Two months before Lance Armstrong launches his comeback to pro cycling, media outlets are already vying for the rights to carry the drama on TV and online.
The Versus cable network already has contracts to carry the Tour of California (Armstrong's first North American appearance) and the Tour de France (still a question mark for Armstrong). It signed to carry these races before learning of Armstrong's return.
Now it's making a bid to carry Australia's Tour Down Under, which officially marks Armstrong's return to pro cycling in January. It's also considering a bid to televise May's Giro d'Italia, the three-week race around Italy that Armstrong says he'll race to win.
Bidding
Versus isn't alone. MediaPost reports that the Tour Down Under is entertaining several bids from broadcast and online networks to carry the bicycle race. Among them are NBC Universal's multicast network Universal Sports, and ESPN, which would air it on its ESPN360.com website.
You might remember Universal Sports experimented with cycling by offering free, online coverage of several races in August and September at its website.
Carry it live
My only hope is that if Versus wins the rights to Tour Down Under and the Giro, that it offers live coverage on cable.
Versus (then OLN) carried the Giro d'Italia live several years ago, then switched to offering it for a small fee online in recent years. It's Tour of California coverage was relegated mainly to highlight shows in the evening, except for live coverage on weekends.
Online
Meanwhile, Cycling.tv already has arranged an online package for live coverage in North America. It ain't free, but it offers Tour of California, Giro d'Italia and the so-called “spring classics” that Armstrong says he'll ride in 2009.
It also provides the Vuelta d'Espana and races like the Paris-Roubaix. You can check the list of races at the Cycling.tv website.
Le Tour
The Versus network decision to carry the Tour de France wasn't a reaction to Armstrong's announcement. The cable network has carried the Tour since 2001 and signed a contract to broadcast the bike race through 2013.
Even though Armstrong retired immediately after the 2005 Tour, MediaPost reported that Versus reached 22 million households with the Tour in 2008, more than the 20.5 million in Armstrong's last year.
Last I checked, there's been no decision from Armstrong regarding the 2009 Tour.
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