NBC and SPEED to Showcase Six Live Broadcasts of 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Monday, March 2, 2009 | 10:30 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Brandon Short
[email protected]
(949) 365-5752
NBC and SPEED to Showcase Six Live Broadcasts of 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
MX Sports and Alli Partnership Presents Groundbreaking Exposure
MORGANTOWN, W.V. (March 2, 2009) - The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, one of the nation's fastest growing and most popular racing series will be spotlighted in six live broadcasts on NBC and SPEED as part of an innovative, multi-year partnership between MX Sports and Alli (The Alliance of Action Sports). The six shows will feature the premier 450 Class and means half of the 12-race season will be shown live; a groundbreaking achievement for the sport.
The NBC shows mark the first time in history that outdoor motocross racing will be shown on live network television while the SPEED broadcasts denote the first live broadcasts for the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship on the cable channel.
"This television package with NBC and SPEED is the first step in a series of opportunities to bring the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship into the mainstream," said MX Sports President Davey Coombs. "For the first time in the history of the sport, fans can watch their favorite riders on live network television as well as on cable. None of this would be possible without the trust and confidence AMA Pro Racing has in MX Sports and our partners. Motorcycle racing in America has been in a transition period over the past year and this is a good sign of things to come."
Thanks to the support of AMA Pro Racing, MX Sports is taking advantage of its opportunity to raise the sport of American Motocross to the next level. The AMA sanctioning body has undergone significant changes and their choice to back MX Sports and all its initiatives has proven to be invaluable.
The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is the premier motocross racing series in the world. Established in 1972, the series enters its 37th year of competition and features the world's best motocross racers like James Stewart, Kevin Windham, Mike Alessi, Timmy Ferry, Andrew Short and Ryan Villopoto. Thousands of fans camp out at each of the 12 national events that run from Memorial Day weekend, thru the summer, and concluding on Labor Day weekend. A staple of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship is its family atmosphere. A foundation of the sport, families make up the heart of the motocross fan base.
The first of the six live broadcasts will debut on SPEED at the second round of the season and the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Sacramento, Calif. on May 30. Just two weeks later, the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship will premiere on network television and NBC on Saturday, June 13 with the fourth-round High Point National from Mount Morris, Pa. SPEED returns just one week later for the second annual night race at Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Col. on June 27. A three-week stretch of live broadcasts draws to a close the following weekend with the 4th of July tradition from RedBud in Buchanan, Mich., which will air on NBC on July 4.
Live coverage for the second half of the season begins at round eight when SPEED showcases the action from Washougal MX Park in Washougal, Wash. on July 25. NBC rounds out the live broadcasts with its final show at race 10 from legendary Budds Creek Motocross in Mechanicsville, Md. on August 22.
"This television package, anchored by the NBC broadcasts, will expose an entirely new audience to motocross," explained Lucas Oil Executive Vice President Bob Patison. "The exposure works towards building a greater interest and hopefully making the sport more visible to its large fan base, benefiting the series and its teams."
"NBC is excited about broadcasting part of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship this season," said NBC Sports Executive Vice President Jon Miller. "The team at MX Sports runs first class events and we feel this is a great addition to NBC Sports programming family."
All the remaining rounds of the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship 450 Class will be featured with same-day coverage on SPEED, marking another progressive step in the sport's exposure. Additionally, the rising stars of the 250 Class will be featured on their own show every Tuesday following each event on SPEED. Times for the live broadcasts on NBC and SPEED will be announced at a later date.
The 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicks off on Memorial Day weekend, May 23, from Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Calif.
2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship NBC Sports and SPEED Live Schedule
Saturday, May 30 SPEED Hangtown Motocross Classic - Sacramento, Calif.
Saturday, June 13 NBC High Point Raceway - Mt. Morris, Pa.
Saturday, June 27 SPEED Thunder Valley Motocross - Lakewood, Col.
Saturday, July 4 NBC RedBud - Buchanan, Mich.
Saturday, July 25 SPEED Washougal MX Park - Washougal, Wash.
Saturday, August 22 NBC Budds Creek Motocross - Mechanicsville, Md.
For more information, please contact Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship media coordinator Brandon Short via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (949) 365-5752.
About MX Sports
MX Sports, LLC, owns, manages and produces the two most prestigious and world-leading motocross championships - the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship and the Air Nautiques AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.
MX Sports is a second generation family owned business that has been in operation for well over 26 years and is an industry leader in the segment of off road/action sports race promotion in the United States.
Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports fields more than 60,000 action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of active fans, spectators and enthusiasts. For more information on MX Sports, please visit www.mxsports.com.
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, King of Wake series, and the Free Flow Tour; Alli TV Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at www.allisports.com.
Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, greases, and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, greases, and problem-solving additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry.
Forrest Lucas and his wife, Charlotte, founded Lucas Oil Products in 1989 after he spent 20 years as a truck driver and owner of a nationwide long-haul trucking fleet. They experienced firsthand the need for better lubricants and fuel treatments to maintain their equipment.
Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship."