Primal Quest T.V. Deal Turns the Tide

Rob / 07.05.2003

The Subaru Primal Quest has just announced a major TV deal which they say is “the highest-profile appearance of this young sport since its inception in 1989.”

The excitement is it’s going out on CBS, which is the first time an expedition adventure race has been on a U.S. nationwide ‘broadcast’ network. Other races have been on cable, satellite and regional stations but the documentary due to go out in Jan. 2004 right after National Football League coverage should get a big audience.

Race director Dan Barger feels that the current trend toward reality TV makes adventure racing a compelling attraction, “No one doubts that adventure racing is the world’s most arduous sport. The competitors are out in the backcountry with just a map, a compass and minimum safety gear, and will cover hundreds of miles of brutal terrain. It is not for the faint of heart, and the top teams feature some of the most fit people on the planet.”

It’s a coup for the race especially as TV deals have been in short supply this year. In fact the trend seemed to be away from TV networks supporting adventure racing.

First Reunion d’Aventures was postponed due to fears about the consequences of the Iraq war, but Gerard Fusil admitted, ““We have special agreements with French TV and media companys … I don’t want to risk going ahead with the media competition of one of George Bush who currently monopolises a good media audience! So, we are a collateral victim.”

Then came the news there would be no Eco-Challenge this year (though there is still no official announcement and probably won’t be) and again global uncertainties put a more positive spin on strong rumours that negotiating a new TV deal was proving difficult. And more recently the website Insidetri.com carried news that Ian Adamson’s team were not taking up their place at the next Raid Gauloises, again due to security worries, thought the article astutely pointed out;

\"Market factors may also have contributed to the decision to skip the race. OLN TV will not broadcast the event this year as they did with last year\'s Raid from Vietnam, and with Adamson\'s agent expected to announce Nike ACG as his new team sponsor, the exposure value of the Raid, sponsored by Adidas-owned Salomon footwear, may just not be worth the effort or the risk.\"

All this after the World Championships series and race has disappeared from sight since being dropped by initial sponsor Discovery Channel. So Primal Quest’s news is good news all round, for them, their sponsors, for teams looking for sponsors and for the profile of the sport as a whole.