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Talking point: MXGP on TV

Talking point: MXGP on TV

After reading a thought provoking piece on on OTOR by Adam Wheeer on the potential need for a different format to grow MXGP on TV, it got us thinking on what could be a good compromise between tradition and progress.

I was never a fan of the one moto format but talking to 1994 125cc world champion Bob Moore a couple of years ago, I was surprised to hear his thoughts: “You have to have that one race show because that’s what people know,” admitted Moore, who now works as an agent in all forms of motorcycling. “I don’t know how you solve that but I like the idea of going to a one race format. From a television format that is why supercross has become so successful because you have just one main event,” concluded the American.

Of course not everyone will be happy but I feel a compromise has to be reached. In order to attract a bigger audience MXGP has to be more easily available to new/casual fans on TV and then hopefully make them passionate for the sport. Bringing events closer to cities is one way of doing that as is the successful idea of having an MXGP at locations like Assen.

People complain about riders not making enough money but the more fans there are the more sponsors will want to spend money in the sport and that will give bigger budgets to pay the riders for their impressive efforts in probably the most difficult motorsport there is.

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TV is a key attribute to bring more fans in, supercross and MotoGP are perfect because in 30 minutes to an hour fans can sit down and watch the main race, it doesn’t take the whole day away and they get to see good racing with good TV coverage at a convenient time.

MXGP needs to tap into that but I believe it needs to retain two motos, so how do you go about combining the two?

As Adam Wheeler suggested MXGP could follow the lead of WSB and have a moto each day with the Sunday moto becoming the one for TV.

However it may still be possible to have two motos on the Sunday. A sprint race of 25 minutes plus a lap could be the first moto of the day at 11 or 12pm then at say 2 or 3pm you could have the main moto.

This would be the main TV moto for major television broadcasters and could be 35 minutes plus two laps (working out at the same amount of racing as there is currently) but the riders will be awarded double points. That means that it will ensure it is the main moto of the day and the riders will be going all out to win and the overall winner of the GP should then be more likely to be the winner of that all important final moto.

It would allow more major TV broadcasters to broadcast for say 60 minutes to include brief highlights of MX2 and the first MXGP moto to wet the appetite for the upcoming main event.

It would be a much more attractive package for TV and could help bring in more fans to an exhilarating sports that sometimes doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. It also means the whole weekend is building towards a big finale for trackside fans and those that can still watch all the racing over the weekend on MXGP TV.

Here is a hypothetical and rough race weekend schedule (that includes open qualifying):

Saturday

10am EMX2 (or EMX125 depending on the class racing) 10 minutes free then 20 minutes timed practice for all classes)
11.00 MX2 Free and timed practice group 1
11.30 MX2 Free and timed practice group 2
12.00 MXGP Free and timed practice group 1
12.30 MXGP Free and timed practice group 2

1.30 MX2 heat 1 (all 20 minutes plus 2 laps with top 12 going through in each heat)
2.00 MX2 heat 2
2.30 MXGP heat 1
3.00 MXGP heat 2

4.00 LCQ timed qualifying top 6
4.30 LCQ timed qualifying top 6

Sunday

8.30 Warm – up EMX2 (20 minutes for all classes)
9.00 Warm -up MX2
9.30 Warm-up MXGP

10.00 EMX2 race one 20 minutes plus two laps.
11.00 MX2 race one 25 minutes plus two laps
12.00 MXGP race one 25 minutes plus two laps
1.00 EMX2 race two 20 minutes plus two laps
2.00 MX2 30 minutes plus two laps
3.00 MXGP 35 minutes plus two laps.