Just recieved this little nugget from our good friend Phil Wicks that might make more than a few US MINI race fans smile:
>Phil Wicks Racing and its marketing agency, Mackey Marketing Group are pleased to announce that negotiations have been completed for the 2005 and 2006 MINI Challenge Series from the U.K. to be televised in the USA.
>The U.K.-based MINI Challenge Series is the basis for the North American MINI Cooper Championship that commenced racing in 2006. Under the guidance of long time MINI racing professional Phil Wicks, the North American MINI Cooper Championship will stage six events in 2006 with an expanded schedule in 2007.
>“Televising the U.K. Series here in the USA is the first step toward developing the U.S. series to be of similar stature and success,†said Phil
Wicks. “I think that many MINI fans will discover the tremendous excitement
and competitive nature of the MINI Challenge in the U.K. and will want to
join in our racing series being developed for the American market. We’re
very excited that we have made these arrangements to televise the U.K. MINI
Challenge Series.â€ÂÂ
>The racing will debut on the newly launched MavTV. MavTV is a new network
that carries a variety of programming themes targeting men 18-54, including
sports, sports analysis, gaming, comedy, women and relationships, health and
fitness, finance, gadgets, and movies. MavTV is a 24/7 destination channel
dedicated to reaching men in an irreverent, humorous, opinionated fashion.
Now MINI racing joins the mix of programming that is carried by the network.
>Times and broadcast schedules will be announced soon. MINI enthusiasts
that don’t receive MavTV on their cable system are encouraged to call their
local cable provider and ask for it. For additional information on MavTV
visit their website at www.mavtv.com.
>“The quality of the racing TV coverage is superb,†added Mackey Marketing
president, Brian Mackey. “This series makes great television viewing and I
think the American audiences will love the action and the competitive nature
of this series. I want to thank MavTV for believing in our product and
providing this opportunity. We look forward to a great relationship with
MavTV.â€ÂÂ
>Phil Wicks owns and operates the Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy as well as
administering the North American MINI Cooper Championship racing series.
Phil Wicks has been involved with the Mini Cooper since its inception in the
1960s and has been a significant presence in the MINI enthusiast community
for fifty years.
Well that’s good news and bad news…good news it’s coming to the states…bad news I don’t get MadTV (via DISH Network).
Hmmmm…. Bittorent? 🙂
Gotta say – watching race 1 (the bittorent file) on my 55″ Widescreen HDTV was very cool! Especially since it was encoded in widescreen format :).
Hey Pedro … so the MINIs are life-size on your TV? This is good news for everybody that loves MINIs!
Maybe MavTV can get WRC, WTCC, BTCC and Australian Supercars or any other non Neckcar series that speed refuses to show.
Does anyone have MavTV? (I don’t)
Their web site says DirecTV carries it, but I don’t see it in the DirecTV channel lineup.
From the MavTV website it looks like more of a grassroots effort on the fans’ part. So call your local cable provider, and if enough of us do, maybe they’ll pick up MavTV. It wouldn’t be the first time a groundswell of MINI enthusiasm affected the course of events.
Anyone knows about how to watch the races? Im from Spain and dont have any way to fleep whith the Challenge Series… 🙁 Any TVrip or something? Any Broadcasting by web? :'(
Thanks!
<blockquote>Any Broadcasting by web?</blockquote>
being realistic, that seems like a much better distribution channel at this point.
yahbut, then you’ll miss the commercials. 😉
a caddillac crashed my mini today 🙁 I’m behind him, and he’s taking his sweet time pulling into his driveway on the right, nice WIDE turn – I think he’s going left and slam on the gas to pass on the right and he plows into my wheel… almost made it –
Gents, I’m one of the founding partners of MavTV and also handle programming for the network. I saw your posts and just wanted to thank you and add a couple of things. MavTV is a new US cable network. We’re not available everywhere yet…but we’re working on it. We’re not on DirecTV or Dish Network as of today, but if you go to their web sites and email them to ask that they add MavTV to their lineups, it’ll help. In the meantime, we’re working on both of those companies to get them to carry MavTV. If you folks respond well to our ability to bring the Mini Challenge Series to the US, then you can count on us to add even more MINI events moving forward. MavTV is an irreverent Men’s network and we think the MINI is right up our alley! We need your support though! Check out our website to see how you can get MavTV, and email or call your cable or satellite providers to tell them you need your MINI Challenge Series on MavTV! Cheers!
I checked out MavTV.com
It looks like they have been around developing this men’s network for a couple of years. It looks pretty good. You might say they’re a Mini in their own right in the face of the big networks. I’m calling my cable company.
Thanks for chiming in Rob. Alright folks you heard your marching orders. Let’s email our cable and dish companies about this asap!
Rob,
Thank you for the information. Should our area programming carriers not listen to or listen in time to the impassioned pleas of MINI owners are copies of programs available from your network?