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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United States Australia Brazil Canada Caribbean Puerto Rico Latin America |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English Spanish Portuguese |
| Picture format | 720p (HDTV) 480i (SDTV/16:9 letterbox) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | 21st Century Fox |
| History | |
| Launched | December 31, 1995 |
| Closed | August 17, 2013 |
| Replaced by | Fox Sports 1 (United States) Fox Sports Racing (Canada / Caribbean) Fox Sports 3 (Latin America) Fox Sports (Brazil) Fox Sports 5 (Australia) |
| Former names | Speedvision (1995–2002) Speed Channel (2002–05) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
Speed was an American sports-oriented cable and satellite television network that was owned by the Fox Sports Media Group division of 21st Century Fox. The network was dedicated to motorsports programming, including auto racing, as well as automotive-focused programs.
Although the channel was based in the United States (its headquarters were located at University Research Park in Charlotte, North Carolina), Speed ceased being available to most American viewers as a standalone network with its own original programming on August 17, 2013, when it was replaced by the general-interest sports network Fox Sports 1.[1][2][3] An "international" version of the network, now known as Fox Sports Racing, concurrently launched in Canada, the Caribbean and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico to replace the domestic feed, airing archived Speed programming and live simulcasts of motorsports events carried by Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 in the United States that would be otherwise unavailable to international viewers.[4]
When it originally launched in 1995 as Speedvision, the network carried a lineup featuring programs profiling the automobile and motorsports industries (including individual companies, vehicles and teams), how-to series, and coverage of various domestic and international racing series (such as the Formula One World Championship, Rolex Sports Car Series, and the American Le Mans Series). After it was acquired by News Corporation in 2001 and relaunched as Speed Channel, the network's programming became increasingly NASCAR-oriented; prior to its shutdown in the U.S., Speed's lineup consisted mostly of automotive-themed reality shows, NASCAR-related programs (including coverage of practice and qualifying sessions, and full coverage of the Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR-owned Rolex Sports Car Series), along with news programs focusing on motorsports. Most of Speed's live event programming was carried over to Fox Sports 1 (or sister network Fox Sports 2), and was simulcasted on the Speed network that remained available outside the U.S.
Due to contractual changes associated with the relaunch, Fox was expected to temporarily distribute a version of Speed (separate from the international version) to fulfill contracts with providers that had not yet signed deals to carry Fox Sports 1, airing a loop of the network's past reality programming.[5] Many of the programs once found on Speed can now be found in the United States on CBS Sports Network, MAVTV and Velocity (such as Gearz, My Classic Car, Chop Cut Rebuild, and Dream Car Garage as well as live coverage of racing events), others not such as Speed Center.
- ^ "Pedigree part of pitch for Fox Sports 1". SBD. November 26, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
- ^ Fox Reveals Details of New National Sports Network, Variety, March 5, 2013.
- ^ "Fox Sports Media Group Gives Rise To Fox Sports 1, A New National Multi-Sport Network (Press Release)" (PDF). Fox Sports. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
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