by AJ Appeal
The world of motorsports was blessed to have a television cable station in the 1990s and 2000s known as Speedvision. That network was revisioned then to Speed Channel, and eventually a simple 'Speed'. Whatever the network's name, fans of the automotive industry and auto racing were able to tune in 24 hours a day and enjoy a variety of content. The network was last owned by Fox Sports, which deactivated the brand on August 17th, 2013 in exchange for their then new FS1.
Fans have demanded the return of SPEED branded programming for many years. In a press release last night, it was announced that SPEEDtube will be the next generation for auto themed content.
(PRESS RELEASE) "Port Saint Lucie, FL (Nov. 2, 2022) – The talent behind PASSTIME, Drag Race High and Pinks! All Out are thrilled to announce the launch of SPEEDtube (SpeedtubeTV - YouTube), a reawakening of classic automotive and motorsports TV shows once followed by millions of enthusiasts on Speed channel, and new content sure to please all speed demons and fanatics alike. "
The release did not mention specifics to licensing or ownership of the name, logo, or programming. Racing Refresh contacted the new owner of the brand, 'Boss One Media LLC' regarding details of the sale from Fox Sports. In an exchange of emails, we were provided the following information pertaining to the business part of this new network. The founder of Boss One Media, Brian Bossone provided us with the following information.
"Boss One Media has purchased the rights, URL's and trademarks from FOX TV for multiple titles that aired on Speed Channel. We have no affiliation with FOX other than that and our Youtube Channel name is speedtube, one word."
Their content can currently be seen only on a YouTube channel, but we expect that to expand over time. An early list of programs on their website was provided to include:
PINKS! Lose the Race, Lose your Ride: PINKS pits contestants in a best two-out-of-three format, with the loser handing over the title (pink slip) to his or her vehicle.
PASSTIME: Name the Time, Win the Cash, It’s that EASY! Its TV first automotive game show. Contestants guess the times of cars racing down the drag strip.
PINKS ALL OUT: Hundreds of the best drag racers in the country bring their “A” game to the track in search of glory and their share or $18,000 in cash and prizes.
PINKS ALL OUTTAKES: Coming off the success of “Pinks All Out” this series goes behind the scenes of the tournament race event to explore what a phenomenal success the “Pinks” series has become.
Drag Race High: There is pride and glory at stake as two rival high schools battle it out in shop class and on the track.
SPEEDtube is open to a variety of new content but has not committed to a permanent lineup of talent or on-air personalities quite yet. Longtime SPEED loyalists may notice that many of the shows mentioned above were formerly hosted or produced by Rich Christensen.
"As for Rich Christensen, he was not involved in the purchase from FOX but we work with him on other projects he produces. We've been in talks with Motor Trend over the last year to bring back shows but these negotiations stalled due to the Warner merger. Hence, we felt it was time for the public to get the chance to view these awesome shows again and YouTube is the perfect platform to do it on. As for syndication, we are exploring all routes of distribution. Our goal simply is to share these shows with the fans and regain exposure for each one of them and take this momentum to produce new versions in the near future. "
When SPEED channel closed in 2013, it was given a goodbye monologue by famed broadcaster Mike Joy. When his speech ended, the network transitioned to FS1 and never looked back.
I'm optimistic to see how the new version is both presented and received. SPEEDtube intents dropping new content every Tuesday and Thursday both free of charge and commercial free for now. Details regarding future apps or subscriptions are not yet available. Stay tuned to Racing Refresh for more information as this story develops.