Trying to keep it short. Most of you are probably disappointed that our sport is so niche that it has tumbled off the television. On the other hand I think that both Feld & MXSports doesn’t realize how important TV-Time is, to explain this I will take the example of ASO. ASO is the promoter of the Tour de France, The Vuelta (Tour of Spain) and some other less known events. To keep cycling relevant, they have a broadcast deal with the European Broadcasting Union, an umbrella body of mainly public-service broadcasters, to air the race on each individual country’s free-to-air channel. Knowing that their sport will be viewed on those channels by hundred thousands of people, in Flanders even more than a million, day in day out.
Creating a market share in Flanders of 40 to sometimes 60%. The Italians are promoted by another firm and their big classics such as Strade, San Remo and their big Tour ‘The Giro’ isn’t broadcasted on our national broadcasting network. The numbers of these races are on another level, and not in the good way. The upside for them is that they will earn more in the sales of broadcasting rights, selling to companies behind pay-walls, but is this more or less important than getting eyes on your sport and sponsors. And for our sport, we need to be reasonable, behind a pay-wall on TV could be a forceful weapon if it's the right match.
The big question is, how is this sport regain his relevance again, while it is almost totally off air. If I'm not mistaken the AMA Arenacross gets more broadcasting time, in relay on MAVTV. We also don't see any deals made between the new alliance (FELD/MXSports) and European, Asian, Arabic, ... broadcasting players. Such as Eleven (INT), DAZN (INT), BeIN Sports (Arabic), BT Sports (UK), Sky Sports (INT), L'Equipe 21 (FRA), ProSieben (GER), Sport1 (GER),...
1. "ASO has a broadcast deal with the European Broadcasting Union, an umbrella body of mainly public-service broadcasters, to air the race on each individual country’s free-to-air channel." - Source: velonews.com
Yes, our family is done watching supercross if it can’t be aired on cable tv
As one of the 37 people left in the world without true highspeed internet, I was happy to see RacerX post on their site that all races will be re-aired next day on CNBC. Well, I guess next day is Mon at 1am. Not a big deal to me to have Mon night SX. Probably has more effect on websites I visit. No clicks from me for a few days.
This weekend it does re-air but majority of the races this year show peacock only with no re-air
Damn I forgot the race isn't televised tonight. I'll miss Sunday morning SX on my DVR.
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Absolutely hate that fans that live across the country from a race can not watch it LIVE. As stated, even the arenacross has better coverage now than the top level of the sport. There is no way to keep from running across the results before it is re-aired. Complete nonsense to destroy the sport.
The live broadcast TV challenge is the money challenge of being a niche sport when it's indisputable that more people want to watch other sports live on the available broadcast channels. It's going to be worse during the NFL playoff weekend when they run Saturday games.
ESPN pays $85 million a year for F1, and $2.6 billion a year for the right to broadcast Monday Night Football. Outside the motorsports community, MX is a gnat compared to F1. The reason cornhole or whatever other thing is the current fad (was spelling bees at one point right), either is because those bodies pay to get on air or more people want to watch spellings bees and cornhole with more ad revenue that SX would generate.
I’m not getting Peacock, just for SX. It’s too bad they parked it behind the pay wall, when they have USA and CNBC to at least show it delayed. Oh well, I would’ve eagerly watched every race, but instead I’ll watch the 3 or 4 races they’ll share, and check results, as the sport recedes from my attention.
I'll pay $4.99 per month to watch SX plus Peacock has some good movies and programming.
Apparently even buying Peacock, you still can’t watch Supermotocross…🥴 just got the swirl of death on the Race Day Live
I haven’t had cable in 12 years, before streaming I went to the bar to watch sx.
I don't have cable, so I'm fine.
U.S Statistics show that streaming services have increased by 340% from 2015-2020, with cable companies losing roughly 25 million subscribers since 2012.
When mx was broadcasted on cable, it was broadcasted on a readily available network (ESPN) for a brief period. OLN and FS1 are not standard channels and require upgraded packages in my area. A streaming package is the best bet, with the ability to have live broadcasts and replays all in one place, that the entire US has access too with a subscription.
I have peacock. Looks and sounds great. Never had an issue with them. Its cheap for a while season indoors and out.
ASO has a deal because the TdF is the only bike race that the public cares about. The other ASO raced are part of deal because ASO only sells them as a package. RCS doesn't have the TdF and so can't get the same deal as ASO.
To be completely honest, this is where if WSX does well... They're going to smoke the USA market in marketshare and such.. as an American i really really really do not understand why Feld/AMA Supercross hasn' tried to get onboard with our fellow mx/sx riders/fans overseas.
At one part you are right. In non cycling-loving countries they use the TDF as leverage to get all their other races also live on television. But if you click on the link you will see that they have more than only TDF. They have The Vuelta, Liege-Bastogne-Liege (the oldest classic), Paris-Roubaix (the hardest classic), ...
The American landscape is maybe different but if the V8 Supercars can get a deal from AUS$200 million-plus (about 140 US$) in an Australian market where AFL, Cricket, ... are the big players, it's weird that there are no TV-deals to be made for SX/MX. By the way V8 Supercars has also international deals something that is non-existing for AMA SX/MX. They once had a one year deal with MotorsTV, but that was the biggest try. Or is their still that ESPN-deal with Australia?
@ButteryWaffles: "U.S Statistics show that streaming services have increased by 340% from 2015-2020"
There is no doubt that streaming services have boomed and will stay growing, but what are the big ones? Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, HBO Max, ... Almost non of them are specializing on bringing us live sports, exception is peacock who is not specializing on sports but has a wide variety the others are ESPN+, FUBOTV together with an other dozens who are trying to get some breadcrumb such as FloSports... the live broadcast streaming services are still very cut up what makes buying all different accounts expensive. Beside that the occasional fan won't see your sport on a small, specially for your niche designed platform.
Something what does happen when it's on TV. Or on a big streaming network, you've probably already watched things on Netflix or other streaming platform what you would've never watched if the algorithm didn't told you, you would like. But such a big streaming network for sport such as Netflix or Disney+ seems not possible to get as a sports fan.
I'm well versed in cycling. I've been watching since the early '90s. I was just pointing out that the TdF gets the TV deal (which also benefits ASO's other races) because it is the biggest race. The causal relationship is clear. Indianapolis 500 gets the TV deal (which also benefits the rest of IndyCar) because it is the biggest race. SX/MX doesn't have the same singularly big event that can be used to leverage a deal.
It's a niche sport, whose TV show is packed full of dead time. In 3 hours, there is a little over an hour of racing. I usually skip the first 2ish hours start with the 250 Main. It just isn't a good TV experience. And I say this as someone who has watched since the early '80s. I love the sport, but skip most of it. Why would TV stations be fighting over it?
I THINK THAT HAVING THE RACES ON TV IS IMPORTANT BUT SOME SAY I BASED BECASE I WORK IN THE INDUSTREY AND HELP KERRY WITH THE DISHES
I can see how a very casual fan wouldn’t watch races due to having to subscribe, but if you’re posting on Vital and aren’t willing to pay $5 a month just to make a stand, that’s pretty sad. As has already been said, SX has been on an upgrade cable package for many years costing more than an extra $5 a month. I personally love it being on Peacock, but being available to watch live on TV is a must if they are hoping to “grow the sport”.
Pit Row
Traditional cable TV is on its way out and has been for a decade. Like it or not, that is the truth and these network streaming services are what all of the big tv networks are pushing content to, especially small sports like ours. Not having live cable TV isn’t hurting potential growth.
If you’re a fan and unwilling to pay less than $50 to watch all 17 rounds of supercross live yet pay for traditional cable TV… I don’t even know what to say to that.
Fans outside of the US have to pay $180 USD to watch the same races.
Difficult to capture new fans at that price point.
Edit: Capture new fans.
Streaming increased 340% from 2015 to 2020. What are the numbers?
I'm just curious. Statistics can be manipulated for whatever someone is saying.
Example: if 1000 people streamed in 2015 then 4400 streamed in 2020. That's a 340 % increase. That's not a big deal in this case. Nothing times nothing is still close to nothing
On the other hand if it was 10,000,000 people in 2015 and 44,000,000 in 2020, that is significant. That's like 34,000,000 more people.
I don't think streaming was large in 2015 though.
I wish they would show the numbers.
Much harder to grab the casual fan with current structure, and the tv numbers are so low at this point, I don’t think it matters anymore
Is that just for Supercross or the whole year?
The whole year, so it's better than what we had to pay before SMX was created.
Previously it was almost as much just for SX and then we had to pay an additional $70-$80 USD to watch MX on NBC Sports Gold.
Now it's all on one platform, so it makes it easier for fans to watch since they no longer have to go from MAVTV for moto 1 and NBC Sports for moto 2 to watch MX.
Still getting fucked compared to Peacock at $5/month.
Who the hell has cable anymore?
Peacock is $4.99 a month. FFS, you can't buy a gallon of gas for that here in San Diego. I got it for $19.99 for the year on the deal they had back in Sept (?)
Peacock is pretty worthless for other content though. Lot of crap movies and even worse TV shows.
Is it not worth $6 a round?
That's not the point.
You guys are paying $2 a round.
Why should international fans pay more for the exact same broadcast?
Been live on tv for alot of years, now its not. I wonder how the factorys will respond. Will their return on investment be enough knowing their brand won't be marketed on tv to millions of viewers.
Peacock has 18 million subscribers
The promoters of SX and MX are more in favor of growing their bank accounts than growing the sport! I will not be a part of that. If it is not on network TV I will not watch it. Network TV is the only way the sport grows.
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