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2000 CHEVY TRUCKS NORBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TO AIR ON OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 31, 2000) -- The National Off-Road Bicycle Association (NORBA) and Outdoor Life Network announced Friday they have entered into an agreement to broadcast the 2000 Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series.
Outdoor Life Network will produce two separate, half-hour programs from each of the five events. One half hour will be dedicated to the cross-country and short-track cross-country races, while the other half hour will feature the VISA downhill and SoBe dual slalom.
Each program will be aired a minimum of three times, for a total of 30 airings, in the following time blocks: Thursday, 8-11 p.m. ET (5-8 p.m. PT); Thursday, 11 p.m. - 2 p.m. ET (8-11 p.m. PT); and Saturday or Sunday 12-6 p.m. Exact broadcast times and dates will be announced mid-April.
"We are excited Outdoor Life Network will be airing the 2000 Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series. We are lucky to have a partner like Outdoor Life Network so committed to mountain biking and the mountain bike industry," said NORBA Managing Director Leslie Klein.
"With NORBA's premier events on Outdoor Life Network in prime time, we can now showcase our sport, the athletes, professional teams and resort locations to racers and viewers for 10 weeks this summer and fall. We hope that Thursday night becomes Outdoor Life Network mountain bike party night for our hard-core fans across the country."
USA Cycling's Chief Operating Officer Philip Milburn commented: "NORBA mountain bike events are reflective of the constantly growing outdoor lifestyle in this country, and Outdoor Life Network has a keen understanding of this important and large market of enthusiasts."
Peter Englehart, Senior Vice President Programming and Production for Outdoor Life Network added: "The Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series is a top-notch series of events. We are excited to be able to bring this action to our fans that have been asking for more mountain bike coverage. Cycling and mountain biking coverage are reaching all time highs in terms of popularity and OLN is thrilled to be the sport's main information and action source."
The premier mountain bike series in the United States, the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series consists of five stops nationwide and offers high-caliber, off-road racing to amateurs and professionals cyclists. The 2000 schedule includes Snow Summit, Calif. (May 19-21); Mount Snow, Vt. (June 23-25); Deer Valley, Utah (July 28-30); Crystal Mountain, Wash. (Aug. 4-6) and Mammoth Mountain, Calif. (Sept. 8-10). In 1999, 92,500 spectators cheered on nearly 12,000 junior, elite and masters riders.
The Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series, which began in 1989, is the only series through which U.S. riders may earn the coveted stars and stripes national jerseys of mountain biking. The series also serves as a selection ground for annual national and world championship teams. Although only U.S. riders are eligible to win national titles, international racers also compete (544 in 1999) and recognize the series as one of the most challenging in the world.
Chevy Trucks has been the title sponsor for the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series since 1997. Other series sponsors include VISA (downhill title sponsor), EDS, Gatorade, Kenwood Communications, United Airlines, SoBe (dual slalom title sponsor), MBNA, VeloNews, Shimano, Nabisco Fig Newtons, Korbel Champagne and Active.com.
"In the last few years, Outdoor Life Network has become one of the biggest supporters of cycling. Their coverage of World Cup mountain biking, as well as other off-road events, has been unmatched," Klein added. "This agreement enables NORBA and Outdoor Life Network to provide mountain bike enthusiasts with the best mountain bike coverage possible."
NORBA and Outdoor Life Network are working together to secure additional sponsorship in support of the telecast. Associate-level sponsorship packages are still available. Associate sponsors receive several marketing benefits including banners, sampling rights, free expo space, public address announcements, VIP passes and more. Industry members interested in associate-level sponsorship should contact Klein at 719/578-4603, or Outdoor life Network's John West at 203/406-2639.
Outdoor Life Network airs the most comprehensive bicycling coverage on television. The network airs live coverage from every stage of the Giro d'Italia, a race second only in prominence to the Tour de France. OLN will begin airing live coverage of the Tour de France beginning in 2001. As part of 30 consecutive weeks of coverage, the entire 2000 World Cup Mountain Biking season is being carried by the network. The Mercury Tour, the Mercury Sea Otter Classic, the Vuelta a Espana and other World Cup Cycling events air exclusively on the network as well. In addition to exclusive cycling event coverage, Outdoor Life Network broadcasts a bevy of cycling magazine shows including Ride Guide, Bike Magazine, Fat Traxx, and Bicycle Journal.
The leader in adventure TV, Outdoor Life Network offers original and exclusive programming targeted to outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. The 24-hour cable network is the leading source for television coverage of expeditions, wildlife and environmental issues, alpine sports, cycling, water sports and premier equine and canine events. Jointly owned by Comcast Corporation, Cox Communications, FOX and MediaOne, Outdoor Life Network is available to 24 million homes on a wide variety of cable systems as well as nationally on DIRECTV, PRIMESTAR by DIRECTV and the Dish Network.
NORBA is a member association of USA Cycling, the national governing body for the sport. USA Cycling is comprised of more than 90,000 members competing in mountain bike, BMX, road cycling, track cycling and cyclo-cross. For the most up-to-date information on the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series and NORBA, visit www.usacycling.org/mtb. |
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