Looks like the convergence of TV and web is finally bringing some good programming to the table as Fuel TV announces they will be broadcasting the Billabong Pipeline Masters live and direct over their cable network as well as in HD online for those of us who clipped the cables years ago.
Everyone seems to be happy about it:
“We’re excited to be offering the first-ever live broadcast of an ASP World Tour event to the U.S. audience,” says Scott Paridon, FUEL TV Vice President of Production and Development. “And with our networks in Australia and Portugal also broadcasting the contest live, people across three continents will be able to watch all the amazing action at the legendary Billabong Pipeline Masters.”
“We’re thrilled to be working with FUEL TV on this project,” says Graham Stapelberg, Billabong VP of Marketing. “The Pipeline Masters has been the site of so many exciting finishes to the world tour. The greatest surfers have carved out their legacy at this world renowned wave, and this live broadcast will be one that nobody wants to miss!”
Honestly, after catching Fuel.tv’s coverage of the 2009 Tampa Am yesterday we’re not sure we need to see this on cable TV, but there’s no doubt it’s going to look good on those 62 inch Sharp Aquos screens.
Follow the jump for all the details.
FUEL TV TO BROADCAST 2009 BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS FINALS LIVE
For The First-Time Ever, ASP World Tour Contest Will Be Live On TV In U.S.
Network partners with Vans Triple Crown of Surfing for TV coverage and HD webcast.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FUEL TV, the only network dedicated to the lifestyle of action sports, is excited to announce that the network will be broadcasting the finals of the last stop of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, the Billabong Pipeline Masters, live in the United States. This will be the first-ever live broadcast of an ASP World Tour event in the United States. In addition, the Billabong Pipeline Masters will also be broadcast live on FUEL TV in Australia and on FUEL TV in Portugal. FUEL TV will also be offering an HD quality webcast of the contest, for those who don’t have FUEL TV but can access the internet.
The 2009 Billabong Pipeline Masters is held at the famed surf break, the Banzai Pipeline, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, from December 8 until December 20, 2009. It’s the final contest of the 10-stop Association of Surfing Professionals Men’s World Tour. Not since 2006 has this event decided who will win the world title. Two surfers, Australians Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson, are dueling for the crown.
“We’re excited to be offering the first-ever live broadcast of an ASP World Tour event to the U.S. audience,” says Scott Paridon, FUEL TV Vice President of Production and Development. “And with our networks in Australia and Portugal also broadcasting the contest live, people across three continents will be able to watch all the amazing action at the legendary Billabong Pipeline Masters.”
“For those without access to FUEL TV, our HD webcast will let fans around the world see the Billabong Pipeline Masters better than they’ve ever been able to,” says Gene Pao, FUEL TV Vice President of New Media and International Development. “What FUEL TV is offering to consumers is choice of platforms – internet or television – and providing the best viewing experience technology can offer.”
“This live broadcast is going to be such a great addition to the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and ASP World Tour,” says Doug Palladini, Vans VP of Marketing. “It’s the final stop, where everything is going to be decided. You couldn’t have asked for a better year to get the finals broadcast live on FUEL TV.”
“We’re thrilled to be working with FUEL TV on this project,” says Graham Stapelberg, Billabong VP of Marketing. “The Pipeline Masters has been the site of so many exciting finishes to the world tour. The greatest surfers have carved out their legacy at this world renowned wave, and this live broadcast will be one that nobody wants to miss!”
FUEL TV will add another first to the broadcast of this contest. “We will also be utilizing, for the first time ever, the FoxBox for a live surfing contest,” says Pao. “The FoxBox allows us to put real-time scoring information on the video stream, just like it is currently done for major sports such as football and baseball. We believe this will bring both web and television coverage of surfing events to new levels.”
In addition to FUEL TV’s live broadcast and HD webcasts from the Billabong Pipeline Masters, this year also marks another first for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. This year, Vans has announced the Triple Threat bonus purse, making the prestigious Hawaiian series the first $1-million stop on the ASP World Tour. The Triple Crown – Triple Threat will award $50,000 to the men’s Triple Crown series champion, an extra $50,000 for the Billabong Pipeline Masters winner, a $50,000 bonus to the ASP’s men’s world champion, and a $25,000 bonus to the women’s Triple Crown champion. The $175,000 Triple Threat is in addition to the existing $825,000 in event prize money, making for a $1-million total purse.
FUEL TV continues to provide exciting and entertaining content to the action sports community, and it’s recently produced several HD quality webcasts, including the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search, the Hurley Pro, and the 2009 Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing, as well as the Vans Downtown Showdown and the 2009 Maloof Money Cup skateboard contests.
FUEL TV is offering selected full-length episodes of its programming in HD Streaming on its web site. Viewers can watch HD versions of shows such as “Firsthand,” “New Pollution” and “The Great Ride Open” using the same HD player as is used for the 2009 Billabong Pipeline Masters.
Make sure to check out the FUEL TV webcast of the 2009 Billabong Pipeline Masters starting on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, depending on the waves and contest conditions. In the United States, viewers will be able to watch the webcast on www.fuel.tv in three ways, including live; on a tape delay basis from the start; and as individual heats, which allows viewers to select the heats they want to watch in their entirety.
About FUEL TV
FUEL TV is the only 24/7 action sports lifestyle network for skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, freestyle motocross, and wakeboarding. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, FUEL TV was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in 30 million U.S. homes. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 networks operating in Australia and Portugal. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.
