MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (May 2, 2018) – In just 17 days the gate will drop on the 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, and today MX Sports Pro Racing and NBC Sports Group jointly announced programming details for the upcoming season. The world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing championship will remain a fixture on NBC, NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), and MAVTV this summer, highlighted by 36 hours of live coverage and more than 70 total hours of Pro Motocross content via broadcast and digital platforms.
The centerpiece of the broadcast schedule for the 2018 season is a trio of special live network television telecasts on NBC, where the final 450 Class motos from the Red Bull High Point National (June 16), the Red Bull RedBud National (July 7), and the Unadilla National will be showcased to millions of homes across the country. Live coverage of the opening 450 Class and 250 Class motos from all 12 rounds of the season will be featured on MAVTV, which continues its growth by providing HD broadcast feeds to most subscribers, while NBCSN will carry live second moto coverage from five rounds of the championship.
Digitally, fans can take the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship anywhere they go with the one-of-a-kind “Pro Motocross Pass,” which returns to NBC Sports Gold with exclusive on-demand access of the Nationals. For just $54.99, motocross enthusiasts from around the world will receive live, commercial-free coverage from every round of the season, with the ability to watch timed qualifying and every moto unfold in real time. Additionally, full event replays from the 2016 and 2017 seasons, along with completed rounds of the 2018 season, are available for on-demand consumption. This unparalleled level of access to the championship breaks down to less than $5 per round over the course of the season!
“Thanks to the continued commitment from NBC Sports Group and MAVTV we’re fortunate to have the ability to bring the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship to our fans all over the world,” said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing. “Our domestic broadcast package is a solid as ever, with more than 60 hours of unique coverage, and the hugely popular ‘Pro Motocross Pass’ provides the ideal platform for our younger generation of fans, from which anyone can watch the action unfold using virtually any mobile device and streaming platform, including our international audience. It continues to be one of the best deals of its kind available in any sport, and together our entire broadcast package will expand the global reach of the world’s most prestigious championship.”
All 12 rounds of the season will culminate with an exclusive one-hour highlight show on NBCSN. Additionally, NBCSN will produce a special midseason recap and a pair of year-end recaps highlighting all the drama and excitement that took place in both the 450 Class and 250 Class.
The on-air broadcast team bringing the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship into households around the world will continue to be hosted by Jason Weigandt (@jasonygant), who will also handle play-by-play duties whenever bikes are on track, alongside former series champion Grant Langston (@grantlangston8), who will serve as the color analyst. The newest member of team is Will Christien (@willchristien), a veteran on-air personality from the world of action sports and racing who will get her first taste of American motocross as trackside correspondent, bringing all the breaking news and insider info from the pits.
The 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will kick off on Saturday, May 19, with the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic from Prairie City SVRA in Sacramento, California.
For information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com.
NBC has completely hi jacked coverage for motocross and claims that it was for an “underserved” audience. I have been watching motocross for a VERY long time, and coverage had been more than adequate for the past 10 years at least. MAVTV did a great job, even fuel tv was good when they were around, FOX sports picking up supercross this year might be the best thing this sport has seen yet as far as viewership. And then we have NBC paying for coverage rights simply so that they can charge for viewing what we have already been watching for years as part of normal packages. I saw an article describe this as a simple drug dealer trick, and I feel like they are absolutely right. 250 moto 1 is offered via mavtv, then you have to pay NBC sports gold if you want to watch 450 moto 1, and either of the moto 2’s, unless you are content with what I would describe as more of an in depth analysis for 450 moto 2 coverage via NBC sports. It’s a joke that makes me sick to even think about. I love motocross/supercross to the core, but I will most likely be missing most, if not all, of 2018 motocross season. I boycott because at some point, they have to stop the nickel and diming bull. And I hope this scheme is boycotted by enough people so that NBC gets the message to stop buying the broadcast rights, and just let a real organization like Fox sports, or even MAVTV continue their coverage. FU very much NBC