CJ Olivares Outlines Bold Vision for Newly Rebranded RACER Network at Race Industry Week
During Race Industry Week, CJ Olivares, President of RACER Network, shared how the former MAVTV operation has been transformed into a fully re-energized, multi-platform motorsports destination serving fans around the world.
Now operating as RACER Network, the moving-media arm of RACER encompasses:
- A traditional cable TV network
- The RACER+ app, offering expanded live and on-demand content
- A global FAST channel (free ad-supported TV), available on connected TVs and devices in the U.S. and internationally
“We are the media platform formerly known as MAVTV,” Olivares explained. “Earlier this year, we joined forces with RACER and have rebranded, re-energized and restructured the moving media part of our business.”
One Network, All of Motorsports
RACER Network is designed to appeal to fans who love anything with an engine or motor—on two wheels or four, on dirt or pavement, domestic or international.
The network’s rapidly expanding content slate now includes:
- More than 750 hours of live racing annually from around the world
- Diverse series such as DTM, British Touring Car, Australian Supercars, World Superbike, Speedway from Poland, and major off-road championships
- Flagship off-road events including Crandon, SCORE, CORE, King of the Hammers, and same-day Dakar coverage
- Iconic motorcycle events like the Isle of Man TT
For automotive enthusiasts, the network also features:
- Long-running favorites like “Stacey David’s Gears” and “My Classic Car”
- A strong focus on collecting and auctions, highlighted by the GAA Classic Car Auctions partnership from North Carolina
- New build, barn-find, and specialty shows, including a new barn find series launching after the first of the year
“As CJ put it, there’s ‘a little bit of something for everybody – and in some cases, a lot of something for everybody.’”
Inside the Operation: Rights, Tech and 24/7 Delivery
Building that kind of schedule is no small task. Olivares outlined the behind-the-scenes work required to support such a broad racing portfolio:
- Rights Acquisition: Identifying available properties worldwide, negotiating and securing rights across a wide range of categories.
- Technical Infrastructure: Managing global feeds, encoding, playout, and distribution across cable, FAST, app and embedded web players.
- Marketing & Integration: Promoting live events and series through RACER’s full ecosystem—RACER Network, RACER.com, social media, and soon more YouTube integration.
“We’re constantly looking at ways that RACER, writ large, can super serve these distinct fan bases,” Olivares said. “If we don’t have a series on the network side, you’ll probably find it covered in depth on RACER.com.”
The RACER+ app serves as the central hub for fans:
- It includes the linear TV feed plus 300+ additional live races not available on cable.
- Users can watch on virtually any device—phone, tablet, connected TV, or desktop.
- Nearly everything that airs live is available on-demand, allowing fans to catch up on full events or highlights at any time.
Beyond Live: Highlights, VOD and “Motorsports Marathons”
Recognizing that fans’ time and attention come in different sizes, RACER Network is investing heavily in post-event content and flexible viewing formats:
- Full race replays are available on demand via the RACER+ app.
- Key moments are clipped and shared across social media, with plans to expand highlight distribution on YouTube in 2026.
- Condensed 30-minute highlight shows turn three-hour events into snack-able recaps on cable and app.
“Sometimes fans want the full meal, sometimes they just want a snack,” Olivares noted. “We’re committed to giving them both.”
During the “non-racing season,” the network leans into themed programming and event recaps rather than going dark:
- Holiday and off-season marathons, such as:
- A full off-road week featuring Dakar, King of the Hammers, Baja, Crandon and more
- Auction marathons showcasing the best of GAA and other auction coverage
- Curated blocks featuring the most popular shows and races from the past year
“There’s no off-season anymore,” Olivares said. “Just the non-racing season—and we fill that with the best of what we’ve got.”
Embracing the Creator Generation
One of the most exciting growth areas for RACER Network is its engagement with today’s content creators—the YouTube and social media storytellers who are reshaping how fans discover motorsport.
- At the LA Auto Show, RACER staged the first-ever RACER Creator Awards, celebrating top digital creators in the auto and motorsport space.
- The network is in discussions with multiple creators to:
- Bundle short-form content into half-hour “best-of creator” shows
- Showcase longer-form creator series on RACER Network and RACER+
- Cross-promote between social channels, the app, and RACER.com
Olivares sees creators as a vital, complementary pillar in the content strategy: a way to bring fresh voices, new storytelling styles, and younger audiences into the RACER ecosystem.
Open Door for Series and Show Producers
For racing series and show creators looking for distribution, RACER Network is intentionally flexible.
“We approach each programming relationship with a whiteboard,” Olivares explained. “There’s no one way to do a deal.”
Key factors include:
- The strength and uniqueness of the idea
- How well it fits RACER’s fan base and brand
- Existing or potential sponsorship involvement
- Past performance or legacy of the property, if it existed elsewhere
Whether it’s a race series looking for live or delayed coverage, a documentary project, a build show, or a creator-driven concept, RACER Network is actively evaluating new opportunities—and several recent additions have come from simple, well-thought-out “cold call” pitches.
A 24/7 Home for Speed, Story and Discovery
In closing, Olivares underscored how the RACER Network extends the original spirit of RACER magazine and classic motorsports television into the modern era:
- A place where fans might come for Isle of Man TT and stay up late discovering DTM, BTCC, or Asian Le Mans.
- A destination where short track tractor pulls can live alongside world-class road racing, off-road, and auctions.
- A unified platform where magazine features, online coverage, live races, VOD, social clips, and creator content all point fans deeper into the world of motorsport.
“Any time you tune in,” Olivares said, “you should be able to find something fast, competitive and compelling—whether you knew you were looking for it or not.”
With a reimagined brand, a deep live schedule and an expanding pipeline of original and creator-driven content, RACER Network is positioning itself as the always-on home for global motorsports enthusiasts—on every screen, all year long.
