And Who the Bloody Hell is TruTV?
If you’re a MotoGP Fan, then you’ve already
heard about Liberty Media, owners of Formula 1 jut having acquired control of
MotoGP. As it must be nice being Flush with Cash! Since reportedly Liberty
Media’s paying $4.2b as in billions for an 86% ownership stake in MotoGP. With
Dorna Sports, the current owners and promoters of MotoGP retaining 14%.
Although the deal is subject to approval by Foreign
Countries legal approval, most notably the European Commission’s
Anti-Competition laws. Since previous Formula 1 ower CVC Capital had to divest
it’s ownership of Dorna sports in 2006 for approval to sell F1 to Liberty
media…
But this riveting No Fenders yarn is about how
much time I wasted trying to discover where MotoGP was airing upon my
ridiculously overpriced Spectrum Cable TV.
Having learned earlier this year during March
Madness that TNT Sports had scooped up MotoGP at the last minute from NBC
Sports, I wondered where this new entity I’d never heard of before resided
Stateside, and whether or not I even had access to it?
Stumblin’ ‘n bumblin’ my way, as where’s ‘Ol
chris Berman when Yuhs need Him, eh? I somehow discovered that TNT Sports
resided on TruTV, Who? As I think I spent nearly an hour figuring that out…
Whilst naturally, the first MotoGP race I could
have “watche”, Err listened to went directly Head-to-Head with that stupendous
Whose your Daddy $1 million Sweepstakes Challenge at the Thermal Club, which I
elected to view instead.
Having missed the first two MotoGP races of the
season, I was intent to watch the U.S. Grand Prix from Austin, Texas April
14th, since Thar still weren’t no IndyCar racing to partake, Urgh!
Thus naturally, I Arse-sumed that the biggest
MotoGP race of the year Stateside would be on TruTV, El Correctomundo? For
which my repeated searching upon my Zap2It’ TV Guide showed zero Sunday live
race coverage, Say What?
This led me down a very long Wabbit’ Hole of
vainly trying to deduce where if at all TNT Sports was located upon my Cable TV
package? For which I felt like I’d spent at least another hours time trying to
deduce this, Frick! As who was it that wrote about the U.S. market being a
really tough “Nut to Crack”.
I tried repeatedly entering my street address
and zip code into the Spectrum Channel guide, which kept saying I needed to
enter a complete address, which I did you El Stupidio website! Before I broke
down and called Spectrum to see if they could tell me if I had TNT Sports?
To which the amiable customer representative
said He’d never heard of that channel before. Wait a minute it’s a UK and
Ireland channel. To which I replied no, that’s TNT International. Before He
tried searching for TNT Americas before saying I definitely didn’t have that
channel!
Now little did I know that TNT Sports is the
umpteenth rebranding of what began life as separate sporting entities of Ted
Turner’s Turner Broadcasting System’s (TBS) empire Wayback’ in the early 1970’s
before officially becoming Turner Sports in 1995. And has since gone thru major
ownership changes since then. Most recently under Warner Brothers and Discovery
Sport’s control until 2023. Better known as WBTV Discovery Sports, and I think
it’s still owned by this faction today, Cornfuzed?
Looking up TNT Sports (United States) on the
All knowing Intrawoods’, nee internet revealed that of their multitude of
current Sports properties, i.e.; NBA, NHL, MLB, etc. As of 2024 MotoGP would
air upon TruTV for both Saturday Sprint races and Sunday races. As I felt like
I’d just gone past gO, but definitely didn’t get to collect my $200 Aye
Karumba!
As TruTV’s Sunday April 14th broadcast schedule
felt like a bad impersonation of the USA Network. With Wall-to Wall airings of
World’s Dumbest and Impractical Jokers, Spew! Interupted at 12:30PM Pacific by Multi-versus
Beloved Warner Bros. Discovery characters take center ice in a matchup of two
recent Stanley Cup Champions: Colorado Avalanche vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights.
(3Hrs)
Meaning that the MotoGP race from Austin, Texas
was being preempted by Friggin’ Hockey. Like talk about your Major 5mins
Penalties JackArses!
As I did manage to find the Saturday Sprint
Race and “watched”, Err listened to it’s entire 90mins broadcast, just to
compare ‘n contrast to CNBC’s former MotoGP TV coverage. For which I was
suitably impressed, even if there was way too much fillig of time by the TV
Pundits! Since it appears it’s another European Sports production, perhaps
Eurosport? Although I don’t know if it still exists?
Then adding insult to injury is the fact that I
could watch shortened TV Broadcasts of both Saturday & Sunday’s action
back-to-back Monday evening from 4-7PM Pacific. But I Don’t want to wait a
whole Flippin’ day after to listen to a race replay Buggers!
Leading me to shake my Head in Disgust over how
Liberty Media will be able to improve MotoGP’s “reach” in the United States if
this is the current treatment the Sport receives. Like I mean, if the United
States MotoGP race cannot even be shown live on TV, how do they ever expect the
Sport to Grow?
Since last time I checked, I believe that the
Discovery Channel is owned by Liberty Media, although I couldn’t deduce through
All of the Shell companies who owns Discovery Sports, which appears to be part
owners of TNT Sports with WBD Sports and the BT Group. (Eurosport) Oh Never
Mind!
Shame On You MotoGP!
