APRIL 3, 2002

NASCAR to try pay-TV

ALTHOUGH pay-per-view television coverage of Formula 1 has not been a resounding success, the NASCAR organization in the United States is reported to be considering launching its own multi-channel pay-per-view television package. According to reports in the American media, NASCAR is working with the In Demand TV company with the intention being to provide subscribers with eight different TV feeds, in much the same way kind of coverage as F1 now enjoys. The intention is to charge NASCAR fans $169 for a season of around 30 races.

This works out at just over $5 a race.

The Formula 1 coverage which recently started on Britain's Sky Television is costing $285 for 17 races, which is the equivalent of nearly $17 - more than three times the price of the planned NASCAR coverage.

It will be interesting to see if NASCAR is successful with the new service as it could show F1 the way to make some money out of pay-TV - by being a little less greedy.