MavTV
Encyclopedia
Mav TV is a digital cable
channel, focused towards men in the 18-54 age group. It features original programming centered around topics that appeals to men, such as sports, comedies, gadgets, gaming, and women.
, Cablevision (iO), Charter Communications
, GCI in Alaska, select cable systems within the Caribbean Co-op
, Comcast
, Time Warner Cable
, Dish Network
, and C-Band Satellite. MavTV was added to the Dish Network
lineup on May 8, 2009 as a high-definition channel available in their Platinum HD package on Channel 361.
The network is privately held and was founded by four former executives from Showtime Networks
-- Steve Severn, CEO; Steve Smith, President & COO; Doug Jost, EVP of Sales and Marketing; and Rob Stevens, SVP of Programming.
The channel does not have any connections to Mark Cuban
, owner of the similarly named Dallas Mavericks
NBA basketball team. However, Cuban started 2 television channels HDNet
and HDNet Movies
, and the former does occasionally have Mavericks games.
In October 2011, long time partner lubricants company Lucas Oil
purchased Mav TV.
Original series on MavTV include: The Rad Girls, Lucas Oil Motorsports events, SpeedFreaks the exciting TV version of the national motorsports/entertainment radio program, Women's Flat Track Roller Derby, American Tailgater, AMA
Motorcycle Racing, Wrestlicious TakeDown, Ultimate Combat Experience, Bikini AllStars and Best of the Best. In addition, MavTV presents documentaries
slanted only towards men, entitled Manumentaries.
to broadcast two of the three roller derby
finals—the Eastern Regional Tournament
(Heartland Havoc, which was broadcast as a series of one-hour weekly episodes) and the National Championships (Texas Shootout).
MavTV has contracted with the auto racing sanctioning body, the Automobile Racing Club of America
, to air at least 6 races in 2008, including both 100 mile dirt races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds
in Springfield
, and the Southern Illinois State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin. SpeedFreaks hosts Kenny Sargent and Crash Gladys also appear on episodes of Lucas Motorsports hour.
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
channel, focused towards men in the 18-54 age group. It features original programming centered around topics that appeals to men, such as sports, comedies, gadgets, gaming, and women.
History
MavTV launched on October 1, 2004 with distribution limited to select cable companies. It can be found in the US on Verizon FiOSVerizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
, Cablevision (iO), Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
, GCI in Alaska, select cable systems within the Caribbean Co-op
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
, and C-Band Satellite. MavTV was added to the Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
lineup on May 8, 2009 as a high-definition channel available in their Platinum HD package on Channel 361.
The network is privately held and was founded by four former executives from Showtime Networks
Showtime Networks
Showtime Networks, Inc. is the corporate division of media conglomerate CBS Corporation.The company was established in 1983 as Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc. after Viacom and Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment merged their premium channels, Showtime and The Movie Channel respectively, into one...
-- Steve Severn, CEO; Steve Smith, President & COO; Doug Jost, EVP of Sales and Marketing; and Rob Stevens, SVP of Programming.
The channel does not have any connections to Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
, owner of the similarly named Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
NBA basketball team. However, Cuban started 2 television channels HDNet
HDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
and HDNet Movies
HDNet Movies
HDNet Movies is a high definition-only cable and satellite television channel dedicated entirely to movies. It is the sister channel of HDNet. Films shown vary in age and category, but all were either transferred from 35mm film to 1080i high definition or shot in the latter format. Many films...
, and the former does occasionally have Mavericks games.
In October 2011, long time partner lubricants company Lucas Oil
Lucas Oil
Lucas Oil Products is a manufacturer and distributor of automotive oil, additives, and lubricants. It was founded by trucker Forrest Lucas and his wife Charlotte in 1989....
purchased Mav TV.
Programming
The network added a full HD feed in the 3rd quarter of 2008 to complement the standard 24/7 lineup; the 480i SDTV network is optimized for widescreen television sets in full mode to provide a full widescreen experience. MavTV also produces and carries a large library of native 1080i HD series on the HD feed of the brand.Original series on MavTV include: The Rad Girls, Lucas Oil Motorsports events, SpeedFreaks the exciting TV version of the national motorsports/entertainment radio program, Women's Flat Track Roller Derby, American Tailgater, AMA
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
Motorcycle Racing, Wrestlicious TakeDown, Ultimate Combat Experience, Bikini AllStars and Best of the Best. In addition, MavTV presents documentaries
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
slanted only towards men, entitled Manumentaries.
Sports deals
In 2007, MavTV struck a deal with the Women's Flat Track Derby AssociationWomen's Flat Track Derby Association
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association is an association of women's flat track roller derby leagues in the United States. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501 business...
to broadcast two of the three roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
finals—the Eastern Regional Tournament
WFTDA Eastern Regional Tournament
The WFTDA Eastern Regional Tournament or WFTDA East Region Playoffs is one of four roller derby qualifying tournaments for the WFTDA Championships....
(Heartland Havoc, which was broadcast as a series of one-hour weekly episodes) and the National Championships (Texas Shootout).
MavTV has contracted with the auto racing sanctioning body, the Automobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
, to air at least 6 races in 2008, including both 100 mile dirt races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack
Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one mile long clay oval motor racetrack on the grounds of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, the state capital. Constructed in the late 19th century and reconstructed in 1927, the "Springfield Mile" as it is known has hosted competitive auto racing...
in Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, and the Southern Illinois State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin. SpeedFreaks hosts Kenny Sargent and Crash Gladys also appear on episodes of Lucas Motorsports hour.