INDIANAPOLIS — Are you still being held hostage by your cable or satellite company?
This isn’t a commercial, as I don’t really have anything to sell (except maybe a racing book or two, but that’s a subject for another column). But as the broadcasting landscape for racing continues to change, it has required motorsports viewers to change with it.
We continue to hear from race fans who apparently don’t realize that they now have more options than ever when it comes to watching motorsports on TV.
Networks such as MAVTV continue to reach millions of Americans through traditional television carriers such as cable and satellite providers. However, a vast amount of racing programming is being produced and distributed today through internet streaming, which is a different technology than traditional television.
Full disclosure: I serve as a pit reporter on a number of racing events produced by Lucas Oil Studios in association with MAVTV.
A great many race fans are already enjoying this new technology and are streaming live races nearly every night of the week via streaming services such as SPEED SPORT.TV, MAVTV Plus and DIRTVision. However, many race fans are apparently struggling to figure out how to access this new programming.
Many longtime race fans continue to lament that they can’t watch networks such as MAVTV because it isn’t offered through their cable or satellite provider. They’re upset because DISH, or Comcast, or whomever doesn’t carry MAVTV.
Frankly, it’s time to quit complaining and do something about it.
Does your home have access to high-speed internet? If the answer is yes, you can get MAVTV Plus (a streaming service offered by MAVTV) and a host of other streaming services. (If your home does not have access to high-speed Internet, you’re probably still a prisoner of traditional cable and satellite, unfortunately.)
Next, you’ll need a device to bring the programming into your home. Some newer Smart TVs have apps built in; otherwise you’ll need a ROKU, Amazon Fire Stick or similar streaming device. These devices range in cost from $25 to $80; hook that baby up to your TV, connect it with the internet and you are in business.
Yes, the various streaming services charge subscription fees. But the days of free, over-the-air sports programming are rapidly coming to an end, particularly in short-track racing.
If all of this seems confusing, here’s a suggestion: Enlist the help of a teenaged neighbor or grandkid, and they will probably have you set up and ready to go in a matter of minutes.
The point is this: You have to take action to make this happen. Carriers such as DISH and Comcast will never carry the wide range of motorsports content found today on streaming services. It’s just not going to happen.
It isn’t necessary to ditch your existing cable or satellite service. You simply need to add the components that will allow you to access streaming services such as SPEED SPORT.TV or MAVTV Plus.
Don’t be intimidated by this new technology. It isn’t nearly as complex as it might sound. Frankly, many of my old-school friends have figured out how to subscribe and they are loving the concept of streaming.
Is streaming just as good as attending a race live? In my opinion, no. There is nothing that can duplicate the joy of sitting with your friends at the race track and sharing the experience. But the next best thing is tuning in to your favorite track or series, via your streaming subscription.
A subscription to SPEEDSPORT.TV costs $14.99 a month or $134.99 for a year and gives you access to thousands of short-track races, including late models, modifieds and sprint cars on both asphalt and dirt. SPEED SPORT affiliates produced more than 1,300 live streaming races last year.
We’ve reached a new day in terms of watching racing on TV and in many ways it’s a golden era. Don’t let your cable or satellite provider cause you to miss out on all the fun.