AMA Road Racing Gets TV Deal Done

Cycle News Staff | April 23, 2013

Although the chances of getting a TV package was beginning to look slim with one round already in the books, AMA Pro Racing and Chet Burks Productions have pulled off what many thought was the impossible with the GEICO AMA Pro Road Racing Series set to air on the CBS Sports Network, according to a release issued today by AMA Pro Racing.

The series will air as part of CBS Sports Network’s Sports Spectacular Series with some of the races being aired live, according to AMA Pro Racing, including round two of the series from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on June 1. A complete schedule of the TV package has yet to be released, but the package calls for flag-to-flag coverage of the National Guard Superbike and GoPro Daytona Sportbike classes for the remainder of the 2013 season, according to AMA Pro Racing.

Programming begins Saturday, June 1 at 2:30 p.m. (Eastern) with a 30-minute preview show before live coverage of the Subway SuperBike Doubleheader at Road America. The race will then air at 3 p.m. (Eastern).

Chet Burks Productions, AMA Pro Racing’s longtime partner, will produce the shows and the initial telecasts will be presented in afternoon weekend time slots with several races airing live.

Leading up to race weekends, the 30-minute preview shows will get fans up to speed with on-site coverage of qualifying sessions, highlights from previous rounds, as well as vignettes on the history of the sport and the technical aspects of motorcycle road racing. Hosted by a panel of industry experts, the show will provide insider insight on the latest paddock news, as well as interviews with riders and celebrity guests.

“We’re excited to add AMA Pro to our CBS Sports Spectacular lineup,” said Dan Weinberg, Senior Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports Network. “GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing is a high octane, action-packed sport featuring some of the world’s best motorcycle racers and is a great addition to our live programming this summer.”

CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 158, according to AMA Pro Racing. For more information, and to access the CBS Sports Network channel finder, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

“We are incredibly proud of this television package and excited to begin our new relationship with CBS Sports Network,” said David Atlas, Managing Board Member of AMA Pro Racing. “Through the live action and in-depth features, we will present fans with the most intense immersion into our unique and exciting racing that the sport has ever seen.”

“This agreement is the result of a tremendous amount of time and commitment from AMA Pro and is a significant step for motorcycle racing in America,” said Chet Burks, President of Chet Burks Productions. “We look forward to producing an exciting television experience for CBS Sports Network viewers.”