BTG Part II: More Discussion on the ADRL’s Innovative Online Video Broadcasts

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The ADRL’s live, online all-access video broadcasts of each event have been a huge hit with fans and racers alike.The innovative approach is another example of the ADRL furthering the sport we all love.It wasn’t an easy process, however, and it took plenty of trial and error for ADRL executives to feel comfortable with the product they would give to fans.After careful planning, the remarkable coverage has been well worth the wait. Now that it’s here, the live broadcasts continue to add to the ADRL’s creative mindset when it comes to presenting the sport to its fans.In this second segment, ADRL Executive Vice President and 8-time Emmy Award-winning sports producer Jeff Fortune talked about the planning that went behind the debut, how live sports coverage online is a wave of the future and what he foresees happening down the road.This is the second of a two-part BTG series. The first part appeared on the ADRL website, www.ADRL.us, on Monday.ADRL: There has been a dramatic increase in viewership for online broadcasts of live events for other sports. What impact did that have on the ADRL’s decision to move in this direction?JEFF FORTUNE: We were already in the works with this but when the World Cup soccer blew the doors off for Internet coverage we knew it would be a success. There are other sports and entertainment properties that are doing some good things with live Internet coverage, but our commitment is 110 percent and I think that is still unique compared to a lot of different coverage. ADRL: This has been something that has been in the works, or at least in discussion, for a while in the ADRL. What made this the right time to debut this all-access coverage? FORTUNE: Well, the technology has caught up for the average user. We also have tremendous resources and talented production personnel to give our fans the best product available. NewaveTV has produced every event for the ADRL for the past two years and we have an incredible amount of content that people are going to enjoy, in addition to the great live racing at each event.ADRL: What will fans get with this broadcast that they won’t be able to find anywhere else?FORTUNE: We aren’t expecting people to watch every minute of the coverage for the entire weekend but we will be providing a great deal of interesting behind the scenes features, commentary from the drivers and technical insight in every class, including the Pro Junior Dragster class. I’ve had several drivers and teams tell me that they are getting text messages from friends back home who are giving them information about what is happening on the track. So, in some cases, you are getting more information through our live stream than you are at the track. This will be the most in-depth and entertaining drag racing coverage that there has ever been. Perhaps most importantly, I think it will do an incredible job of attracting fans to the sport and the ADRL.ADRL: How do you see this playing out in the future? What grand plans do you have with all of this?FORTUNE: We have a lot of tightening up to do. It is like a whole new way of presenting an event and it is very exciting. We have to continue to take a fresh look at it and listen to what the fans want. We will continue to create a more polished product and give racing fans the best live coverage available. With our new television deal, we’ve covered all the bases for our fans, which is an exciting thing.

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