ABA’s UCI Series On “Versus” Cable Network
BMX Racing on TV has been a somewhat elusive goal these past few years. In 2009, ABA stepped up to organize taping of the UCI North American Continental Series, which they ran in conjunction with six of their 2009 Nationals (Guthrie (OK), Perris (CA), Oldsmar (FL), Desoto (TX), Milford (DE) and Rockford (IL)).
On Monday, September 28, the first show (Guthrie) aired. BMX News was in the thick of the action in Guthrie, and we gotta tell you, watching it in the livingroom was every bit a treat as if we had not been there at all. The commentary by 2008 Summer Olympics commentator Kenan Harkin and BMX Pro-cum-cable-sensation Craig Reynolds did a great job of calling the action, supported by Beijing (and ABA Pro Series) announcer Mike Redman with up-close-and-personal interviews of the top riders in the semis and mains. This is a rare opportunity to hear it from the riders, themselves, in their own words. The 30-minute Guthrie show (and the ones to follow) was produced by long-time Action Sports video maverick, Don Hoffman.
Though the results of the race are long-known, we’ll leave it a mystery for thos ewho are seeing it for the first time. Future episodes air at 4:30PM Eastern Time on Mondays on the Versus Cable Network.
ABA’s press release on the series touted “The ABA and VERSUS Network will deliver over 10 hours of programming to an audience of over 56 million homes. With BMX racing emerging as the newest Olympic action sport in 2008, and with the American’s claiming three of the first six BMX Olympic medals ever awarded, the ABA is poised for tremendous growth leading up to the 2012 Olympics in London.”
A call by BMX News to Versus for information on first-airing audience figures went unreturned.
Check with your local cable or satellite provider for availability, or visit the Versus Website.
Air times provided to BMX News by ABA are as follows:
(All times Eastern)
Mon 09/28/2009 – 4:30 PM
Mon 10/05/2009 – 4:30 PM
Mon 10/12/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 10/19/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 10/26/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 11/02/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 11/09/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 11/16/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 11/23/2009 – 5:00 PM
Mon 11/30/2009 – 5:00 PM
Information on the ABA National and UCI North American Series can be found on ABABMX.COM
Check out the BMXNOW photos from Guthrie:
