Live TV from RENO 2009!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Thisssss just in!

***Begin Press Release***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jeff Lee (512)789-6380

AIR RACES BROADCAST LIVE FOR 1ST TIME EVER

AUGUST 17, 2009 – PFLUGERVILLE, TX – LiveAirShowTV, in conjunction with the Reno National Championship Air Races, is celebrating the centennial of air racing with the world’s first-ever live video feed on Sunday, September 20. This history-making broadcast will cover the action of the world’s fastest sport, including the championship races in all classes, a performance by the United States Navy Blue Angels, other top air show acts and the National Aviation Heritage Invitational competition.

“We did a live audio stream last year”, says Reno Air Racing Association President/CEO Mike Houghton. “The fans really loved it, but they really wanted to see the live racing action from the World’s Fastest Motor Sport. With the economic challenges many people have this year, we are excited to have found a way for them to see Sunday’s Gold Racing finals live.”

Directing the event will be LiveAirShowTV’s President, Jeff Lee. “We’re taking what LiveAirShowTV has done at air shows earlier in the year and applying that to the enormous scope that is the Reno Air Races”, says Lee. “This is really an experiment which we hope fills a need for those who appreciate the remarkable skill and daring of these competitors.”

The LiveAirshowTV production team includes production veterans with a passion for air racing. Producer Mark Allen is a documentary producer and commentator for air racing programs on ESPN, Discovery Wings Channel and Speedvision and has hundreds of motorsports production credits. Allen is President of Maverick Entertainment, Inc. Airshow video specialist Mark Magin, of OnBoard Images, is providing LIVE cockpit cameras in some race planes to give viewers the incredible sensation of speed and precision from the pilot’s point of view. Magin’s cameras will also be in airshow performer David Martin’s Breitling CAP 232.

“The only way we can pull off this ambitious broadcast is to make this a Pay Per View event,” Lee said. “A significant portion of the proceeds are being returned to Reno Air Racing to help insure this unique event can continue forever.”

The price from now until September 13 is $19.95. On September 14, the price increases to $24.95.

For more broadcast information and to order via secure online transaction, go to www.LiveAirshowTV.com .

Live worldwide Internet coverage will begin at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (1700 GMT) and continue until racing ends at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time.

“We all realize that there’s nothing like being here on the ramp, or down in the pits”, said Houghton, “but this is the next best thing.”

LiveAirShowTV - www.LiveAirShowTV.com Reno Air Racing - www.airrace.org

***End Press Release***

FMI

http://liveairshowtv.com/indexsave.html

[glider90]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

Wow, this is huge!

I simply cannot make it to Reno every year from Ohio. Live coverage of Sunday's races for 20 bucks? DONE! If the footage is anything like what they show in the promos on their website this will be the best 20 dollars I ever spend.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

Been waiting for this for a LONNNNNNGGGG time. This was sounding absolutely awesome to me until I got to:

"The only way we can pull off this ambitious broadcast is to make this a Pay Per View event,” Lee said.


Making people who have never witnessed the sport pay to watch it is no way to introduce circuit air-racing to the rest of the world, something many people think is boring because they have never seen it personally. I've never watched a Rugby event, but I wouldn't pay good money to see what the excitement was about.

Introduce potential new fans to the sport for free first (ala Wide World Of Sports-type programming) and THEN if they like it, charge them if/when they attend. Use advertising dollars to pay for broadcasts.

As much as I love the races. even I wouldn't pay 25 bucks just to see it on the boob-tube. I'm already paying an outrageous $60 a month for "extended basic" TV, and that doesn't even include channels like SPEED or DISCOVERY WINGS (I don't even think the latter is offered here, and Comcast dropped their aviation-related channel in favor of the 'Military Channel' years ago.)

Twenty-five smackeroos, during these hard times with so many out of work? Sure, I pay that much to attend live, but that's because I get the smells and sounds of the BIG motors, the ground vibrations of their mighty power, and the rest of the whole experience. THOSE make the price worth-while. TV doesn't deliver a tenth as much, regardless of how big one's TV is, or how loud their home theater sound system.


QUOTE: “We all realize that there’s nothing like being here on the ramp, or down in the pits”, said Houghton, “but this is the next best thing.”

I agree, but the next best thing shouldn't cost more than a (Friday) ticket. It cost a lot to attend a pro Football game too, but nobody is charging anywhere near that much to watch THEM on the telly.



I LOVE the idea, but I hate the pay-per-view route. That's gonna hurt any growth chances for new fans. I can only see current race fans paying for broadcasts like this, since they already know what they are getting. Just my opinion, so please nobody bite me...

ALMOST....SO close...(sigh).

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

AirDoggie...

I feel your pain, but having been somewhat involved with other productions at RENO, you have to understand how extremely expensive it is to make something like this happen.

Would the people like to do it strictly with ad dollars? You bet! Can it be done that way? Nope...

It's already a huge out of pocket risk for several people to get it to fly this far...

This is a start, call it a half full glass of water, it's going to make a lot of people very happy. Obviously, not everyone agrees. Personally, I hope it is successful, because, once again, someone is taking a risk to bring more exposure to RENO. I say support them, pray that it works...

Jeff Lee reads here and may well chime in with a better response.

As I'm writing this, I just got an email from someone in the sport who used the term "this is wonderful, so many people want to attend but cant"

Try not to look at the $19.95 as being more than a one day ticket, look at it as a way, that for $20. a room full of folks can share a day at the races that they would not have been able to do other wise.. and yes, you can plug your computer into a tv screen..

Just my three and a half cents....

Congratulations Jeff on getting this project off the ground!

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

As I'm writing this, I just got an email from someone in the sport...

This is exactly what I mean. For all US race fans and race/airshow participants, it's great. We know what we are getting.

For attracting new folk and helping the sport finally grow, it's a dead-end to me. That's all.

If NASCAR had charged extra bucks to watch their races on TV so long ago before it got so popular, then I doubt that sport would have grown to it's huge proportions seen today either. (yes, there was no pay-tv back then, but that's not my point). It was (free) exposure that spread the word, and now that motorsport is financially wealthy and healthy, relatively speaking.


But yeah, like you said, it's a start. Like other attempts in the past to bring new blood around, I hope it's not another false start.

Fingers crossed...and hoping I'm wrong.

[dvddude]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

Exciting news and I hope it becomes a successful annual event for Reno!

My only concern is this - I just hope that the live video feed is decent quality. I would pay for this service in a heartbeat PROVIDED the video feed is of good resolution and frame rate. No offense, but seeing something in a very small resolution like 480X240 or something similar would not interest me at all. Added to this fact, a lot of supposedly "live" video feeds in the past have had reduced frame rates as well, going down to as low as 15 frames/sec as opposed to the normal 30 frames/sec. The smaller frame resolutions/rates are just too tiny to be of any use, IMO, because of the lack of detail. So, if they can do something normal like 640X480 or higher at a frame rate of 30 fps or better, I would definitely buy it. Also, please don't compress the crap out of the video to where you start losing details. Please use an efficient codec!

How about a High Definition video live feed? Is this even possible given today's bandwidth limitations? I know you would have to have an extremely compressed and efficient codec to stream it live. Is the technology there yet?

I wish this project much success and I hope it gains new fans for Reno Air Racing!

[Jeff Lee]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

You guys make good points, and I welcome the feedback. Wayne is exactly right, it takes substantial funding to make things like this happen. We understand that things are really tight for everyone right now, and quite frankly we see this as an opportunity for those who can’t spend the money to get out to Reno and attend the event. We can provide the way to see what’s going on at a pretty modest price. An Adult General Admission ticket on Sunday is $27.00. Reserved Grandstand (which is where our cameras will be) price is $40.00. Add to that parking for $25.00, and a Pit Pass for $15.00, and you’re WAY over the $19.95 to watch it in the comfort of your own home, and you won’t be fighting traffic.

As we said in the press release, there’s nothing like being there. But if the choice is not seeing anything, and having to wait on results, or paying $19.95 and watching the entire day? I think the answer is pretty easy.

Will we attract brand new fans with this, maybe or maybe not? I’m actually more interested in serving you the air show and race fans. Personally, I can’t imagine NOT being at Reno during race week. If that day ever came, I would be scrambling for any news, pictures or video I could get my hands on. Nine short years ago, I was that novice that didn’t know that there was such a thing as the Reno Air Races. My friends and acquaintances know about this event, because I talk about it. When people tell their friends what they watched on Sunday, September 20th, those people will become aware and some will actually become interested. We have to start with our core audience and educate them to the possibilities. From there we can increase the size of that audience.

As for the quality issue, we’re shooting this in HD. On the broadcasts we’ve done, it looks really good, and the frame rate is a full 30 fps. It’s pretty simple: Good quality in, good quality out. Sure it’s not HD on your flat screen, but that’s not what we’re proposing here. There is technology available for HD streaming, but let’s take this in steps. Have you seen the promo video on the web page? That’s pretty close to the size of the screen in the player. The key here is to have the cameras and lenses to bring the planes in close even from the back side of the course, as well as the talented operators to get the shot. That’s the kind of production we’re doing.

Finally, let’s make sure we’re comparing “apples-to-apples”. There are others out there who purport to be showing air shows on line, “webcasts”. I can assure you that no one brings to the table the production tools that we use. No one has the producing and directing experience that we will have at Reno this year. Whatever you’ve seen in the past will not compare to what you’re going to see in September. I would even venture to say that from a content standpoint, this will outdo the shows that we’ve done in the past. At the end of the day, you’re going to think that $19.95 was a bargain for what you saw.

I hope you guys are able to watch. Our responsibility is to be your eyes and ears for the event. If we don’t show it to you, then you won’t see it. We have the experience out at Reno to know how to cover this. We know what’s coming next, and how best to present it. This is so much more than just sticking a couple of cameras out there and watching what flies by. Let us bring it to you this way in 2009, and then see what we’re able to do going forward.

[MUSNTCHIT]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

It's been a while ago, but lots of folks paid to view the Daytona "500"... I remember watching Mario win in a Ford at the Murat Theater in 1969' in Indianapolis''...and that's "open wheel racin' country....and just a few years back, We watched "the Chili Bowl' in the Speedway Motel...to a full house...rb

[dvddude]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

You guys make good points........

Thanks for your input, Jeff. O.K., you have me sold. If I don't go to the Races this year, I will definitely buy the live feed!

One more question - is it possible that you guys can put that video film on DVD and sell it to the general public or would RARA have a problem with it?

I know you probably don't have the market for it yet, but I would absolutely, positively, buy any video from anybody who put anything out from Reno on Blu-Ray! Just a thought, but I'm probably an anomaly.

BTW, if you guys want to really sell this thing, you need to advertise HEAVILY in the aviation magazines! I would venture to say that a very small percentage of Air Race fan attendees - probably less than 1%- even visit this website. You guys should advertise in Air Classics, Warbirds International, Classic Wings, EAA Warbirds Magazine, Warbird Digest, as well as the General Aviation types like Flying, etc. If you don't get the word out, nobody will buy it. It's like the old "Field of Dreams" movie, "Advertise it and they will come".

[jhall@jetav.com]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

One more question - is it possible that you guys can put that video film on DVD and sell it to the general public or would RARA have a problem with it?

I'd like to see a DVD available for purchase as well, for those of us that will be at the races but would still like to have the video.

[Matt58]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

Will there be any replays on the website? My mind and body will need it for when I get the post-Reno "funk!"

[Jeff Lee]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

The DVD is being handled by someone else that works with RARA. We'll be working with them, and it's possible that a deal can be struck where they can use some of our feed. I doubt that it will be BluRay, but don't quote me on that one. Most of us are just now really getting into HD production AND post-production. It's a whole new world, but we're making good progress. I think there is a booth specifically set up to order the DVD there behind the grandstands.

You're absolutely right about the marketing and advertising. We have a very short time to get the word out, and we're using everything we can think of, mostly in the electronic world. As things continue to get established with our services, and partnerships with the air shows, and other events, we'll be able to promote these things further out. That's where you guys come in. Help all of us by talking this up in places outside of this forum and others. It will help the sport, and the air show industry.

There will be an archived version on the website for a period of time, and it will be accessible with your original log in information. As for how long? We will have to work with RARA and the DVD guys to pick that length of time.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

If this is just intended mainly for race fans, then I see it doing well.

From my own experiences, I have tried to introduce friends to the sport via my SKYFIRE tapes. The results are usually along the lines of "uh-huh...that's pretty neat" with little else. video-audio can do only so much.

However, when I took a few friends to the fenceline viewing area several years ago, they were blown away, and have attended most of the race seasons since.

I guess it's not the sight that grabs us, but the EXPERIENCE.


Thanks for the offering. I may not be able to make it this year, so if I can find the extra funds by then, I may subscribe too.

And a DVD sounds GREAT, but if you go "Blue", please offer a standard format DVD too. I won't be touching blue-ray until the media comes down a lot closer to current prices of plain DVDs (besides, I know plenty of friends with DVD players, but none with high-def units as of yet).

Thank you for your understanding.

[Jeff Lee]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

AirDOGGe,

Agreed, there's nothing like the entire "Experience". I've said that from the start. But if you can't get there to have the "Experience" at least this way you can watch it unfold as it happens.

I know that Wayne, and the other contributors here, work really hard to get information out. It hits here very quickly. But if you're hundreds of miles away and can't be there, nothing beats the live coverage.

I hope you can join us for the broadcast.

Jeff

[jhall@jetav.com]

Re: Live TV from RENO 2009!

The DVD is being handled by someone else that works with RARA.

I find the annual RARA DVD to be an inferior product, hopefully you guys can have a positive impact on the quality.