The short window of speculation over the validity of the rumors which hit the web the other day about the NHRA leaving ESPN for Fox closed swiftly yesterday when NHRA announced that the rumors were true. The agreement (as announced) will see all of the NHRA races broadcast on Fox properties with 16 of them being carried live. The biggest news in the whole thing is the fact that four of them will be carried on the FOX national broadcast network, meaning FOX proper. Races will be shown in multiple broadcasts depicting Friday and Saturday qualifying and then Sunday eliminations. Races that are not carried live will be broadcast in afternoon or prime time tape delayed slots.
In reading the announcement below, it sure seems like a marked improvement over the current ESPN situation where races are routinely preempted and only a select few are actually broadcast live. Sportsman racing will be covered in another series, likely much as it is now with the Lucas Oil Drag Racing show that coverage the alcohol classes and other divisions as well. In reading the agreement it seems as though there will be streaming options that people can tune into to watch online as well as the traditional television show.
That’s the stuff that is in the release, let’s look at a couple of the other points that may not be as clear –
Who is making the shows?
This is a big change as NHRA is taking their entire production operation “in house”. Currently a division of ESPN actually makes the product that you see on the air. With NHRA having total control over the production they will direct the look, feel, and vision of the programming as it relates to their series. Rather than relying on ESPN people to dictate every aspect of the show, NHRA will have control over that with people that they hire. We bet this will have an impact on stuff like web content and other aspects of video production that they currently have no say in.
What could change on the shows?
We’re under the impression that the guys you currently watch on the broadcasts are under contract with ESPN. Will they be let out, bought out, or held into those agreements? Will new people be brought in? Will the same crew be on air when the switch gets flipped in Pomona starting the 2016 season? No one knows that for sure and while NHRA may have had influence on the ESPN announcer selection before, they have complete control now.
How about a human manned camera at the starting line? This is something that was abandoned years ago by ESPN in favor of robotic cameras that frankly took all of the intense human element out of that part of the track. Crews diving in for a last minute adjustment or fix, the starter motioning at the cars, the cool old shot of the driver in a funny car seen by looking right down the hatch. All the stuff Dean Papadeas pioneered decades ago should (and more than likely) will be coming back.
Why are the four races on the major FOX network so important?
It has been a long time since NHRA drag racing appeared on a major television network. It is cool when the shows air on the “big” ESPN network but that is a pretty rare occurrence these days. We do not know which events will appear on FOX proper but we do have some ideas. We can see Monday eliminations at the US Nationals appearing there, perhaps the Winternationals, Gatornationals, and the Finals? All speculation but it would be logical, right?
How does a television deal help?
At the end of the day it is all about selling sponsorships, right? The increase in live broadcasts and the commiserate ratings uptick along with the four races appearing on the big FOX network should be a boon for teams looking to strike deals or seal them for next season. FOX Sports 1 does not have the reach of ESPN in terms of households yet but they are a motorsports heavy network and perhaps a smaller pool with more inclined viewers could result in more viewers at the end of the day? The live shows are proven to out draw the taped stuff and any major sport needs to be shown live to be considered major.
HERE’S THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION –
NHRA and FOX Sports officials have jointly announced that starting in 2016 the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will be televised by FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with four events airing on the FOX national broadcast network during each season of the long-term agreement, providing the world’s fastest motorsport with live coverage of a majority of its events.
FOX Sports, which is already the home to high-profile races in NASCAR, Monster Energy Supercross, the FIM MotoGP World Championship, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the fully electric FIA Formula E Championship, among others, will significantly expand on its annual motorsports coverage when it adds NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series programming to the lineup next season.
The agreement calls for FS1 to provide coverage of Friday and Saturday qualifying and Sunday eliminations for each NHRA Mello Yello Series event, with a minimum of 16 Sunday eliminations shows to be presented in a live coverage format, and the remainder shown either in weekend afternoon or primetime time slots. Four of those live elimination shows will air on the FOX national broadcast network.
“This really is a game-changer for NHRA regarding the presentation of our marquee product, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series,” said Peter Clifford, NHRA president. “FOX Sports promises to be just the right media partner we’ve been looking for to help give our professional series the stage it deserves and to provide our passionate fans the timely, quality coverage they are craving.”
The Sunday elimination shows will consistently be presented in three-hour programs and the Friday/Saturday qualifying shows will be two-hours of coverage. In addition, FS1 and FS2 will provide multiple re-airs for all of the events. FS1 also will provide coverage of select NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Sportsman Series events. In total, FOX national networks will feature more than 450 hours per year of NHRA programming.
The deal also includes NHRA racing on FOX Sports Racing in Canada and the Caribbean, as well as FOX Sports GO, the critically acclaimed app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on the go, and now available in 70 million households. Customers of participating video providers may access the live stream of FOX Sports’ NHRA programming through the FOX Sports GO app for iOS, Android, Fire Tablets and Fire Phones, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, select Windows devices, and on desktops through FOXSportsGO.com. Fans can download the mobile app for free from the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store and Windows Store.
“Committing to 16 live events, including four on the FOX broadcast network, certainly demonstrates the commitment and excitement level we have for the National Hot Rod Association,” said Jamie Horowitz, President of FOX Sports National Networks. “As home to the strongest and most diverse collection of racing properties on television, adding NHRA drag racing to the weekly lineup absolutely solidifies FOX Sports as the leader in motor sports television.”
FOX Sports has also committed to heavily promoting all NHRA Mello Yello Series shows throughout its media platforms. NHRA will sell advertising and sponsorship packages and assume responsibility for the production of the shows in concert with FOX Sports, with the creation of an in-house television production group as well as handle all international distribution for the programs.
FOX Sports will join the NHRA in offering this exciting addition to the FOX Sports racing portfolio to the linear and digital marketplace.
The NHRA was represented in connection with this transaction by Desser Sports Media, Inc. (www.desser.tv).
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; Fox’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.
Sounds like a definite improvement over the ESPN carriage. And it is definitely good for me as I don’t have Cable TV so I haven’t been able to watch NHRA for a number of years. Now I will be able to at least watch 4 races.