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Although the topic is definitely nothing new, I think it needs revisiting. VASC’s have been on the payTV platform for a few years now, which has meant that the grassroots & vast majority of their fan base, has been unable to view their favorite homegrown motorsport series. Mostly nothing has changed in their day to day running of the series. The season has started off with the Adelaide street circuit race weekend which has always garnered a lot of local support, with big crowds turning up and OK free to air TV ratings. Other than the Australian F1 GP, which follows shortly after Adelaide, the series then goes into hibernation, as far as anyone without payTV subscription is concerned, when the live ftaTV coverage disappears, and the only way to see the live racing is to obtain a payTV subscription. They dangle the odd carrot to the fans with a couple of free to air races leading up to their endurance racing season. Being up against both the AFL and NRL footy seasons from March onwards, that attract massive ftaTV ratings, I don’t know whether VASC’s have put up the white flag or not. However they elected to take the much larger payTV cheque, and forgo the possible loss of their fanbase, when going over to the payTV network. From my perspective, as a motorsport fan, I am not prepared to pay to watch it, as I don’t consider it all that worthwhile. I’d certainly follow the sport, as I did in years gone by, if it was on free to air TV. My argument all along, has been the crazy notion by the payTV provider, that I am expected to pay to watch something at an extortionate price, when I have no interest whatsoever, in any other of the rubbish TV that I get in their package. If the offer was there to cherry pick what you wanted, without all the extra unwanted garbage they force you to take, it may be worth looking at, depending on the price tag.

Why is this topic worth revisiting? Today, has seen the news that Craig Lowndes, who is Virgin Australia Supercars, most marketable personality, is retiring from full-time driving at the end of the current season. Now……why is this liable to have such a great effect on the sport? In my opinion, he is by far, their best asset. He is not their only asset, but is far and away their greatest one. I would defy anyone out in the general populous to name a handful of drivers currently racing in the series. I would defy most people out there in the general populous to name the current VASC’s champion. I would defy most to name their winning-est driver ever. Look…if you hung in there long enough, you would find someone who could possibly get some of those answers correct, however, my point here, is that the series must get itself back onto free to air TV, or lose whatever relevancy they have left, on the Australian sporting landscape.

As a motorsport fan, I have just about given up on Australian motorsport altogether. It has become too hard to follow the local categories. Whenever I have brought it up with any local motorsports people, I get the standard replies, of subscribing to Fox, or I mustn’t be as dedicated as I make myself out to be.

Well, people…… I love my motorsport! I have done so, for the vast majority of my life! But, when other categories overseas, not only actively pursue fans, but go a long way to promote and keep their fan-base with brilliant coverage via live streaming, with fantastic live timing, and repeat races up and available immediately, it makes it a no-brainer to try (mostly unsuccessfully) to keep up live, with what’s happening on the local motorsport front.

IT IS JUST TOO F*****G HARD.

With my love of sports car racing, I am certainly not getting too carried away at the thought of missing out on the local, sub standard AustralianGT amateur hour race series. Apparently, AusGT has now seen the light, and has gone back to a free live streaming service to show their racing in Australia. Sorry….Too little, too late for me!

I have become used to getting a premium product, LIVE & FREE from overseas, from the absolutely brilliant  Blancpain, ADAC GT Masters and VLN race series. I pay a modest fee to get the World Endurance super season LIVE AND COMMERCIAL FREE. I can watch the Japanese SuperGT racing LIVE & FREE. I follow the American IMSA racing LIVE & FREE streaming service, with the FREE Radio Le Mans audio coverage. I can follow both the Nurburgring 24H and Spa 24H LIVE AND FREE. The annual Bathurst 12 Hour race at the iconic Mt Panorama circuit, is shown LIVE AND FREE on the Seven network. The Bathurst 1000 is shown LIVE on FREE TO AIR TV. Together with the aforementioned motorsport series, I follow NRL and Cricket in their respective seasons, LIVE AND FREE. Speaking of which, Cricket Australia have signed up with the Seven network to a new exciting FREE TO AIR TV coverage from next summer.

So, unfortunately………………… Virgin Australia Supercars and Australian motorsport…….Sorry, you’ve lost me. My motorsport event diary is full. Call me, when you’ve had a change of heart.  I’ll see if I can fit you in. However, I won’t be holding my breath waiting. Sadly, for the future of the sport in Australia, a lot of other people have made the same decision.

Here’s a question that some motorsport fans in Australia, may think doesn’t need to be asked. However, from my perspective….. Where to, for motor racing in this country ?

VASC’s, as Australia’s main motorsport category, is supposedly cruising along quite comfortably….. if you choose to believe their propaganda. They say they are getting record crowds at events and producing increased TV ratings. However, when you get to see their races, which in itself, is not that easy to do, due to their blackout on free to air TV, the crowds appear to be ever decreasing. In fact, there seems to be an effort by the TV producers, to not show the spectator areas, with poor crowds sometimes being hard to hide from the camera’s. The TV ratings system being used by all the fta TV stations and the PayTV network are run by the TV networks themselves, and as such, are understandably pretty general in their results. The major TV networks can use the very ambiguous information to attract advertisers by a variety of shady demographics, which can just about give them an argument to prove a point from even a losing, actual viewer numbers position. Henceforth, this is how ridiculously low viewing numbers can somehow be projected as winning figures. Keep in mind that advertising hacks, PR spin doctors and TV executives are all behind these dodgy ratings numbers, so it’s in their own best interest to cloud the figures as much as possible. If you’re in any doubt, try watching the ABC TV Gruen series about the advertising industry, to see how we are played as fools. However, I digress!

But, back to the question of where motorsport is going in this country. The football codes, T20 cricket, and an ever increasing number of sports, have an advantage over circuit racing, with a couple of key issues. Footy and cricket have their main stadiums centrally located in the big cities and suburbs. Transport, which is usually free, gets you into the event quickly, and importantly, when it’s all over, you can get out efficiently and on your way home. Due to the issue of motorsport generally being conducted at locations a fair way out of town, it’s a major effort for fans just get get to the venue. In saying this, most diehard motorsport fans will happily make that effort to watch the sport they love. However, it’s the casual or new fans, who are going to see this as all too hard, just to get there in the first place. In the past,  up here in Queensland it hasn’t been too big an issue, due to a smaller population, and the ability of the roads to handle the traffic requirements of a day out at the races. However, nowadays, it’s a major trek to a circuit, via the overworked road network, to Lakeside on the north-side of the city, or Queensland Raceway at Ipswich, on the western outskirts of Brisbane. If you are coming from the opposing side of town, it is a good 2 hours plus, traveling time each way. In the more populated cities of Sydney and Melbourne, motorsport fans could be facing considerably more traveling time to get to their motor racing venue.

So, even before the racing goes green, on the first race of the day, motor racing has a handicap around its neck to compete with the major sporting codes, to win over the casual fan, and to give them a very good reason to get out to a circuit to see live racing in action. Motorsport, in Australia and Supercars in particular, have got a couple of big names, but to the vast majority of general sports fans, I think it would be very hard for them to reel off the top dozen or so drivers without having to put a lot of thought into it. Personality wise, motorsport struggles to get any major household names in Australia, other than Craig Lowndes, and he probably only has another season or two left in him as a full season driver. Jamie Whincup, who has accrued the most race wins in V8 Supercar/Australian Touring Car history could walk down the main street of any of our capital cities and although being recognized, would certainly not get anywhere near the attention of many of the big name players in the AFL, NRL or our national Cricket team. The same could be said for the current VASC champion, Shane van Gisbergen.

Promotion….. or lack of it, seems to be the core of the problem!                           PROMOTION, PROMOTION, PROMOTION. Motorsport and VASC’s have to get their drivers and champions out there. Get them out there as guest celebrities on TV game shows, lifestyle shows, cooking shows, renovation shows, ANYTHING….anything that gives them coverage!! Make these guys role models. Have them out in schools and in the community promoting road safety. Give the viewing public some good guys, with the wife and kids on display, and a couple of bad guys, who the public can hate. That’s where the other big sports leave motor racing behind when it comes to getting people to follow their sport. I think we’ve all seen how the sport has become so sanitized, since Brock and Johnson used to tell like it was, back in the day.

Merchandising is another area that should be looked at. Costs should be reduced to be able to get every kid into a VASC team shirt. Flood the market with them. Remember ….if the kids and Mum are happy with the clean image, they’ll be demanding that Dad takes them to the races. All these are things that Motorsport are late coming to the party on, and are in catch up mode to keep up with other forms of sport, that have gotten the jump on them in recent years. Fly in a different guest driver from F1, NASCAR, Sports car racing or wherever, for one off drives in each race. The public loves to see the overseas hotshots turn up to race against the locals.

Broadcasting.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, payTV just ain’t working. The reality of present day motor racing in Australia, is that it’s major fan base is currently an older demographic. Look around, next time you go to a race meeting and see how old most of the crowd are! Free to air TV, is really the only TV outlet which is going to give them realistic TV viewer numbers. PayTV may work overseas, where there is a much bigger population base. 30% of Australia’s population ain’t gonna match 30% of the U.S. or Europe, in payTV viewer numbers. Consequently, we pay more for less, with payTV in Australia.

Motorsport in Australia hasn’t yet grasped or embraced the concept of live streaming. The streaming services that are offered are a very hit and miss affair. Australian motorsport administrators….Take a look at some of the overseas series, namely BlancpainGT, GT masters, Super GT and many more, to see how its done. Live racing, live timing, immediate replays straight after the race is over. Sure…. it can be argued that the live racing and replays can turn off potential attendances at circuits, but it certainly increases the popularity of the sport to modern audiences and generates an incentive for new fans to want to go to a circuit and experience the real thing in person. I’m now at the crossroads, where I follow practically all my motorsport, from overseas racing these days. I still see myself as an Aussie motorsport fan, but it has become all too hard to not only watch live local motor racing, but to have any ongoing interest in the sport when there is no major effort by the sports administrators, to give me any incentive to attend a race meeting. I still follow local motorsport, but at an enforced (by the promoters) arms length. I live and breathe motor racing! I follow it closely via any outlet I can find. However, if you make it impossible to follow, I now find myself following other more fan friendly, local, sports. Some fans may be lost, altogether.  Potential fans aren’t going to be treated in this way, and be enthusiastic in coming back again. The ridiculously high admission costs are another thing that bugs me about our local motorsport. Again, if the sport is to compete against the bat and ball codes, this issue has to be addressed.

Supercars, have what I consider to be a reasonably good product. It’s good, close, hard racing, albeit in cars that are neanderthals in design terms. They have the cream of the local racing talent in the front half of the grid, but they also have some guys that really shouldn’t be there. There’s quite a few young blokes in their second tier series, that should be racing against the big boys in the main game and that is a view that a lot of the general sporting public see as well. In my opinion, they also have an issue with racing a category of cars that are no longer relevant to the Australian motoring consumer any more. However, in racing these motor sport dinosaurs, I have to admit that the teams have them engineered to within an inch of their lives, so it is very competitive racing by a  few teams that have much superior equipment to the majority of the competition.

So… what’s the answer? I think the calendar for VASC’s should be more condensed. Like it or not, they aren’t going to compete with the footy codes in TV viewer numbers, no matter how much they fudge the figures. Turn it into a summer sport, for TV. I’d start the season off with the Sandown 500 in September, after the football codes are finished. Follow it up with the Bathurst 1000. This is the most popular motor sport event in Australia, so get their season under way with their showcase event early! Have a two week break and follow it up with a weekly, street circuit, sprint race, in each of the major capital cities, and maybe a few of the larger provincial towns, around the country. Realizing that we are talking about summer here in Australia, run as many twilight and night races as possible, on a Saturday twilight time. Run the season through to around March. I’d finish off the season with a top ten drivers, sprint series on street circuits in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Dump the tacky support races and go with a some F5000 and maybe one other support category. Sure….it’s what traditionally conservative motor sport administrators would initially see as impossible to pull off, but motorsport has to get out of the backwards direction it is heading, if it wants to see itself as a major player in the Australian sporting landscape.

So….Let’s see what the future of motorsport gives us……and please, let’s not go down the Formula E path. I don’t think I could stomach that.

I haven’t said a lot about  the Australian GT race series in recent times, due to my reluctant disposition towards it. In saying that I understand that Tony Quinn (the owner of Australian GT) can do with it whatever he pleases, as he and he alone, owns it. However, as an avid GT3 race fan, it disappoints me that Aussie fans of the GT3 category are unable to follow the local racing. I’m sure that the stock answer to that point would be to get access to Foxtel. For me, that ain’t gonna happen! As with many others, I consider that Foxtel is a poorly operated, disjointed product that is 95% rubbish, for the 5% content that I would be interested in. AustralianGT have taken the Murdoch/Foxtel pathway and hopped  into bed with VASC’s and this is where any potential viewers, are suffering from zero coverage.  I suppose that the question of fan access could be put to Matt Coch (PR hack for AusGT), for his thoughts, but that is probably a bit unfair expecting him to candidly answer that.

It seems to me that AusGT is at a crossroads. Do they go down a fan friendly pathway and try to gain more fans, as the Blancpain/Stephane Ratel organisation has done so well. I was initially hopeful of that taking place when Quinn and Ratel looked like becoming besties, a while back. Alas, it didn’t pan out that way. Australian GT3 race fans who choose not to take the PayTV Foxtel option are left with nothing (except the annual B12H).  Lets analyse the Fox option- Last figures I heard, was that approx. 30% of Australian homes have access to Fox. Out of that figure of 30%, how many tune in to motorsport? I don’t know the definitive answer to that! But, if VASC’s are struggling to maintain viewership, how does a poor cousin in a support category,  measure on the ratings radar? Keep in mind, that the whole methodology of TV ratings has come into question in recent times, as too how actually factual they are, with the TV broadcasters themselves, being in charge of producing these questionable, ratings figures.

Again, in my humble opinion, if AusGT is a closed shop, how is a fan base expected to grow. If their intent is to solely look after their drivers and teams and not give a toss about race fans,  those same fans will go elsewhere to get their fix of sports car racing and watch what comes out of the many overseas events that take place every weekend. Just don’t expect us to come back to an inferior race series when you change your minds and come begging for fans again. In fact, there’s probably an overload of GT3 racing, so much so, that there are sometimes multiple races, on any given weekend. Last nights great coverage of the VLN 6 hour from the Nurburgring is a great case in point, with a Blancpain sprint race on next weekend.

So, as I didn’t get to see yesterdays race, I can only go on the crowd figures turning up at Eastern Creek (sorry, Sydney Motorsport Park) that appeared on the delayed FTA channel broadcast, and reported figures from those who went to the event. Now, I’m not going to sit here behind a keyboard and tell Tony Quinn how to run his business. But strictly from a race fans perspective, get on the blower to Mr Ratel and get his advice. For my 2 bobs worth, ditch Murdoch, VASC’s and go it on your own with the broadcasting. Go with a YouTube live stream, with immediate replays available straight after the race. If you believe the crowd and ratings figures VASC’s are quoting you, you’re kidding yourself and your stakeholders.

The AUSGT racing yesterday actually sounded pretty good, but who’d know-

…if a tree falls in a forest…….

Just got home from a week away after attending the 2017 running of the Bathurst 12 hour race and having time to reflect on what a great race this years event was. My son and I went together again. This is our seventh B12H race and it just gets better every year. The 2017 race had it all. A great list of international teams and drivers and a stellar list of top shelf local entries.

Race reports are out there in great numbers from every man and his dog who were there to witness this years race, so I don’t feel the need to add my account on the actual race itself.

We arrived on the Friday night after our drive down from Brisbane. We had a minor annoyance to the start of our race weekend when I copped a speeding fine just out of Warwick heading towards Goodiwindi on the Queensland/NSW border . 3 points and a $243.00 fine wasn’t the ideal way to start the weekend, however there’s no point in whingeing or even arguing the toss with Queensland’s finest. Although, it did make us wonder at the time, as to why we counted 5 x motorcycle cops and 11 x police cars (not counting the unmarked ones we didn’t notice) on this 150 klm stretch of relatively light traffic area!  Never mind, we were on our way again, and had a great drive down the Newell Highway and arrived in Bathurst about 6pm on Friday evening.

After checking in to the Bathurst Explorer we were off to a pre-arranged dinner and get together with the guys from the Shakedown Sportscar and GT racing forum, at one of Bathursts fine restaurants, Pantano’s Bar & Grill. A brilliant night was had by all, meeting a lot of the guys we only know by their forum handles. Great to put faces to names. Interesting seeing a lot of the teams and drivers there as well. It was a real case of the Who’s Who of the international sports car racing world turning up. I had a bit of a fanboy moment when I literally bumped into Lena Gade from the Bentley team on the way out.

Saturday, we headed straight to the track. Qualifying and the top ten shootout followed. I don’t know if I’m a fan of the shootout, but hey…. if it generates a bit more excitement, why not! I’m probably a bit more of a traditionalist…..a straight out session, setting grid spots for race day would do me, with teams and drivers given a 20 minute session, timing their qualifying runs to perfection, would be just as exciting.

Both of us are not much into any of the support categories, so we were quite happy to spend part of the day around the back of the pit area, checking out what the teams were up too, and then getting our way up to the top of the mountain for the last qualifying session and the shootout.

I’ve said this before, I don’t think it’s possible to take any poor photography at this place. However, there does seem to be much more of the hated catch fencing springing up around the track every year. It’s becoming more of a challenge to find the better spots for photography each year nowadays. Never mind….. the harder it becomes, the better we like it. The keen amateur photographers at the circuit, manage to find ways to circumvent the barriers they place in our way.

We had brilliant weather all weekend, albeit a bit hotter that I would have preferred. Plenty of water kept the hot temperatures at bay. One of the things we’ve done over the last few years, has been to pick up a 24 pack of bottled water before leaving home, which generally keeps us well hydrated over the weekend.

With the circuit being literally only 5 minutes from the Bathurst CBD, we’ve found it just as easy to head into town for food, instead of purchasing the dodgy racetrack tucker.

Saturday night saw us hitting the hay at a realistic hour, ready to rise early for the 5.45am Sunday morning race start. For me, the jury is still out on the Sunday race start time. I follow the thinking of the 5.45am to 5.45pm, twelve hour race, with commercial free to air TV calling the shots, for a viewer friendly time frame to maximize their ratings, and I’m absolutely certain the promoters aren’t going to jeopardize the brilliant coverage of the race, that the Seven Network have provided over the last few years. However, to put my self interested, motorsport, race-fan hat on, a Saturday 8.00 or 9.00am start, with them racing into the darkness, would be a better option, leaving Sunday to travel home. As I understand it, this has been proposed in the past with the local council, who are now co-promoters, knocking it on the head. For the aforementioned reasons, I can’t see any day & time changes happening anytime soon.

I have long been critical of Virgin Australia Supercars (or the crowd formally known as V8 Supercars), who took over the running of the Bathurst 12Hour from Yeehah Events a couple of years ago, however I’ve got to admit, the race, under their control, has certainly gone ahead in leaps and bounds since they took over. That is certainly not a criticism of the way Yeehah, under the  leadership of James O’Brien ran the show. If anything, he and his team put the race out in front of the world, to the point where it is now.

Race day saw  a large crowd heading into the track for the 5.45am start. We took up our regular positions at the exit of Caltex chase, out in front of Rydges, well before the start to get ourselves organized. I have been considering watching the start at the top of the mountain, but this year, we decided to stay down the bottom again, for another reason.

Brad, (aka Maverick) from Shakedown had made arrangements to get the forum members into a great little spot on Conrod Straight, not accessible to the rest of the race day crowd. I don’t think I would be wrong in saying that just about any motorsport fan in the country, would be green with envy at getting up there at the B12H or the Bathurst 1000k race, held in October. What a brilliant spot! It’s something else watching the cars thundering down off Conrod at peak speed, around 280-290 kph and generally not backing off as they head into the chase. Listening to the different cars as they flew down through there, made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The scream of the Ferrari, the low ground shaking rumble of the Bentleys, the various notes of the Audi’s, Aston Martins, BMW’s, Lamborghini’s, McLaren’s, Nissan’s, Porsches and all the other racecars was insanely brilliant.

My son and I are track wanderers when it comes to race meetings we attend, so to head off from this great piece of real estate was a big call, but there is only one Bathurst 12 Hour per year, so we decided to head back up the hill to catch as much of the race from as many vantage points as possible. Which meant of course, to transverse as much of the top of the mountain as possible, from the cutting, across the top of the mountain, all the way around to Forrest’s Elbow.

We did, as we have done in the last few years, come down to the front straight, to witness the last couple of hours of the race, from up top of the pit complex. This year there was, thankfully, a fair bit more shelter on top, with a bar and shade facilities provided.

Thanks to Shane van Gisbergens antics late in the race, there was plenty of entertainment, which saw the race fittingly go to the Maranello #88 Ferrari, who were the far superior team all weekend.

The race lived up to expectations and more, but although we have noticed the big changes, like a lot more factory and corporate involvement, it still has that nice, small time race feel about it.

There is no doubt that it has hit the big time. More so this year than in previous years, but when you can see, meet and talk to the drivers and the teams over the weekend, get photo opportunity’s when they present themselves but without the arrogance of V8SC’s and F1, it makes it a great experience. I think the teams and drivers enjoy the relaxed, laid back Aussie atmosphere of the event as well.

Let’s hope the organizers can keep to the winning formula.

JANUARY

13-14                 DUBAI 24H/24Hseries                         Dubai   U.A.E.

28-29                 IMSA DAYTONA 24H                           Daytona  Florida  U.S.A.

FEBRUARY

5                         BATHURST 12H                                    Bathurst NSW  AUST

MARCH

4-5                      AUSGT                                                   Adelaide  STH AUST

4-5                      VASC                                                      Adelaide STH AUST

11-12                 PWC                                                       St Petersburg  FLORIDA   U.S.A.

17-18                HANKOOK12H/  24Hseries                  Mugello      ITALY

18                       IMSA SEBRING 12H                             Sebring  Florida  U.S.A.

25                      VLN                                                        Nordschleife   GERMANY

25-26                 AUSGT                                                    Albert Pk Melbourne VIC  AUST

APRIL

1-2                     BLANCPAIN SPRINT                              Misano  ITALY

7-8                    HANKOOK12H/24Hseries                    Red Bull Ring  AUSTRIA

8-9                    SHANNONS NATS                                  Sandown   VIC   AUST

8                        IMSA                                                        Long Beach (1H40M)  CAL  U.S.A.

8                        VLN                                                          Nordschleife  GERMANY

8-9                    PWC                                                         Long Beach  CAL   U.S.A.

8-9                    AUSGT  (trophy)                                    Sandown  VIC  AUST

8-9                     VASC                                                        Symmons Plains TASMANIA AUST

16                      WEC                                                         Silverstone6H   U.K.

23                      BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE                     Monza  ITALY

22-23                 VASC                                                        Phillip Island VICTORIA  AUST

23                       IMSA                                                       Barber M/sports Pk  U.S.A.

29-30                 ADAC GT masters                                  Oschersleben  GERMANY

29-30                 PWC                                                         VIR   U.S.A.

MAY

6                        WEC                                                          Spa 6H    BELGIUM

6-7                    IMSA                                                         COTA  (2H40M)   Texas  U.S.A.

6-7                    BLANCPAIN SPRINT                                Brands Hatch   U.K.

6-7                     VASC                                                         Barbagallo  WEST  AUST

6-7                     HANKOOK24H/24Hseries                     paul Ricard   FRANCE

14                      ELMS                                                         Monza  ITALY

14                      BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE                      Silverstone  U.K.

20-21                VASC                                                          Winton VICTORIA  AUST

20-21               ADAC GT masters                                    Lausitzring     GERMANY

20-21                PWC                                                          Mosport   CANADA

27                      PWC                                                          Lime Rock Pk Conn     U.S.

27-28                NURBURGRING24H                                Nurburgring   GERMANY

27-28               AUSGT (ENDURANCE)                             Phillip Island VIC  AUST

27-28               SHANNONS NATS                                     Phillip Is  VIC  AUST

JUNE

3                       IMSA                                                          Bell Isle  (1H40M)   Detroit Mich    U.S.A.

3-4                    BLANCPAIN SPRINT                                 Zolder   BELGIUM

10-11               ADAC GT masters                                    Red Bull Ring    AUSTRIA

10-11                AUSGT (trophy)                                      Winton  VIC  AUS

10-11                SHANNONS NATS                                   Winton  VIC  AUST

17-18                WEC                                                          Le Mans24H    FRANCE

17-18                VASC                                                          Hidden Valley NTH TERRITORY  AUST

24                      BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE 1000K          Paul Ricard    FRANCE

24                       VLN                                                           Nordschleife  GERMANY

24-25                 PWC                                                          Road America   U.S.A.

JULY

1                        HANKOOK12H/24Hseries                      Imola   ITALY

2                       IMSA                                                           Watkins Glen 6H    NY   U.S.A.

8-9                    SHANNONS NATS                                    Eastern Creek  N.S.W.   AUST

8                       VLN                                                              Nordschleife   GERMANY

8-9                    AUSGT (ENDURANCE)                              Syd M/sport PK NSW AUST

8-9                    VASC                                                            Townsville  QUEENSLAND  AUST

9                       AUSGT  Endurance                                    Eastern Creek   AUST

9                       IMSA                                                             Mosport  (2H40M)   Canada

15-16               ADAC GT masters                                       Zandvoort    NETHERLANDS

16                     WEC                                                              Nurburgring6H   GERMANY

22                     IMSA                                                             Lime Rock (2H40M)   CT   U.S.A.

23                     ELMS                                                            Red Bull Ring 4H  AUSTRIA

29-30               BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE                          Spa 24H   BELGIUM

29-30               VASC                                                             Qld Raceway  QUEENSLAND  AUST

29-30               PWC                                                              Mid Ohio    U.S.A.

AUGUST

5-6                   IMSA                                                            Elkhart Lake  (2H40M)  WI  U.S.A.

5-6                   ADAC GT masters                                       Nurburgring  GERMANY

5-6                    AUSGT                                                         Qld Raceway  QUEENSLAND  AUST

5-6                    SHANNONS NATS                                     Qld Raceway   QUEENSLAND  AUST

12-13               PWC                                                             UTAH    U.S.A.

19                     VLN                                                              Nordschleife    GERMANY

19-20               VASC                                                             Eastern Creek   NSW  AUST

26-27               BLANCPAIN SPRINT                                    Budapest  HUNGARY

26-27              SHANNONS NATS                                        Winton  VIC  AUST

26-27              HANKOOK24H/24Hseries                          Algarve   PORTUGAL

27                    ELMS                                                             Paul Ricard 4H  FRANCE

27                     IMSA                                                            Virginia Int Raceway  (2H40M)   U.S.A.

SEPTEMBER   

2                       VLN                                                              Nordschleife   GERMANY

2-3                    AUSGT                                                         Symmons Plains TAS  AUST

3                       WEC                                                              Mexico6H          MEXICO

3                       PWC                                                             Circuit of the Americas  TEXAS   U.S.A.

9-10                 SHANNONS NATS                                       Phillip Is  VIC  AUST

16                     WEC                                                              Austin6H            U.S.A.

16-17               ADAC GT masters                                       Sachsenring   GERMANY

16-17               BLANCPAIN SPRINT                                    Nurburgring  GERMANY

16-17               PWC                                                               Sonoma    U.S.A.

17                     VASC                                                              Sandown 500 VICTORIA  AUST

23                     VLN                                                                Nordschleife    GERMANY

23-24               ADAC GT masters                                        Hockenheim   GERMANY

23-24               SHANNONS NATS                                        Morgan Pk   QUEENSLAND  AUST

24                     ELMS                                                              Spa4H  BELGUIM

24                     IMSA                                                              Laguna Seca  (2H40M)   CAL  U.S.A.

OCTOBER

1                       BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE                           Barcelona   SPAIN

7                      IMSA                                                               Road Atlanta  (10H)  GA  U.S.A.

7                      VLN                                                                  Nordschleife   GERMANY

8                      VASC                                                                Bathurst 1000 NSW   AUST

14-15              PWC/SRO inGTchal                                       LagunaSeca  U.S.A.

15                   WEC                                                                  Fuji6H      JAPAN

21                   VLN                                                                  Nordschleife    GERMANY

21-22             VASC                                                                 Surfers Paradise QUEENSLAND  AUST

22                   ELMS                                                                 Algarve  PORTUGAL

28-29             AUSGT (ENDURANCE)                                    Hampton Downs NEW ZEALAND

NOVEMBER

4-5                 VASC                                                                  Auckland  NEW ZEALAND

5                     WEC                                                                  Shanghai6H     CHINA

10-11             HANKOOK24H/24Hseries                             Circuit of the Americas    U.S.A.

11                   AUSGT                                                              Highlands Park  NEW ZEALAND

12                   AUSGT (ENDURANCE)                                    Highlands Park NEW ZEALAND

18                   WEC                                                                  Bahrain6H      U.A.E.

TBA                 VASC                                                                 Newcastle  NSW  AUST

WEC   http://www.fiawec.com/live.html

IMSA http://www.imsa.com/camera/imsatv  Timing http://scoring.imsa.com/

Blancpain GT sprint & Endurance  http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/live or YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/gt1world

VLN  http://www.vln.de/de/live/features.html

ADAC GT masters http://www.adac-gt-masters.de/livestream-adac-gt-masters.html Timing http://static.sportresult.com/federations/fia/app/?ref=ADAC&CLASS=ADAC_GT_Masters

Pirelli World Challenge   http://stream.world-challenge.com/

Nismo TV YouTube channel  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaTxfj0BzL-MaCy-YUqPRoQ

International GTopen   http://www.live.gtopen.net/

DTM YouTube channel  https://www.youtube.com/user/DTMinternational

Shannons Nats  http://www.thenationals.com.au/index.php?page=nationals-tv

or here  http://motorsportstv.com.au/

European Le Mans Series  http://www.europeanlemansseries.com/en/live  or  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2mcine_european-le-mans-series-2016-live_auto

V8SC, Indycar, F1, MotoGP & other m/sport http://www.batmanstream.com/motor-sports-live-streaming-video-2016-1.html

Nurburgring 24H N24H site http://www.24h-rennen.de/en/    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zspyrZ07Ok  Radio LeMans audio http://radiolemans.0157.org/nplayer.php  Live timing https://livetiming.tracktime.info/nurburgring#screen-results

2016 MOTORSPORT CALENDAR

JANUARY

15-16                DUBAI24H                     DubaiUAE                                                                         30-31               Weathertech SCC           ROLEX 24H  Daytona   U.S.A.

FEBRUARY                                                                                                                                                                       7                       BATHURST12H           Bathurst 12H  AUSTRALIA

MARCH

3-6                   PWC                            Circuit of the Americas USA

11-13                PWC                                St. Petersburg  USA

13                     INDYCAR                         St.Petersburg

19                     WEATHERTECH SCC   12H Sebring   U.S.A.

20                    F1                   AUSTRALIA

20                    MOTOGP        Qatar

APRIL
2                       VLN               Nurburgring   GERMANY

2                       INDYCAR    PIR USA

2-3                  SHANNONS NATS      Sandown AUSTRALIA

3                       F1                 BAHRAIN

3                       MOTOGP                 Argentina                                                                               10                     MOTOGP                 Circuit of the Americas                                                        9-10                 BLANCPAIN sprint                 ITALY

16                   ELMS              Silverstone  4H            UK
16-17               WEC                                        Silverstone  UK                                                       16-17               PWC                             Long Beach   USA                                                                      17                     INDYCAR                                 Long Beach USA

16-17              ADACGTmasters                   Oschersleben  GERMANY

16                   W’TECH SCC Long  Beach   U.S.A.                                                                       17                   F1                                            CHINA

24                  MOTOGP                                Jerez  Spain                                                                      23-24    BLANCPAIN endurance  Monza 3H   ITALY                                                                       23-24           PWC                                         Barber Motorsport Park  USA                                   24                 INDYCAR                                 Alabama  USA

24                 I’NATIONALGTopen     Estoril    PORTUGAL                                                              30                 VLN                                         Nurburgring  GERMANY

30-1              ADACGTmasters                    Sachsenring   GERMANY

MAY
1                     W’TECH  SCC              Laguna Seca   U.S.A.    !                                                             1                     F1                                              RUSSIA

7                     WEC                              Spa  BELGIUM                                                                          7-8        BLANCPAIN sprint Brands Hatch   UK                                                                                 8                    MOTOGP                           Le Mans   France                                                                  14-15            BLANCPAIN endurance          Silverstone 3H   UK                                       14                  VLN                                           Nurburgring  GERMANY

14                  INDYCAR                                   IndyGP  Indianapolis  USA

15                  F1                                              SPAIN

15                  ELMS                           Imola  4H  ITALY                                                                        19-22           PWC                          Canadian Tire Motorsports Park Mosport CANADA
22                MOTOGP                      Mugello  Italy                                                                            22               INTERNATIONALGTopen      Spa   BELGIUM                                                   27-28         PWC                                         Lime Rock Park   USA

28-29        NURBURGRING 24H             Nurburgring  GERMANY

28-29        SHANNONS NATS  phillip Is  AUSTRALIA

29               INDYCAR           Indianapolis 500  USA

29               F1                   MONACO

JUNE
4/5               INDYCAR                                 Detroit  USA

4                 W’TECH  SCC             Detroit  Bell Isle     U.S.A.                                                     4-5             ADACGTmasters    Lausitzring   GERMANY                                                                   5                 WEC                                    LeMans Test Day                                                                    5                 MOTOGP                                Catalunya   Spain                                                                5                 I’NATIONALGTopen    Paul Ricard   FRANCE                                                               11               INDYCAR                                 Fort Worth Texas  USA

11-12         SHANNONS NATS  Winton  AUSTRALIA

12              F1                             CANADA

18-19        WEC        LeMans 24H  FRANCE

19              F1                                             BAKU

25            BLANCPAIN endurance        Paul Ricard 1000K  FRANCE                                        25            VLN                                         Nurburgring  GERMANY

25-26     PWC                                         Road America    USA

26          MOTOGP                                Assen  Netherlands

26         INDYCAR                                 Road America  USA

JULY
2-3                     BLANCPAIN sprint                Nurburgring   GERMANY

2-3                SHANNONS NATS          Syd M/sport Pk AUSTRALIA

3                     WEATHERTECH  SCC            6H Watkins Glen   U.S.A.                               3                     F1                                            AUSTRIA

10                  INDYCAR                                Iowa  USA

10                WEATHERTECH  SCC            Mosport  CANADA                                              10                MOTOGP                             Sachsenring   Germany                                                      10                F1                                             UK

16               VLN                                          Nurburgring  GERMANY

17               INDYCAR                                 Toronto  CANADA

17              ELMS                                       RedBullRing 4H AUSTRIA                                              17              MOTOGP                                Silverstone   UK                                                                  23             WEATHERTECH  SCC             Lime Rock  U.S.A.                                              23-24       WEC                                        Nurburgring   GERMANY

23-24      ADACGTmasters                   Red Bull Ring  AUSTRIA                                                     24            I’NATIONGTopen         Silverstone   UK                                                                         24             F1                                            HUNGARY

29-30      PWC                 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course  USA

30-31      BLANCPAIN endurance        Spa 24H  BELGIUM

30-31      SHANNONS NATS         Qld Raceway AUSTRALIA

31           INDYCAR                                  Mid Ohio  USA

31            F1                                              GERMANY

AUGUST
6-7           ADACGTmasters                    Nurburgring   GERMANY

7                WEATHERTECH  SCC             Road America   U.S.A.                                                                                                                                                                           14              MOTOGP                                Red Bull Ring  Austria                                                       14              PWC                          UTAH USA

21             INDYCAR                                 Pocono  USA

21              MOTOGP                                Brno  Czech Republic                                                        20-21       ADACGTmasters          Zandvoort   NETHERLANDS                                                     20             VLN                                           Nuuburgring  GERMANY

27-28       BLANCPAIN sprint                 Budapest  HUNGARY

28            ELMS                                 PaulRicard 4H  FRANCE                                                          28            WEATHERTECH  SCC             V.I.R.      U.S.A.

28            F1                                             BELGIUM

SEPTEMBER
3                 WEC                                         Mexico City   MEXICO

3                 VLN                                          Nurburgring  GERMANY

4                 INDYCAR                                 Boston  USA

4                   F1                                             ITALY

10-11            SHANNONS NATS        Phillip Is AUSTRALIA

11                MOTOGP                                San Marino  Italy                                                               11                I’NATIONALGTopen     Red Bull Ring   AUSTRIA                                                    15-17          WEC                                          Circuit of the Americas  USA

17-18         PWC                                         Sonoma Raceway   USA                                        17              WEATHERTECH  SCC             Lone Star LeMans CotA  U.S.A.                           18             INDYCAR                                  Sonoma  USA

18            BLANCPAIN endurance         Nurburgring 3H  GERMANY                                18            F1                                              SINGAPORE

24           VLN                                           Nurburgring  GERMANY

25          ELMS                                    Spa 4H  BELGUIM                                                                    25          MOTOGP                                 Aragan Spain

OCTOBER
1           WEATHERTECH  SCC             Road Atlanta   U.S.A.                                                    1-2       ADACGTmasters                    Hockenheim    GERMANY                                                      1-2        BLANCPAIN sprint                 Barcelona  SPAIN

2         I’NATIONALGTopen  Monza   ITALY                                                                                    2           F1                                             MALAYSIA

8            VLN                                          Nurburgring  GERMANY

9            MOTOGP                                 Sepang  MALAYSIA                                                     9             F1                                             JAPAN

9            PWC                                 Laguna Seca  USA

14-16         WEC                                         Fuji   JAPAN                                                              16            MOTOGP                     Motegi  JAPAN                                                                                  22            VLN                                          Nurburgring  GERMANY

23            ELMS                                  Estoril 4H   PORTUGAL                                                           23            MOTOGP                     Phillip Island  AUSTRALIA                                                            23            F1                                             USA

30             F1                                             MEXICO

30             I’NATIONALGTopen     Catelunya   SPAIN                                                                       30                                  ASIAN LMS                             Zhuhai    CHINA

NOVEMBER

4-6            WEC                                  Shanghai    CHINA

6               MOTOGP                           Valencia  Spain                                                                           13              F1                                           BRAZIL

12-13       SHANNONS NATS       Syd M/sport Pk  AUSTRALIA

17-19        WEC                                        Bahrain     UAE

27             F1                                            ABU DHABI

DECEMBER

4             ASIAN LMS                             Fuji    JAPAN

JANUARY (2017)

8             ASIAN LMS                              Buriram    THAILAND

22          ASIAN LMS                              Sepang  MALAYSIA

The Big Bash T20 cricket League here in Australia is mid-way through their current season, and the comparisons with other sports is being made again.                                     The national soccer league is one sporting code that is copping it with their competition running head to head over the summer period, with the BBL. It’s the time of year when a lot of people are on holidays, taking a break, and although it’s not a traditional ratings period, the numbers are still being crunched and the soccer is taking a bit of a flogging in the TV ratings.

It doesn’t help when they keep on having internal politics and fan behavior issues, giving the game a bad look.

Since the BBL left the pay-TV Foxtel network, and went over to free to air channel 10, they’ve made every post a winner. It seems like sponsors are lining up in droves to get their products aligned with this entertaining type of limited over, big hitting, fast paced form of the game. It is all over in a few of hours and is tailor made for TV, with a commercial break every couple of minutes, at the end of every over. They’ve enhanced the presentation in the 5 seasons they’ve been operating here in Australia, and have now got a pretty slick package on the Ten network.                                                                                      T20 cricket has many tournaments operating all over the world. It’s a bit of a hit and giggle type of game, much the same as the fifty over, one day internationals have been over the years, since World Series cricket started many years ago. Traditional test match cricket aficionados tend to hate the T20 game, but with all the competitions being played around the world these days, it seems like it is here to stay.  It is pulling crowds that haven’t got the time, inclination or the patience to watch the 5 day form of the game.                                T20 certainly gives the young players a chance to play the game as professionals around the world, and make some pretty good money on the way, whereas in the past, they had to wait for somebody to get injured or retire, to get into a Test or One Day International team, plus it gives older players, an opportunity to make some good money and extend their careers. From a cricketing fans perspective, we get to see the great players from all over the cricketing world playing here in Australia in a domestic competition, alongside some of our best young, up and coming cricketing talent. On top of all that, throw into the mix, some of the coolest dudes playing the game in the world, West Indian players, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle and Darren Sammy.  

T20 cops a bit of flak from some sections of the game for supposedly destroying the test playing characteristics of some players, but most of the Australian players still play in our domestic Sheffield Shield competition, and still manage their style of play between the two forms of cricket satisfactorily.

I wrote the preceding paragraphs in the last couple of days before the end of the year.    Fast forward to December 31, New Years Eve 2015.                                                                With the wife at work, and me being of an age where going out on New Years Eve, is not even remotely considered or cared about any more, home alone, I sat down to watch the BBL game that is fast becoming a must have ticket on New Years Eve in Adelaide. The Adelaide Strikers vs the Sydney Sixes. Without getting too carried away, I would have to say, that this game is going to have to be up there, with the most exciting Australian sporting events of 2015, and a young guy named Travis Head, who has already been a pretty handy cricketer, has just had his stocks rise considerably, out of this one game alone. This is the final over, that won the Strikers the game.

http://www.adelaidestrikers.com.au/video/travis%20heads%20incredible%20final%20over/2015-12-31

The whole game was played on a knife edge with each team gaining the ascendancy at different points, but here’s another of the game changing moments that helped get Adelaide over the line.

http://www.bigbash.com.au/video/alex-ross-catch-adelaide-strikers-sydney-sixers-big-bash-league-highlights-report/2015-12-31?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bbl05

Well over a million people tuned in on TV to catch the game on New Years Eve across Australia, in a country with a population of 23 million, and the game played to a sell out crowd of 46000, at the Adelaide Oval.

The BBL has been a breath of fresh air, since it’s inception, and particularly since it came over to FTATV. It’s provided not only a brilliant competition over the Christmas/New Year sporting wasteland, but a runaway, nightly TV ratings winner, as well. I can see the next BBL TV contract being a hell of a lot more than the current channel Ten deal.

So…..lets see what the other sporting codes and TV networks can do over the future summer breaks. We can certainly do better than watching re-runs of crappy sitcoms and Christmas movies, over the holiday period.

WEC Circuit of the Americas 6H Race start Sunday 08.00 Stream http://members.fiawec.com/liveConnect (subscription pay stream) Timing (free) http://live.fiawec.com/
Blancpain Endurance 3H Nurburgring Race start Sunday 22.45 Stream YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/gt1world or http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/live Timing http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/live#live-timing
ADAC GTmasters Zandtvoort race one Sat 21.30 Race two Sun 21.15 Stream http://www.adac-gt-masters.de/livest…t-masters.html Timing http://static.sportresult.com/federa…DAC_GT_Masters
TUSC Circuit of the Americas Lone star Le Mans 2H40m Race start Sun 02.30 Stream http://www.imsa.com/camera/imsatv Timing http://scoring.imsa.com/
Shannons Nats Phillip Island Sun 09.00 Stream http://www.thenationals.com.au/index…e=nationals-tv
All times AEST.

DTM Oschersleben
qual race1 Sat 18.55 RACE1 Sat 21.15 qual race2 Sun 19.30 RACE2 Sun 22.55
Stream https://www.youtube.com/user/DTMinternational timing http://www.dtm.com/en/live/data/?spo=

Pirelli WC Laguna Seca
Race TC/TCA/TCB – Sat 07.25
Race TC/TCA/TCB – Sun 06.45
Race TC/TCA/TCB- Mon 01:45
Race GTS – Mon 03.35
Race GT/GTA/GT cup-Mon 06.35
Stream http://www.world-challengetv.com/ timing http://worldchallenge.growsites.

All times are Brisbane AEST…….do the add ups or takeaways here     http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/