If Only This Were Available In Canada

by 4ever3 on Nov 6, 2007 11:55 PM EST

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a representative from M80/DirecTV about their NASCAR Hotpass Service. The man made me an offer that I couldn't refuse ... but I did. Why? Because I live in Canada. The offer? Watch the last 10 races of the NASCAR season using NASCAR Hotpass for free. My immediate thought was, "Are you kidding me? Where do I sign up?". But alas, I don't live in the US of A. Instead, I live in Canada where DirecTV isn't available - legally anyway.

The deal was that DirecTV would hook me up with Hotpass, and I could write about my Hotpass experience - good or bad - on my blog. Not a bad deal, eh?

You know, they would have to be pretty confident in their product to offer up such a deal to someone who has such a vast audience as I (23 at last count) and who could really write something bad about their product. So I looked into what they have to offer the general public and I found that they have a pretty good thing here with this Hotpass deal.

They have 25 - 30 cameras to cover 5 drivers. Each week during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR HOTPASS™, only on DIRECTV, has put race fans behind the wheel, in the pits and around the track with their favorite NASCAR drivers and teams, by offering a variety of features allowing fans to follow five different drivers during every race. Each of the five dedicated driver channels offered multiple camera angles, real-time statistics, in-car audio communication and a dedicated announcer team. This HOTPASS service, combined with race day telecasts and nascar.com coverage, has given fans the most comprehensive and powerful NASCAR experience possible.

And they're going to HD next year too!

This looks like something that I would have been interested in if I were able to have used it and I think that any fan of NASCAR, from new ones to the truly die-hard, would enjoy and benefit from this unique view of the race.

Darn those Canadian Government broadcast regulations - I thought we had Free Trade?!

Stay tuned with me over the next few weeks as I might have some NASCAR Hotpass promo stuff to give away. If I can't use it, I may as well let you use it. 'Spread the wealth', I always say.

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Comments

I've been a DirecTV subscriber since mid '97. I know they gave us free coverage at the beginning of the year for one of the races and it was just ok in my book. And if I am correct, the yearly price is $149 for all the races, I think, and because Jr. didn't make the Chase he wasn't covered for those last 10 races.

And on the subject of DirecTV in Canada, I know a Canadian who took his RV down to Arizona to spend the winter and he said they wouldn't sell him a dish because he's a Canadian citizen. So there must be something to it. I would think that since he's using it in the U.S., it would be legal.

by Cheyenne on Nov 7, 2007 1:11 AM EST reply actions

I am a fellow sufferer as well..Cheyenne is right they won't even sell you won in the States if your Canadian...7 or 8 years ago you could get away with a false adress in the U.S. and get one I had direct tv in my truck...but no ,ore...Now Canada customs will even confiscate it it if they find it...A couple of friends of mine doing longhaul lost theirs last spring...

by Robert on Nov 7, 2007 3:11 PM EST reply actions

Ya, a friend of mine used to have HBO and the like way back when, until it became highly illegal to be registered with a US dish network. He was even able to renew his subscription every year from here until the big clamp down. What having these regulations in place did was create a big black market economy in illegal satellight hook-ups.

by 4ever3 on Nov 8, 2007 1:01 AM EST reply actions

Okay... so call me naive.. but why all the exclusivity.. Canada is a huge market and it's silly. AHH the beauty of unknowing!!

by Racefan57 on Nov 8, 2007 6:11 AM EST reply actions

It is not about the US digital networks not wanting to come to Canada, it is about Canadian digital networks not wanting them here, and in a form of 'protectionalism' the Canadian Gov't has made these US services illegal to own so that these Canadian digital services don't have to compete with the US ones and therby protect what little Canadian content we have on the airwaves.

Personally I think that is a crock. If they allowed the US networks up here it would force these Canadian networks to shape up or ship out, thus improving the content offered. Competition does that.

by 4ever3 on Nov 8, 2007 8:01 AM EST reply actions

Wow! I never knew Canadians couldn't use DirecTV, etc. How awful! I have DirecTV and subscribe to Hotpass. I love it!! My only complaint is that Junior isn't featured every week!! And I wish there could be more than five drivers a week, too. But, it's a really awesome extra and worth the money in my humble opinion.

by Marsha on Nov 8, 2007 11:20 AM EST reply actions

Marsha,

I'm sure that as subscriptions rise the number of driver availabilities will increase proportionatly. I feel that this kind of media coverage is still in its infancy, and it just a matter of time before it becomes more common place, especially with the car of tomorrow and it's built in camera boxes on almost every corner and window of each car.
Go to the following link for more info about that: http://4ever3canadianeh.blogspot.com/2007/01/ins-and-outs-of-car-of-tomorrow.html#links

by 4ever3 on Nov 9, 2007 1:31 AM EST reply actions