More network coverage in USA for MotoGP

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33086

Races will be on CBS and NBC this year.

 

I wonder if Dorna is negotiating with them to replace Speed just as the
BBC has got the exclusive contract and Eurosport have lost it in the UK.

 

Too bad it cannot be like the F1 USGP: the race would be on Fox but Speed
would broadcast many hours from the track every day beginning Thursday,
including a "trackside" show with every single rider.

 

But..but..Speed doesn't do that now, with the series it DOES have rights
to. We get a grid interview, a "rider of the week" or some such segment,
and a victory circle interview, and not even with all three finishers!

I think they could easily put a 1 hour "hilight" show of just
qualifying, combined with more paddock and pit gossip and interviews and
crap. And air that on Saturday evening of race weekend.

But, they don't.

Regards,

Will Hartung

 

And if they did, would you watch it? I'm not sure I would. Primarily
because they haven't got an announcer I can stand listening to for
more than 5 minutes. They just can't seem to figure out how to
disseminate information in an interesting way. I don't even like
watching the on-grid interviews Greg gives. It's not like we get any
real information there. I'm not sure I could stand a whole hour of
programming like that.

I mean, take a look at F1. Varsha, Hobbes, and Matchet do an
outstanding job. Those guys speak as real insiders even when they're
just watching from halfway around the world. They understand the
sport and know the history and the players. They're scholars of the
sport and they know how to present the information without going too
high or too low.

Same for Rider, Moody, and Mamola.

Then we have Greg always asking the fake questions to give Three Time
World Champion Freddy Spencer the opportunity to espouse on about some
very simpleton aspect for all the dumb viewers while interrupting
himself after every fourth word to mention who we're now looking at on
track, and in the end the answer to the question always comes down to
getting the bike to change directions and/or getting the power to the
ground.

 

I agree that Speed TV's Formula 1 crew is exceptional. I don't too
much mind listening to their coverage of AMA superbike and the like. I
suppose I've grown to not expect much. Greg and Freddy aren't tooooo
bad, but that other 'color commentator' is a complete tool!

I remember lat year's MotoGP races on CBS or NBC. The commentating was
a complete JOKE. I think it was Schwantz and someone else. It was WAY
worse that the AMA superbike stuff on Speed! I had to stop watching it
and go watch the race on motogp.com. I can only hope that they get
some decent people to commentate the races! I like Schwantz, but that
was horrible last year. I think they actually made the best, most
exciting form of motorsports a completely boring drag ass hour long
embarrassment! -IMHO

- Kyle

 

Oh, I agree with this. I actually think Greg is better in the booth with
Spencer than he is on the ground, put the other schlub down on the grid
asking stupid questions.

But the basic point about Speeds team is this premise that we have no
idea what the heck we're watching. That every race is bringing new,
clueless viewers who have no idea what's going on. While, ideally if the
market is expanding at all, there's some truth the that, it's pretty
insulting and boring to those of us who've actually seen a few of these
things. The SBK and GP teams are far better.

Another reason I wish they'd just show the Euro TV feeds of races they
run here rather than ruin it with their own announcers.

Poor Kevin, he was so stiff and wooden, and basically calling off lap
numbers and places. Just not his domain.

The task is clearly not easy. Pridmore when running second camera now
and then wasn't very relaxed, and even Mladin was obviously nervous when
he was in the booth -- in completely contrast to someone like Scott
Martin when he's the color guy for SBK. That's just a couple Joes
watching the race on TV in the pub. A lot of that is just experience.

I seriously think if Greg White had a bit more freedom, he could do
better. His show was NOT that bad in terms of content. I just think the
format of pre-grid questions is stupid. They should to the after race
interviews ala GP, or even SBK.

But, Greg is reasonably knowledgable and has that touch of Fan Boy in
him that comes through and can make it fun. He just needs to bring the
bar up above assuming all the viewers are on their first race.

It's not a real testament to say that Greg is the best they got, but it
is what it is. The guy is a broadcaster that races, not the other way
around.

Regards,

Will Hartung

 

As far as I'm concerned the NHRA on ESPN has the best commentary in
motor sports, check it out sometime if you get the chance...

 

Agreed. That race earlier this year where Greg was in the booth was
actually in improvement. It's not that I don't like Greg, I just
don't like the silly inane questions they make him ask when you know
that as a sometimes racer he knows better.

Absolutely. It almost seems arrogant to me that they would broadcast
the normal commentators all year long but as soon as the race is in
The States they replace it with their own. And their own is always
inferior because it's a one-off for them.

Steve Martin perhaps? Scott Smart too.

Remember a couple years ago when Jason Pridmore showed up in the booth
for some guest commentary? He was relaxed and he did a great job.
Was was able to call out little details that the others didn't notice.
I'm sure his role as an instructor watching and evaluating other
riders all day long coupled with his practical experience as a racer
makes him a perfect color commentator. Even Mat Mladin called for
Speed to give Jason a job as a commentator in his Soup column.

Then, the next race they did and Jason was officially in the booth.
Unfortunately, he flubbed. The difference seemed to be that the first
time he was just there to toss out observations and converse about
what was going on. But when he was the official commentator, I think
he felt like he had to be speaking and calling the action the whole
time ala the current cast. He wasn't really good at that. I think if
they adopted the more conversational style like WSBK does Jason would
be excellent in that role.

 

That hit the nail on the head regarding what is wrong with the AMA coverage
here in the states. Good job.

 

Greg is cool - maybe in the booth and other personality segments - but I
think on the ground they need a well-respected rider or ex-champ turned
reporter, who writes columns and stuff, ala Mamola, who does nothing but
live and breathe the sport and is reporting the news nearly every day. Of
course in the USA no broadcaster would be able to afford such a person!