We have to be careful and find a TV partner who really value BSB, want to be part of it, really put some effort into it and want to help promote it heavily. We also want someone who will make it a logical destination for fans to turn on the TV and find it.
Crash.net:
Promotion of the series on the whole is something you’ll also want to boost I assume, as MSV has always been strong at promoting its events in things like the local press. So is that something key to the agenda going forward?
Jonathan Palmer:
The real thing we have to drive with BSB is higher attendances at the gate. It is already big, but we want to make it bigger still and we want to bring in bigger TV audiences. To do that, there needs to great racing on track which is even more thrilling and entertaining, and the whole experience of visiting the circuits to see the racing live has to be developed further.
It is already very good, but we need to make it better and, if we do that, we will get the top teams, the top manufacturers – which we do have already – and the top riders. The whole thing has to be a mix that works well to everyone.
Crash.net:
Do you also have a desire to try and take British Superbikes to a new audience rather that just hardcore bike fans?
Jonathan Palmer:
Very much so. For some reason, there has been too much inherent segregation between the bike fans and the car fans. I’m a good example, as I never went to a bike meeting and never would have thought of going to one before MSV bought the circuits. Now, I wouldn’t hesitate and I think it’s brilliant.
I attend every BSB event and I think a lot of the car racing fans would really have their eyes opened at how much action you get in bike racing. A lot of it is down to understanding it if you are alien to the sport, so if we can help people understand who the key riders, teams and manufacturers are and get that understanding, then I feel we can start to get an influx of people coming into the sport.
Crash.net:
It’s a big move to change the commercial partner for any series, so how important is the continuity of having Stuart Higgs remaining in the role of series director as you at MSV build a stronger relationship with people in the paddock?
Jonathan Palmer:
Continuity is very important. The most important part of the whole business is having events that run well and Stuart Higgs is a brilliant series director. He really understands how to run a slick event with a team that is relatively small compared to some of the teams that you see running car events. He just has what he needs and no more; and he really has his finger on the pulse in the biggest possible way.
