SUPERCARS PREPARED FOR TV-ONLY RESTART

By Bruce Williams

Date posted: 1 April 2020

Supercars prepared for TV-only restart – Photo: InSyde Media

Supercars is looking at resuming racing with TV-only rounds as soon as governments start easing mass gathering restrictions.

By MARK FOGARTY

The hope is that the coronavirus pandemic’s spread will slow sufficiently for a staged reintroduction of sporting fixtures, starting with televised events without spectators.

Supercars supremo Sean Seamer has suggested the initial 500-person limit could be reinstated when the federal and state governments begin transitioning towards a full return to normal life.

Following extensive discussions with authorities and other major sporting bodies, Seamer indicated that a limited resumption of sport was at least two months away.

“The reality is, from what I’m hearing from other sports and everybody else, June for a TV-only product is the best-case scenario,” he said in a teleconference with select motorsport media.

However, Seamer stressed there were no clear guidelines on how and when racing would resume.

“Nobody knows for sure when and under what circumstances we’re going to be able to put an event on,” he said. “We want to go racing as soon as possible and if that means that we have to do TV-only rounds, then so be it.”

Seamer explained that Supercars has various contingency plans, ranging from an unlikely return at Winton in early June to a compressed season starting as late as September.

“We have multiple permutations of what the calendar looks like, when we can go racing, what is TV-only, what is not TV-only,” he said. “But to project exactly which event is going to be first and when, you’re either lying or your Nostradamus.

“So for us right now, we’re remaining flexible. We have a few different plans and our priority as things evolve is to make sure we can deliver the championship. So, do I know what the date for Winton’s going to be? No, because I’m not a liar and I’m not Nostradamus.

“My No.1 priority right now is trying to understand how soon we can go racing.”

Supercars is looking at how it would comply with a limit of 500 people at TV-only events.

“Our priority is making sure that we understand, as a sport, how soon we can get back with a TV-only product,” Seamer said. “Unlike the ball sports, we have quite a considerable footprint when we put on a TV-only event, so our priority has been what is the minimum number of people that we need to be able to execute the best possible product.

“We’ve been talking with the race teams and our operations team have been talking internally about how we’ll be able to execute a TV-only product because our belief is that, from what we understand today, the first thing we are going to be able to do is deliver TV-only events. The expectation is that the restrictions will be reduced gradually on the other end of all this.

“So the first thing we’ll be doing is a TV-only event and from there, start to be able to introduce more fans. So the big focus right now with all of our people is to understand exactly how many people we need to execute a Supercars-only event and what’s the minimum footprint.”

Supercars is working with Motorsport Australia on deciding the minimum numbers of officials that would be required, as well as investigating locating the TV production compound outside the circuit.

“We’re looking at all the different variables to get us to the lowest head count to execute an event,” he added. “The reality is, until we can cross state borders, until we can put on an event with sub-500 people, we’re in the same position as everybody else as it relates to information.”

Supercars is examining all options to maintain a 14-round championship, including rescheduling events into early next year if necessary and shorter race weekends to accommodate back-to-back rounds.

In the interim, it will entertain fans with the All-Stars Eseries, run over 10 weeks starting on April 8 and featuring all 25 regular V8 drivers.

For more of the latest Supercars news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.

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SUPERCARS PREPARED FOR TV-ONLY RESTART

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