I hope the rumor is true!
 

Drag Racing Online reported today that there are rumors that Tom Compton, and the NHRA leadership, are looking for a way to get out of the contract with ESPN to broadcast the Mello Yello and Lucas Oil Series. I for one think that is a great idea! Now I just hope the network that picks up the programming is available on my cable system!:D

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Maybe MAVTV. That is a Lucas deal.

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I can't find MAVTV on Cox cable.

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Try the internet. I have watched on my computer but can't remember how I got there! The Golden Years my *****! Jim


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Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

They need Mark Walter at Motormania tv he does great but he may not be big enough for NHRA but he is better than the Pi??Poor coverage that ESPN does. Still may not help the sportsman though?

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

With the demise of the Speed Channel,, about all we have up here in the NW, that I know of, is the Velocity channel,, although the Discovery channel will run some automotive type shows from time to time,, Gas Monkey,, Street Outlaws,, so perhaps they would be able to pickup a NHRA contract. No matter what,, somebody please tell them theres more to sportsman coverage than those blasted alcohol cars! My 2 cents.
Danny Durham

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I've watched some on MavTv. It's pretty good. www.mavtv.com should get you there. I called my cable provider and requested for it to be added to the channel lineup. I watched speed channel quite a bit. I miss it. Hopefully who ever gets the contract will show the s/ss races.

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Mav TV is only available on the most expensive cable package here on Long Island, New York. Optimum Cablevision is what we have. I think it's the gold package or something they call it. Big $$$ it is.

Chris

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Guess I'm just old (No kidding? LOL) but I'm not watching TV on my PC.

I have enough staring at this dang thing by the end of the day.

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Ed, most new TV's have a browser built into them. Have Kyle take you to Best Buy.

TP

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

NHRA could monetize their Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series broadcast by streaming it on their website to NHRA Members. This would allow for their Membership (which of course is not free) base to grow exponentially. It would essentially allow for fans to be paying for a NHRA Membership for the privilege to watch the races and receive National Dragster. Not sure how well it would work though as a lot of people are not accustomed to watching TV on a Computer or PCTV. If they went this route and expanded it out by allowing streaming on Android Phones and Tablets, iPhone, iPads, etc., it would definitely broaden their reach too as many people now-a-days own such a device. Of course only time will tell though how successful they would be if they decide to venture down such an avenue...

(on a side note, it would definitely be appealing if they broadcast Stock and SuperStock racing with commentary too in such a manner)

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Ed, if u have wifi and a laptop with a newer tv with a hdmi port and a usb port [usb port not necessary on tv, u can run usb from a power source] I would try the chrome cast. the price is 35.00 at best buy. just follow the instuctions and watch on ur big screen tv.u will also need google chrome as ur browser. :)

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

I would think Mello Yellow has something in their contract that says NHRA has to be televised somehow.

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Hmmm I have all that. Guess I need to stop be Best Buy. Have one close by.

Thanks !!

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Most newer laptops even have a HDMI output... you could set your laptop close to your tv, run a HDMI cable from your laptop to your TV (with an HDMI input), and boom, you're all set!!!

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Brad tried that, u have to adjust ur graphics card to a higher pixel and still not as good as clicking the google cast and getting a full screen from the git go. also if u have an external sound system don't forget to go to the tv input and switch to the tv speakers for sound.:)

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It's times like this I miss Diamond P.

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Who really cares! They only put the pros on anyway. I will be honest with guys like Larry Hill and Jack Matyas we already have the best coverage. I can only handle so many interviews with the pros kissing up to there sponsors. BUT the internet lets us choose what we want to see

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

So do I.

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

Be careful what you wish for, even with the poor scheduling for qualifying I don't see how NHRA could possibly get more exposure than on ESPN2.

Bill

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

That may be true. But for the casual fan, the consumer's that the big-money sponsors of NHRA are trying to reach-out to, I wonder how many times they will come back after the second- or third-time they find the program has been preempted, or rescheduled or moved to another channel they don't receive? Exposure is fine, but when the program I'm watching is cutoff to allow a rain-delayed restart of another race series, I have to wonder how many folks will just turn away.

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Crap. I was hoping they cancelled Tom Compton.

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You aren't kidding. Steve Evans was the absolute best, and they always showed the sportsman finals with interviews afterwards.

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I don't see how they could get much less exposure, or the quality of the coverage could get much lower.

ESPN is exactly why so many teams cannot get sponsors.

If you had $6M to spend on motorsports sponsorship for advertisement purposes, would you put your money on a car that might get 2 minutes of "prime time" exposure on the second string network for ESPN? Especially given that the "prime time" might not even happen if it rains at some stick and ball sports stadium.

Honestly, if you look at it, the winning Pro Stock car might be on TV for a total of maybe two minutes. That is one car out of a minimum of sixteen that you need to find $5M a year sponsorship for.

If you've ever wondered why great guys like Davey Connolly can't get a sponsor to make a Pro Stock ride happen, there it is. Hell, Erica Enders can't get a sponsor, and she's a pretty successful female driver, which is a rare commodity right now. Like him or not, John Force is a wildly popular and successful drag racer, and he's out hustling sponsorship money.

The fact is, NHRA professional drag racing simply does not offer a good return on sponsorship dollars, even for corporations that produce automotive products.

The ratings for NHRA on TV just plain suck. NHRA loves to blame it on racers and down time, and they love to complain that sportsman racers are in the way. But the truth is that their programming stinks, it's poorly done, and the air time is crap. They need a real professional production group, better on air personalities, and a contract for real air time.

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

The ESPN show is not very good,but the biggest reason why ratings are not that great is that nobody really cares about Drag Racing.

Nascar does okay because there are more wrecks and fights between drivers.People like to watch that.

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

^^^
True.
I am amazed at how many NASCAR fans watch just for the wrecks.

I have never heard of anyone say they watch drag racing on tv for the wrecks.

It's sad that Sunday evening drag racing on ESPN is less important than a pre-recorded women's softball pre-seson game. :rolleyes: ( or something like that)

Re: I hope the rumor is true!
 

I love drag racing more than most, and even I hate to watch it on TV.

Funny thing is they have had the cameras up John Force's butt for the last 20 years, and even he is losing sponsors. He has probably had at least 50% of the coverage himself.

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One thing that bugs me about the coverage lately is that there seems to be more background noise being picked up and coming through my TV. I was watching coverage of the U.S. Nats and they were doing a feature on Tony Schumacher. The background music was so loud I could hardly hear what He was saying. I haven't been watching as much because it gets too hard to hear what anyone is saying.