Discovery Rebrands Enthusiast Network

Discovery, Inc. has rebranded its auto-related consolidated joint venture The Enthusiast Network as Motor Trend Group, effective immediately.

As part of the rebrand, Velocity, a U.S. TV destination for automotive fans, will be renamed Motor Trend Network in fall 2018. The joint venture’s Motor Trend OnDemand digital product will continue to be available to consumers on mobile and connected devices via the Motor Trend app and will also be available online. Fans will be able to watch popular series such as Wheeler Dealers, Bitchin’ Rides, Barrett-Jackson Live, FantomWorks, Speed Is the New Black, Iron Ressurection, Garage Squad and Texas Metal. New original automotive programming will also be available on Motor Trend Network.

Motor Trend Group will provide direct-to-consumer digital product for auto fans, a top TV channel for car enthusiasts available in 73 million U.S. homes, the Motor Trend YouTube channel, a collection of top digital sites such as Hot Rod and Roadkill, cross-platform offerings and more.

Motor Trend Group will now provide advertisers with the ability to buy multiple verticals together, including digital and linear, creating a multiplatform, 360-degree advertising offering. Discovery’s joint venture partner is GoldenTree Asset Management, with Motor Trend Group being a portfolio company for them.

“No other global media company has the content, and both the TV and digital platforms, to deliver what auto enthusiasts want than Discovery,” said Michael Lang, the CEO of Motor Trend Group and president of digital at Discovery Networks International & Eurosport Digital. “This rebrand of our JV into one, over-arching single brand, Motor Trend, continues Discovery’s long-term digital ambition; underscores our commitment to serve passionate global auto-related superfans with the world-class content they crave; and provides OEMs, buyers and advertisers with an unparalleled one-stop, 360-degree branded environment to reach this coveted audience segment across all screens and platforms.”

“The Motor Trend Group is the only place where advertisers can buy across linear TV, digital and social media platforms, live events and branded content to carry a unified message reaching potential car buyers and an affluent male audience,” commented Jon Steinlauf, chief U.S. advertising sales officer for Discovery. “We also have the very best, most robust offering of automotive content to feed audiences’ passion for the genre.”