ISLE OF MAN TT RACES 2014 LAUNCH TO BE STREAMED LIVE FROM VILLA MARINA VIA THE TT'S OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL

2014-04-10 09:29
The Official launch night of the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy will be streamed live from the Villa Marina in Douglas on the TT's official YouTube channel.

iomtt.com, the official TT website managed by Duke Marketing for the Isle of Man Government, has its own channel on YouTube and footage is uploaded throughout the year. In total, all the YouTube TT video clips had over 43 million views during 2013 with a total viewing time of 301 years.

The launch evening, hosted by TV Presenter Gethin Jones with support from established TT commentators, and ex competitors, Steve Parrish and James Whitham, will feature a chat show and interviews with all of the leading TT riders who will be reliving their 2013 campaigns and discussing their 2014 TT plans as well as big screen video edits replaying the highlights from the 2013 meeting.

Fans can expect revelations, indiscreet stories, early points scoring, banter and controversy as riders talk about new rides and old rivalries.

Topping the bill will be the 'Morecambe Missile' - twenty-time race winner John McGuinness, still the outright lap record holder. Other race winners appearing include Ian Hutchinson, returning to the TT on a factory Yamaha after missing 2013 with injury, four time 2013 race winner Michael Dunlop, who will be revealing his thoughts on his new BMW factory ride, 2011 Supersport winner Gary Johnson, nine time race winner Bruce Anstey, four time TT champion Michael Rutter and Kawasaki rider James Hillier, who achieved his maiden TT race victory in the 2013 Lightweight TT.

Joining them on the sofa will be the TT’s fastest ever newcomer Josh Brookes, Tyco Suzuki rider William Dunlop, the fast talking Dean Harrison, who achieved his first podium in the 2013 meeting, ex-factory Honda rider Keith Amor, who is returning to the TT after a two year absence and Honda Europe’s Conor Cummins. Fans will also get the chance to hear from race newcomers Martin Jessopp, Peter Hickman and ex Moto3 star Danny Webb as they prepare to tackle the Mountain Course for the first time.

Sixteen time sidecar champion Dave Molyneux and his passenger Patrick Farrance will be representing the sidecars while last year's Sure Race 1 winning team Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle will also be appearing.

Notes to editors:

Tickets for the live Villa Marina launch event are available from the Villa Marina box office on 01624 600555 or via the Villa Gaiety website priced £5. Anyone purchasing a ticket will be entered in a special prize draw to win VIP Hospitality Tickets and a lap in the TT Course Car on closed roads. For fans unable to attend the event, the show will also be streamed live via iomtt.com.

Viewing of TT clips on YouTube is now a major feature of the TT's international media landscape and one that is growing rapidly. Among the detailed information available from YouTube is evidence of the huge international audience that the TT now attracts. The most views came from the USA, which accounted for 11.2% of all viewing. German TT fans are the next most prolific viewers at 6.7% of the total, just ahead of the UK at 6.5% with Japan, France, Italy, Brazil and Poland each accounting for over 4% with at least 1.7 million views in each country.

While the worldwide YouTube audience for the TT peaks during the fortnight, fans enjoy YouTube footage throughout the year. The recent addition of a Michael Dunlop on-bike camera lap from 2013 received over 550,000 views in the first two weeks that it was posted.

Source: Isle of Man TT

Click here to visit our forums to discuss this story