I'm not sure that exact price range would necessarily work on our end, but would that be a range you'd be willing to pay?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

I paid $6.95 a month to add the MAV TV channel to my service...just to watch the Search for the Ultimate Street Car Series. When did they start, in August? So $28.00 to watch 12 episodes, little over $2.00 each.

If I didn't have access to that channel package, I'd probably pay $4.99 each to watch them???

Hard to say since I have access, I might be willing to pay more if I did not already have access. What do most PPV movies cost, $3.99 each?

I'd pay that to watch the season. Especially if it means I get it in HD. For whatever reason, Direct TV doesnt broadcast it in HD. Makes watching it on my big screen kind of painful.

Mine too, my guess is Mavtv doesn't have the resources (doesn't want to payy the extra $$) or experience for the running of the HD equipment (not the camera guys in the field, but rather the distribution to the providers?)

Somebody else know why?

The whole thing would be so much more interesting, and perhaps FAR BIGGER, if one of the big outfits like Discovery / History etc would make it a series like they do with the crab boats or Alaska gold etc...

They could pick a few people to follow along all year - like the HellFire build - or HellFish - or the Ridler car and a couple of the other guys.... and we could watch the trials and tribulations of car prep / build. / break and repair or improve... and then follow them when they race into the events.... and then the big final.

I think that type of format - where it becomes a HUMAN story over a RACING story would really broaden the audience. When you think about it -- did you wake up one day and decide you wanted to watch Ice Road Truckers -- or guys sorting crabs in the Bering Sea? HELL NO.... but it becomes about the people and their lives and they just suck you in.

I appreciate the feedback on pricing. Everything shot for the series and everything MAV broadcasts is in HD. It's up to the individual providers as to whether or not they want to offer the channel to their customers in HD. I think Dish does, but I'm not positive. Greg, if you know anyone in content acquisition or programming at Discovery/History, by all means pitch the episode to them :)

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries

You know --- come to think about it --- the guy that started / owns Discovery channel IS a car guy... and is the one that was putting together the museum in Colorado.


http://www.gatewayautomuseum.com


Maybe Lillard or somebody knows him.

John S. Hendricks

Founder and Chairman Discovery Communications, Inc.


John S. Hendricks is the Founder and Chairman of Discovery Communications, the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. Hendricks created the Discovery Channel in 1982 as the first cable network in the United States designed to provide high quality documentary programming enabling people to explore their world and satisfy their natural curiosity.
Hendricks has been the driving force behind Discovery’s dramatic growth including the expansion of Discovery Communications from its core property, the Discovery Channel, to current global operations in more than 160 countries with 1.3 billion total subscribers. Under Hendricks’ leadership, Discovery’s stable of networks now encompass over 100 networks of distinctive programming representing 27 entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids and Discovery Times Channel. Discovery’s other properties consist of Discovery Education and Discovery Commerce, which operates 116 Discovery Channel Stores.


AND HE'S A CAR GUY!!!

There's such good stories to be told ---- The Hobaughs 30 year Father and Son racing of the Corvette... Danny Popps decades with his Corvette... it could go on and on and really be interesting to more people than just "us".

Greg, most of us know who Mr. Hendricks is, but there is a difference between knowing of someone and knowing someone. For instance, I know of Mr. Hendricks and his son, Andrew, because Optima invited Pratt & Miller to run the Apollo Camaro they built for Hendricks a few years ago in the OUSCI. Unfortunately, the Hendricks wanted Andrew, who is a professional race car driver, to drive the car in competiton, which would be against the rules. When that wasn't allowed, they declined the invitation.

Should Optima have broken the rules for a guy who founded a TV network that is now publicly traded (he owns less than 1% of outstanding shares) and is no longer on the management team, in the hope that he might fall in love with the event/series and have some programming influence with the network?

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries