(2011 TV SCHEDULE) FORMULA D on Versus

[INFO]

Formula D 2011 TV Schedule

Long Beach, Calif. – June 27, 2011 – Formula DRIFT announces the 2011 television program schedule on the VERSUS network. Premiere episode to air on August 14 at 5 PM (EST).

For the third consecutive year, Formula DRIFT will air the television program titled, “Formula DRIFT,” on the VERSUS network. The 14 half-hour long episodes will run for 14 consecutive weeks on Sundays at 5 PM (EST) beginning on August 14, 2011 with re-airs showing on Fridays at 5:30 PM (EST) beginning on August 19, 2011.

“We are delighted to be back on VERSUS, the home of such properties like UFC, Tour de France, IndyCar and NHL. It will be interesting to be part of the Comcast/NBC merger and the positive implications of VERSUS becoming part of the NBC Sports family. As our relationship with VERSUS has grown, so have the ratings of the Formula DRIFT programming,” said Ryan Sage, vice president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “VERSUS’s 75+ million households combined with an additional 300 million household distribution internationally, we are glad to continue to not only be the leader in drifting programming, but a real force in motorsports and entertainment.”

The episodes will document all 7 Championship rounds and 1 invitational competition that took place in Qatar. The programs will be hosted by Formula DRIFT co-founder, Ryan Sage along with Formula DRIFT announcer, Jarod deAnda.

The Formula DRIFT program is scheduled for national and international distribution.

Formula DRIFT International Television Distribution to include:

BAND SPORTS
Brazil

SPEED CHANNEL
Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvadore, Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, Columbia, Venezuela, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru.

MOTORS TV
United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, Holland, Estonia, Germany, Macedonia, Serbia, Russia, Portugal, Latvia, Greece, Slovenia, Romania, Cyprus, Belgium, Ukraine, Spain, Malta, Hungary, Iceland, Sweden, Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Switzerland.

SPORT TV
Portugal

AUTO TV RUSSIA
Russia

In addition to the TV programming, Formula DRIFT can be also seen streaming each competition live on the internet at www.formuladrift.com/live . Also scheduled to air in the coming months is the Formula DRIFT Round 1: Streets of Long Beach event in 3D on DirecTV’s n3D channel.

For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com

[SSmith]

With all the distribution channels across the globe and TV deal with Versus, why can't FD increase the prize money? $50K for 1st, $40K for 2nd, and $30K for 3rd for every event and the series winner at the end of the season receives another $50K. Privateers and small teams will eventually go broke when there's no money to be made from each event.

[Bebop]

Originally Posted by SSmith

With all the distribution channels across the globe and TV deal with Versus, why can't FD increase the prize money? $50K for 1st, $40K for 2nd, and $30K for 3rd for every event and the series winner at the end of the season receives another $50K. Privateers and small teams will eventually go broke when there's no money to be made from each event.

If the ratings are not that high the sponsors aren't paying top dollar to advertise during the show's half hour. TV shows get paid through the advertisers.

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Bebop

If the ratings are not that high the sponsors aren't paying top dollar to advertise during the show's half hour. TV shows get paid through the advertisers.

I completely understand and agree with you but if FD doesn't give out better payouts, we'll soon see more and more privateers and small teams withdraw from the series. Teams like DriftSpeed, Milano Auto and privateers like Tommy, Casper just to name a few are unfortunately out of the series. I don't know the exact details why they're out but it's not surprising if it's because of financial reasons. Drivers need to be paid good when they win. It's hard for sponsors and teams to compete when the prize money isn't enough to cover a repair. Small teams and privateers are operating at a loss every time they participate. Sure drivers are ecstatic to be on TV, invited to travel with FD to different parts of the worlds, but at the end of the day how much are they really earning for themselves?

[YOitzJDM]

Originally Posted by SSmith

I completely understand and agree with you but if FD doesn't give out better payouts, we'll soon see more and more privateers and small teams withdraw from the series. Teams like DriftSpeed, Milano Auto and privateers like Tommy, Casper just to name a few are unfortunately out of the series. I don't know the exact details why they're out but it's not surprising if it's because of financial reasons. Drivers need to be paid good when they win. It's hard for sponsors and teams to compete when the prize money isn't enough to cover a repair. Small teams and privateers are operating at a loss every time they participate. Sure drivers are ecstatic to be on TV, invited to travel with FD to different parts of the worlds, but at the end of the day how much are they really earning for themselves?

there's only 1 problem with your situation... those drivers didn't win. Yoshioka won 1 event, but not when he was driving for Driftspeed. Ueo / Haraguchi never did better than top 8 while driving for Drift Speed, and Milano never saw a top 8. Casper had a podium or two, but his results were a little underwhelming in his final seasons. He also burned some people pretty bad, so it's not surprising that some people don't want to associate with him.

I've heard that the amount that the teams made for traveling to Abu Dhabi and Qatar was pretty substantial. Unfortunately, many of those smaller privateer teams don't have second cars to ship around.

[ztkrevolution]

i hate that theyve been splitting each event up into 2 episodes. i miss the one hour show with the whole event on it