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IT’S THE MTB NEWS 10.04.24
UPDATE 12/04/24: Warner Bros Discovery and MTB World Series have pulled it together at the last minute to offer broadcast coverage to Australia via the Stan Sport network (subscription needed). Read the press release here. Community action (i.e. Australian fans relentlessly picketing MTBWS on their Instagram page) appears to have helped secure the deal. Other countries (including South Africa and New Zealand) now have streaming options from Swedish company StayLive – click here to watch all the action from Brazil and beyond. Good times.
ON THE TELLY*: Exciting times as the first UCI MTB World Series race of the year takes place this week in Brazil with the XC Short Track (XCC) and XC Olympic (XCO) World Cups. Fast-paced action and high temperatures guaranteed. Find out where to watch the live racing in this guide by the organisers and how to watch it in this well-researched feature by Flow MTB.
For now, there doesn’t appear to be any official way to watch if you are in many parts of the Southern Hemisphere (but there is hope – read on). Aussie racer and 2022 XCO World Cup series runner-up Rebecca Henderson drew attention to this in an Instagram post a week ago, saying, ‘The opening rounds of the World Cup are less than 2 weeks away and having been asked all summer ‘where can I watch’ I had hoped by now to have an answer … Sadly the short answer for Aussies is… there isn’t one.’
Since then, any post by the UCI MTB World Series (MTBWS) page has been bombarded with comments asking why the racing isn’t going to be broadcast in many areas. Aussie fans have been particularly vocal; the MTBWS mostly silent.
That was until MTBWS trackside presenter Josh Carlson began replying to hecklers with some insight into the behind-the-scenes of the dilemma. Carlson explained that there isn’t enough demand for streaming companies to air the live racing: ‘… relentless commenting on this Instagram page is not helpful at all as the Australia sports streaming services won’t pick up the MTB broadcast due to lack of demand at this stage.’ (It isn’t clear if that means lack of demand at the asking price by MTBWS and broadcast owner Warner Bros Discovery, or regardless of the cost of the broadcast rights.)
Sports streaming services might not be willing to take on the costs of scheduling MTB racing, but global viewing figures from 2023 tell us there is demand. The UCI, for example, said that at the 2023 World Championships alone, MTB accounted for 24 million viewing hours – double that of the 2022 Worlds. Live World Cup broadcast numbers aren’t available, but Pinkbike guesstimated a rise in DH viewing figures midway through 2023. Also, MTBWS said enduro saw ‘record views’ in 2023 with 1.5m YouTube views of enduro content. For context, back in 2015, the fourth season of Red Bull broadcasting the MTB World Cups, live viewership for DH and XC was reportedly around 1 million across the whole season (19 races combined), with another couple of million tuning in to replays.
Anyway, Carlson also noted that the fate of the broadcast could lie partly in the hands of the public, who could send more letters to national streamers: ‘One thing that would be helpful … is if everyone would comment or message the Australian and NZ sports streaming services they use or watch and let them know how much it’s wanted back home.’ Sharpen your pencils, folks.
Meanwhile, the MTBWS has published a ‘where to watch’ IG post with a footnote explaining that ‘We hugely appreciate the excitement … we are actively working to finalise the broadcast plan and make sure every round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is available for viewing in your region this year.’ So, there is still hope. With any luck, MTBWS will pull things together before the racing starts and we’ll all be able to watch our sport happily ever after.
TECH-CASUAL: Commencal Lifestyle, the soft goods subsidiary of the hard goods bicycle manufacturer, throws a twist into its story by adding a new Tech Wear line. Conversely, could a soft goods manufacturer be planning a line of bike components?
STATS: ‘Tis the season of the survey. Trail Builder Mag wants to know what it’s like to be a woman in trail building. Pinkbike’s State of the Sport survey says the future is uncertain, some racers are still getting paid, and most are a little nervous right now (tangent: are PB writers working on a big news story about to be dropped?). Trash Free Trails has released its 2023 impact report. And how did we miss Muc-Off’s Bike Puncture Survey last year? We love a good puncture. Finally, keep your eyes wide open for our own survey later this week.
RACING: The iXS European Downhill Cup has launched its calendar with a list of World Cup-grade venues. Get well soon David Trummer, who smashed himself up last week, breaking ribs and a shoulder blade and punctured a lung in a big crash. Recap the 2023 MTB World Cup season in Red Bull’s Race Tapes series (think Drive to Survive but with added puppets).
QUESTIONS: Is a big blockbusting MTB film coming to a cinema near you soon? Are we getting airbags for downhill? Is there a racing e-court case on the cards? Is it true that turnups will drop out of fashion before the first 2024 DH World Cup? Finally, is Formula 1 the DH Racing of motorsports and is there a three-year plan to make it more like our two-wheeled dream sport?
