Complete Story
12/08/2016
MAVTV Sets Canada Launch in January Via CCSA
MAVTV Motorsports Network will launch in Canada on Jan. 10, 2017, in partnership with media executive Mike Garrow via a distribution agreement with the Canadian Cable Systems Alliance, which represents 115 or so independent pay-TV providers. The launch date is timed to include the Lucas Oil Products-owned network's biggest event, the 31st annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals indoor race, in January. Garrow told Multichannel News he was hopeful a good number of CCSA members will pick up the network at launch and that the network also continues to seek carriage on bigger pay-TV providers in Canada, such as Bell, Shaw, Rogers, Cogeco and Videotron.
Over the next several years, the Canadian version of MAVTV will ramp up the Canadian-event portion of the network's schedule to at least 35%, in keeping with content rules in Canada, Garrow said. Original programming on the network that will come over from the U.S. version includes The Dave Despain Show, Full Custom Garage, Stacey David's GearZ and Speed Sport hosted by Ralph Sheheen in partnership with National Speed Sports News. MAVTV's current programming in the United States already includes Canadian events, so the requirement is likely to be met "from the get-go," MAVTV president Bob Patison told MCN today.
