Motorsport

Twitter was abuzz yesterday with angry motor-racing fans venting their frustration with Seven over their so called “live” coverage of Bathurst.

A 20-minute delay was the reality for fans watching the great race on Seven, so when Craig Lowndes drove his Holden over the finish line Seven’s viewers still had 10 laps to go.

Twitter lit up with angry fans who criticised the network for their coverage which was delayed to fit in ads.

“This 20 min delay in Bathurst telecast is a major fail for ch 7, this is why I don’t watch commercial TV any more,” one fan tweeted.

Another said: “Channel 7 are absolutely atrocious!!! Disgusted, V8Supercars please give the rights to someone who will broadcast Bathurst live, please.”

The delay also had an effect on fans who wanted to watch the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix on Ten, with the two races overlapping due to the 20-minute delay.

A spokesperson for Seven defended the decision, saying: “The closeness of the race, the reduced number of safety cars in today’s race, advertising commitments and our desire that viewers not miss a single moment of the race led us to time-shift our coverage,”

Source: News.com.au

Premier Media Group today announced that Australians will, for the very first time, have a channel dedicated to motorsports when SPEED launches on November 1, 2010.

Available to FOXTEL sports subscribers, SPEED will offer extensive racing coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether it’s on four wheels or two, on land or water or in the air – if it goes fast it will screen on SPEED (FOXTEL Channel 505) and SPEED HD (FOXTEL Channel 206).

Premier Media Group (PMG) chief executive, David Malone, said: “PMG is home to Australia’s leading sports broadcaster FOX SPORTS and we’re delighted to be expanding our terrific sports offering to include a channel dedicated to motorsports with the launch of SPEED.

“PMG is committed to taking the sports broadcasting experience to exciting new levels for all Australian fans and with FOX SPORTS, plus FUEL TV’s ever-broadening array of action sports, SPEED is a wonderful addition – and another Australian first.”

Fans will be able to experience NASCAR like never before with the most extensive broadcast of the Sprint and Nationwide series, with LIVE telecasts of the practice, qualifying and main race, plus SPEED will go interactive with HotPass – four dedicated driver channels for the Sprint Cup which will include different on-board cameras as well as the audio feed from the pit crew. SPEED will also offer LIVE and EXCLUSIVE coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series.

SPEED channel manager, James Harrison, said: “It’s fantastic to be launching a channel targeted at the multitude of motorsports fans in Australia, and to be heightening their viewing experience with the introduction of the HotPass technology in our Sprint Cup coverage.”

One of the world’s premier motorcycle racing series – Superbike World Championship – will also be at home on SPEED, with coverage of EVERY race LIVE, commencing in early 2011 with the prestigious and challenging circuit at Phillip Island. Jessica Yates will host SPEED’S LIVE and EXCLUSIVE coverage of every race, with expert commentary from former 500cc race winner Kevin Magee, who also won the Australian leg of the Superbike World Championship in 1991 and 1992.

Other live action on SPEED will include the British and International Speedway, Super X, the GT1 World Championship, Rolex Sports Cars and much more.

Recognising the appetite of Australian fans for more motorsports, there will also be prime time racing from the V8 Supercars, Dakar Rally, Formula 2 and World Series Sprintcars.

SPEED will be available to FOXTEL sports subscribers from November 1, 2010.