AMA Superbikes: TV For Laguna Not Dead Yet
Paul Carruthers | July 17, 2013
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREA WILSON
Although things are looking bleak at the moment, it might be a tad too soon to throw in the towel on AMA Pro Racing having TV coverage of this weekend’s Superbike, Daytona SportBike and Supersport races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, says a source close to the scene.
In other words, stay tuned. Literally.
Negotiations are on going to have the TV package in place for the weekend, even though Chet Burks Productions reportedly only has a contract with CBS Sports to produce six of the AMA rounds in 2013.
Chet Burks, the man behind Chet Burks Productions, has made a major commitment to the AMA TV package this year – with sources saying the production losses are close to $500,000 thus far in the company’s first year of producing the shows for CBS Sports.
“I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but you’re pretty close on the numbers,” Burks said when reached at his office today.
Burks, however, refused to comment when questioned on the so-far-non-existent Laguna TV package other than stating: “There’s a lot of tough decisions to be made to get this back to where we were. It’s not easy. If people want, let’s work together. I’m pretty content with where I am in all of this this. I know a lot of people are going to blame me, but I’m going to keep my mouth shut right now. “
Since the weekend at Laguna gets rolling on Friday, negotiations would have to move quickly. Though the good news is that the equipment, TV lines and manpower are already in place to accommodate Speed TV’s live coverage of both qualifying on Saturday and the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix on Sunday.
Stay tuned.
Paul Carruthers | Editor
Paul Carruthers took over as the editor of Cycle News in 1993 after serving as associate editor since starting his career at the publication in 1985. Carruthers has covered every facet of the sport in his near-28-year tenure at America's Daily Motorcycle News Source.
