are complaining that we’re not going to get live coverage? Are you kidding me? Has anyone bothered to notice how lousy coverage of AMA racing has been in the past? It may not be live, but it seems we will actually be getting some detailed, comprehensive coverage and WE WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE THE RACES – which we’ve never really been able to do before. Face it, nobody likes or watches motorcycle racing. Does anyone honestly expect Speed to not show NASCAR because there’s an AMA race at the same time? And if Speed wasn’t showing it, chances are we wouldn’t get the minor channel that might pick it up on our cable system. If you want to be surprised by the results – simple – don’t look up the results ahead of time. Nobody’s going to be discussing AMA race results at the 7-Eleven. Like it or not, this looks to be the best coverage we’ve ever had. 

Gary Hoover 

Mount Laurel, New Jersey

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

I was reading all the nasty mail about the Speed channel and how DMG shouldn’t have agreed to these horrible delays in broadcasting and it occurred to me that maybe they had a real good reason for delaying the broadcast.

Conspiracy theory:

1) DMG wants people to go to the races.

2) DMG didn’t have the money for prime time because the economy is very bad.

3) DMG could not find the sponsors required.

4) DMG wants to help local industry and commerce to feel the positive effects of motorcycle racing. It’s a grass roots effort.

5) DMG doesn’t want to lose the TV audience but realizes that first you have to create an interest; right now there is no interest in motorcycle racing. In the past only about (very few) people went to Daytona, the balance of the audience is racers and family. (I’ve looked up from pit lane and asked myself. “is this the right weekend?”)

6) DMG is the only group that was even capable of continuing the series, with any hopes for the future.

The series was less than successful when AMA was running it or DMG wouldn’t have had to take it over. Give them a chance. I don’t know the people writing these emails, I can only assume they’ve never been to the track to look up at the stands and see nothing but empty seats. Yes, I know you are race fans but right now, it’s a secret society.

Please name any other sporting event that has less people than an AMA Roadracing event or any other Roadracing event in North America?

Especially, when you consider the amount of money spent by Factories and privateers. It’s hard to imagine that the racers who are the “SHOW” have to pay to race and go broke doing it. Now that’s wrong. Hopefully that will change one day, so that privateers that love racing can do it and get paid. Now that’s a conspiracy theory.

Racing is popular throughout the world except in North America, ask yourself why? I can only conspire to believe it’s because it has not been properly marketed and not because North Americans don’t think it’s fun to watch, why else would everyone in the world love it? They even like NASCAR.

DMG is in the process of starting the evolution of viewing motorcycle racing in North America. First they have to develop a desire and a passion for people to come see it and then, if they build it people will come. Who knows in 5 years maybe there will be people in the stands, of course,” the purest” will still be complaining because they can’t get a seat.

I’m sure DMG and Speed would love to broadcast on live/prime time, they’d make a ton of more money. Does anyone really think they don’t want to make more money? The reality is Roadracing is not prime time yet and hopefully with DMG and it’s subsidiaries it will be one day.

My two cents.

Sincerely, 

Fernando Peris 

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail:

With all the recent negative opinion given concerning Television coverage (or lack of) for the 2009 racing season, I can’t help but think of the recently launched website “HULU.com”. I am starting to see less and less of a need for television as slowly all things media are being found on the internet. RoadRacingWorld and the electronic subscription prove my point on this.

MotoGp has a great website for live race coverage which provides additional video and audio, qualifying and interviews that those of us relying the SPEED network never see. The problem is that the MotoGp website is often troubled by the excessive traffic during the more heavily contested races. The heavy site traffic slows down viewing capability during a MotoGp event, but it also tells me that the demand for web based coverage is there.

A vast majority of motorcycle enthusiasts are well versed in how to use a computer. Hey AMA take a good look — there is an OPPORTUNITY here.

Robert Lea 

Franklin, Tennessee