Molson Sports and Entertainment to Produce CC Broadcasts!

[Ac.]

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/N...le.asp?ID=8654

This is a huge announcement for Champ Car viewers. Those of us in Canada know the quality of Molson Sports and Entertainment broadcasts, including the Canadian Champ Car races in the past.

Not only will this put a top quality product on TV, but it also solidifies the relationship between Molson and Champ Car which is essential for Champ Car to succeed in Canada.

[Dov]

This is fantastic news! Molson Sports and Entertainment have always done quality work in producing events in the past and i'll expect nothing less from them in the future. Thanks for the info, Ac.!!

[macdaddy]

Great stuff!


So now I guess that it's safe to assume that TSN will get the non-network television package for Canada. Hopefully now they will give ChampCar a higher priority.

[Ac.]

Some quotes from the Molson Sports and Entertainment Press Release.

Champ Car television viewers will see the best wheel to wheel on-track
action and receive up-to-the-minute statistics, plus get a look at what's
going on 'behind the scenes' with the drivers and teams.

In preparation for the 2005 season, Molson Sports & Entertainment will
assemble a high quality production team to include technical and on-air
talent. First order of business will be to produce in-depth interviews with
the Champ Car drivers at next month's Champ Car Spring Training session.

In
addition to the race production, Molson Sports & Entertainment will also
assist in the production of post-session video news releases as well as the
popular satellite media tour Sunday night at the track. The satellite media
tour allows television stations from around the country to conduct live
one-on-one interviews with the Champ Car race winner directly after the event
for use on their local sportscasts.

Full press release here.
http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi...3454-0&Start=0

[Ac.]

It's great to see that Molson is getting an early jump on the season, and that they will be selecting the on air talent for the broadcasts.

If you were in charge of hiring the on-camera announcers and pit reporters, who would you choose?

[Dov]

Bob Varsha is the only announcer that I really want.....after that, i'm not too sure. Varsha is the only announcer who is always on his game!

[macdaddy]

I'd certainly try to get Varsha, but I find it unlikely that he'll be available.
Tommy Kendall is excellent in the way that he interjects humour. And Parker Johnstone was always well-spoken and well-educated.

Seeing as it's Molson - What about Don Cherry?
His "take" on foreign drivers would be, shall we say, interesting?

[codename_47]

Leigh Diffey was very good for us Champcar world feed viewers in 2002 and is tied to Champcar-related (now) SPEED channel, I wonder if he would be chosen/want to come back?

I'm happy at this news, Toronto was one of the best, if not THE best produced race last year (and it had to be, with all that went on!!) including that famous on-board during Tracy's hot streak that has become a modern legend, so to hear they will do the entire season is unquestionable excellent news. I'm sure the Champcar broadcasts will improve immensly next year!!

[Raglanparade]

I would be more then happy to Commentate the Champ Cars.

anyone want to give me a contract ?

[Ac.]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

Seeing as it's Molson - What about Don Cherry?
His "take" on foreign drivers would be, shall we say, interesting?

Cherry would just end up calling Seb "that french guy"!

I like Derek Daly in the pits, except for the end of the pit stop. Every time the jack drops and the driver peels out he yells "whoa!" like he wasn't expecting a loud noise.

[D.R.T.]

[QUOTE=codename_47]Leigh Diffey was very good for us Champcar world feed viewers in 2002 and is tied to Champcar-related (now) SPEED channel, I wonder if he would be chosen/want to come back?

(/QUOTE]

Sadly Leigh Diffey is now signed to Australian Television, via Network 10.

Sad for us because now we have to listen to him (however he only will call the taxi's), Champ Car are lucky because they should (hopefully) get a quality caller.

Double D has to be involved, as he is a great caller/pit reporter

[Dov]

Bob Varsha and TK or Parker Johnstone would be good. If Molson Sports and Entertainment can't get Varsha, then TK and Parker would be my second choice. Double D and Jon Beekhuis would do a great job in the pits. Does anybody see Bronte as a possible pit reporter somewhere down the road?

[macdaddy]

Robin Miller's idea:

Kendall, a breath of fresh air in this unbearable politically correct world, needs somebody to play off of and exchange opinions but Benjamin was way too vanilla.

Kendall doesn't hesitate to point fingers but he needs some support in the booth. Give him a solid guy like Chris McClure and bring back Daly, then maybe a periodic guest appearance from Uncle Bobby, Mario Andretti or Paul Newman.

Chris McClure! Why didn't I think of him earlier? I like the guy.

[Liz]

Is John Watson doing anything right now? I remember "Watty" doing commentary for the Montreal F1 race the year eight drivers hit the "Welcome to Quebec" sign, and his equating that race to "roller darby [sic]" was a high point for me (right behind TGF being one of those who hit the wall).

That, and the year of great commentary I saw from him in the old BTCC.

Wee Scot Driver: "The car is hard to handle right now--"

Watty: "YOU JUST HIT A HONDA WITH IT, SUNSHINE!"

Robin Miller will be so disappointed. He was so sure the IRL would be racing in Toronto in 2005 when he was here last year.....

[Kicking-back]

Robin Miller won't be disappointed at all.

He stirs the pot in equal measure - winding up Champ Car fans and IndyCar fans - but they all tend to keep reading his stuff!

[codename_47]

I realise people have been focusing on the commentators/broadcast team, but this deal means much much more than that.....

It's also on the quality of race direction, which was lacking in some regards last year. (Although, to give them credit where it's due, Beetleguse did create some cool on-board shots last year. Remember the sidepod panning camera on Haberfelds car at Road America last year? Lovely stuff! )

Next year I have no doubt there'll be no more missed passing maneuvers and a lot more cool camera angles!

[Liz]

And I HOPE they manage to get TSN to show the races live, instead of at midnight or on Tuesday afternoon or something. They are going to be showing Another Series next year and we really need MolStar to keep them in line.

[The Snout]

This sounds a wise choice. Can't really add anything, but having an experienced gang come in is a tick for me.

[Snrub]

I don't think the Canadian coverage has been that great in the past (it's been decent), but in 2005 it was a heck of a lot better than the ordeal with Spike.

Miller's off his rocker on this one, Bobby Unser was good? I loath Bobby Unser. I don't know how a former driver and someone with that much commentary experience can be so stupid. He also thinks Daily is good. I cannot stand the guy. He's utterly annoying and another former driver who can't seem to say anything insightfull or intelligent.

"Goodyear knows the ropes yet tends to be too technical." You've got to be kidding me! Goodyear's "technical" explainations are hideous. He makes them so basic that they get convoluted and his intensions become almost moot.

I'm not sure why he says "Benjamin was way too vanilla." He always sounded overly excited, but he just didn't know enough to be useful.

I didn't like Varsha when he worked with Sulliven, but I think he's gotten better over the years and I now like him.

I suppose Miller has a point regarding contriversy and TK. It's not a bad idea to get more of PT's radio comments. It's true that I always laugh when I hear them. It use to be really funny when they'd have no delay and they'd accidently get some off color remark from a driver. eg. I remember on time PT took out Andretti and Michael's contempt for PT was so evident.

I really liked Parker. To me he was the ultimate because he would tell you tid bits that were interesting and you couldn't get anywhere else. I've never really learned anything from a commentator since. He had good techincal explainations without getting overly simplified (see Goodyear), was insightfull and is one of the few experts who didn't need a "color commentator" to fill in silences - he could do it himself and make it far more interesting than some random chatter box could.

[macdaddy]

Know who would be a fantastic commentator?

This article gave me the idea.

Regarding Gil de Ferran
Since retiring... his focus has expanded exponentially, from television commentator and magazine columnist to guest speaker and consultant.

[enemy-ace]

Originally Posted by Snrub

It's not a bad idea to get more of PT's radio comments. It's true that I always laugh when I hear them.

I watched a few races on Race director last season and usually had PT's pit radio tuned in. They would need a 5 to 10 second delay on that guy. He swears like a trucker when he gets irate. I had to switch to Pat Carpentier a few times when the kids were in the room. Don't need them learning them learning to curse from racing.