The British Speedway Promoters Association today announced that they had appointed MTA Media to oversee all public relations activities for British Speedway in 2003. The 2003 season marks the sports 75th anniversary season.

MTA Media has been engaged to overhaul Speedway’s communications strategy and to make the sport more media focussed. Speedway is currently enjoying a resurgence of interest, with Sky Sports broadcasting weekly live coverage of the Sky Sports Elite League, as well as live coverage of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series, which also get a terrestrial airing on C4.

‘2003 is a very important season for British Speedway’, says Chris van Straaten, Chairman of the BSPA, ‘It is vital for us that we maximise attention of our 75th anniversary season and also on the excellent and growing viewing figures that the sport is attracting on Sky Sports and C4. There is a growing public awareness of speedway and we now have the opportunity to capitalise on this.’

‘Speedway has a very long and distinguished heritage,’ adds Mark Thursfield, founder of MTA Media, ‘And what we now need to do is to build upon that, but also to give the sport a positive new face. The Sky Sports Elite League is the strongest league in the world, with all of the world’s top riders competing weekly. It is no surprise that it is proving to be hugely popular with television viewers. There is more action packed into each one minute heat than some other forms of motor sport generate in a season.’

MTA Media will work alongside the BSPA Press Officer, Nigel Pearson.

MTA Media become British Speedway’s second major appointment within a month, after the appointment of specialised naming rights and sponsorship company Sportacus, which is headed by Stephen Pearson, former Commercial Director of the FA Premier League.

The 2003 season begins in March and runs through till October.

For further information please contact:

Mark Thursfield at MTA Media
On 07780 991 975 or mark.thursfield@mtamedia.co.uk