MTB TV Project (Cycle Dirt)

s2_art

Hey all,

My name's Stuart and I wanted to let you know of a project I'm producing, which we hope will bring MTB to our TV screen here in the UK. It's called Cycle Dirt, it will have Richard Cunynghame presenting it and episodes will be broadcast monthly.

We want to film our studio at an event every month to show off how fun it is to be a part of these scenes and mix in the previous month's race highlights with the top Brits. We'll cover all disciplines of MTB, BMX and CX. The reason for this, is strength in numbers. Britain is competing at the top level in all of these sports, but they don't get coverage and are as much about the fun lifestyle as they are racing. While CX couldn't be further from something like DH, it does allow the show to be broadcast all year round and brings in additional viewers to ensure the broadcasters are interested.

I've set up this thread to answer any questions you may have about it, although Twitter will probably still be the best place to ask (@CycleDirtUK). We filmed a Test Tape (aka shortened pilot) back in November and Vito Sport sent a camera crew to film the behind the scenes.

Right now, we need to prove that there is a big enough audience out there that wants to have these sports brought to TV, so I am asking everyone who wats to see their sport get TV coverage to watch the Vito Sport video and like it as well as follow @CycleDirtUK (I'm in the process of adding a FB page).

You can find the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=posbGlvHd8M

Finally, one of the most important aspects of Cycle Dirt is that I want it to directly give back to the Cycle Dirt community. This may involve ring fencing sponsorship money and mentoring to give to talented junior riders additional support. I'm still working on how this may work, but I think it's the show's responsibility to help the sport grow.

If you've got any questions, please let me know. I'll pop by here as much as possible.

Thanks for the support,

Stuart

VWsurfbum

What channel?

cooldad

I don't think there is one. That's why you have to like the Youtube thing.

s2_art

Several channels are interested, however almost all of them need convincing that there is an audience big enough to justify putting it on TV. The format proposed for the show has been well received. It's just a case of everyone pulling together and show we want our sports on TV.

cooldad

If that's the best promo you can do, I foresee a sort of muddy Cycling Show.
Call me apathetic, but I prefer riding a bike and watching funny sh1t on TV.

cooldad

But perhaps if you linked to the pilot it would be possible to see what you intend.

rebel_brown

As much as I would enjoy watching a program that was MTB-centric, I also reckon there is a large possibility of it ending up like the Cycle Show. Which is definitely not what you want.

I'd love to be proved wrong, though.

s2_art

We won't be able to put the pilot online in its entirety because of race rights, but I will put up something once I'm happy with how it looks.

The promo wasn't filmed/edited by us, but rather Vito Sport's agency who lent us the van for the shoot. It's what their brand required.

Our show will be formed mainly of race highlights, the studio segments will link it all together and give a taste of what it's like to go the these races. So it'll be very different from The Cycle Show.

paulneenan76

Firstly, I like the cycle show. It's a good-ish format with enough good content. It's a little bit Lycra wearing leg shaving Roadie specific for me, but its enjoyable.

Secondly, What I've been hankering after is a Red Bull TV format, without the power boats, idiots jumping from space, or motocross, solid MTB on mainstream digital TV. To be honest I'd heard about what your trying to do and probably retweeted it a dozen times, so I do hope a channel goes for it.

Can I suggest that getting out and about, meeting locals, seeing local trails, chatting to group rides, interviewing newbies, kids, older generation (I ride with a 60yr old), visiting LBS and trail centre cafe's - would make it more human and a great way to tap in to a broader spectrum of viewer/mtb rider. Seeing the action from the events, races, gravity enduros and DH World Cup is awesome - I hunt for it on extreme sports channel but its rare - but tapping in to the mere mortals will also be of value I think.

Oh and thirdly, my Missus would never watch the thing which widows her for 5-10hrs a week, however she quite liked the Cycle show because it had girls represented. This is a powerful thing, so include women. Manon Carpenter, Tracey Moseley, Gemma Atherton etc., are a good start. Girls are often on my local trails and down at Woburn bike park.

My thoughts might not help ;D

bennett_346

paulneenan76 wrote:

Gemma Atherton etc

Who?

DanDax1990

Great idea and I agree with what Paul said, if this does work you should definitely visit trails/centers, lbs's etc around the country to show people what's out there. Reviews and so on if possible.

pesky_jones

paulneenan76 wrote:

Firstly, I like the cycle show. It's a good-ish format with enough good content. It's a little bit Lycra wearing leg shaving Roadie specific for me, but its enjoyable.

Secondly, What I've been hankering after is a Red Bull TV format, without the power boats, idiots jumping from space, or motocross, solid MTB on mainstream digital TV. To be honest I'd heard about what your trying to do and probably retweeted it a dozen times, so I do hope a channel goes for it.

Can I suggest that getting out and about, meeting locals, seeing local trails, chatting to group rides, interviewing newbies, kids, older generation (I ride with a 60yr old), visiting LBS and trail centre cafe's - would make it more human and a great way to tap in to a broader spectrum of viewer/mtb rider. Seeing the action from the events, races, gravity enduros and DH World Cup is awesome - I hunt for it on extreme sports channel but its rare - but tapping in to the mere mortals will also be of value I think.

Oh and thirdly, my Missus would never watch the thing which widows her for 5-10hrs a week, however she quite liked the Cycle show because it had girls represented. This is a powerful thing, so include women. Manon Carpenter, Tracey Moseley, Gemma Atherton etc., are a good start. Girls are often on my local trails and down at Woburn bike park.

My thoughts might not help ;D

+1

.blitz

bennett_346 wrote:

paulneenan76 wrote:

Gemma Atherton etc

Who?

Rachel's sister

paulneenan76

bennett_346 wrote:

paulneenan76 wrote:

Gemma Atherton etc

Who?

It was a long post, posted after my bedtime, so apologies.

If you new the answer like "Blitz" did, then why not post that instead of your unhelpful reply? Unless you really don't know of course. If so, I apologise for thinking you might be a bit of rude idiot.

Thewaylander

Race stuff is fine,

But alot of bikers are not in it for the race scene, check out riders like Matt Hunter who do some great riding videos, are sponsored but don't race. His recent video Lone Wolf on You tube. One of my favourite recent bike video on the tube.

This is just to widen the appeal to riders like myself.

welshkev

paulneenan76 wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

paulneenan76 wrote:

Gemma Atherton etc

Who?

It was a long post, posted after my bedtime, so apologies.

If you new the answer like "Blitz" did, then why not post that instead of your unhelpful reply? Unless you really don't know of course. If so, I apologise for thinking you might be a bit of rude idiot.

you got her name wrong, just hold your hands up and admit it

paulneenan76

you got her name wrong, just hold your hands up and admit it [/quote]

You can't see it WelshKev but I've got one hand up admitting I got her name wrong as the other one types this

miss notax

paulneenan76 wrote:

Oh and thirdly, my Missus would never watch the thing which widows her for 5-10hrs a week, however she quite liked the Cycle show because it had girls represented. This is a powerful thing, so include women. Manon Carpenter, Tracey Moseley, Gemma Atherton etc., are a good start. Girls are often on my local trails and down at Woburn bike park.

Yes, yes, yes, this is so true. This is what p!sses me off about MTB (and cycling in general) media coverage - the media don't portray women cycling, so women don't think it's for them, so they don't participate in it, so the media don't cover women in cycling because the number aren't there blah blah. The whole thing becomes a stupid self-perpetuating misinterpretation of women in cycling.

So there.

It annoys me because the market is actually there, just portray it fairly and realistically not just girls riding along a canal path and not just crazy gnar foolishness. A mixture of it all please. And breathe.....

cooldad

Not a canal in sight.

s2_art

Agree with many comments on here.

Women - I've personally worked for the last 3 to 4 years extensively on developing women's cycling, so completely agree on the comments here. It will be balanced and I'm confident the format we've come up with gets a healthy balance. I've been speaking to Tracy Moseley for months about Cycle Dirt, as I have with the Athertons. I've also been talking to weekend MTB trail riders of all genders and ages, as well as national level amateurs. I'm trying to ensure I'm getting as much input, ideas and perspective as possible.

Races Only? - Definitely not. I'd like to show off videos by the likes of Akrigg or Rey. On the BMX side, Harry Main's latest video is more likely to get more kids on bikes than a competition win. Also, I'd love us to be based at events like Strathpuffer for a show or two. There's so many exciting things in these sports that will capture the imagination of a TV audience. It won't be possible to keep everyone interested in all things featured, but I'm hoping there will be cross-discipline respect for the events and riders.

Does that make sense?

Update - We'll be reshooting the pilot episode soon (I was unhappy with how the original one flowed). This next one I want to be online to show off the format and hopefully give the MTB, BMX and CX fans some reassurance that we know what we're doing. I'll also be looking for feedback.

Cheers

Stu

welshkev

paulneenan76 wrote:

you got her name wrong, just hold your hands up and admit it

You can't see it WelshKev but I've got one hand up admitting I got her name wrong as the other one types this [/quote]

good lad