TELEVISION access to Carl Fogarty's defence of his World Superbike crown could be restricted to digital subscribers next season.

Organisers Flammini are holding discussions with a number of companies after the Sky Sports contract ran out this year.

And the fledgling channel ITV2, which is available to cable customers and subscribers to OnDigital, are at the head of the field.

A spokesman today confirmed: "We are still in discussions but nothing has been confirmed."

The BBC have also been involved in talks but are understood to have fallen short of the asking price.

Flammini are keen to broaden the appeal of the increasingly popular competition and cash in on Fogarty's phenomenal following in Britain.

Channel Four and Five are also in the frame as a terrestrial audience is the preferred option.

Fogarty is due in Valencia next week to test at the Spanish track which hosts the first of next season's series.

But at the moment he is in Bahrain, as a guest of the Crown Prince, who stages an annual powerboat race. Grand Prix driver Mika Salo is another celebrity promoting the event.

In recent weeks, Fogarty was voted Man of the Year by sports magazine Total Sport.

He said: "To be given that honour by a non-biking magazine was great.

"It's good to have beaten off the top football guy and those from other sports.

"But I have won a world title and they haven't. "Superbikes is not the biggest sport in the UK - it's probably sixth or seventh. So it's even more satisfying."

Athlete Paula Radcliffe was nominated the magazine's woman of the year.

Fogarty also hosted a special Fogarty Day at the NEC Bike Show early in November.

Next year's provisional dates are: March 12 Valencia (Spain); April 2 Kyalami (South Africa); April 23 Phillip Island (Australia); April 30 Sugo (Japan); May 14 Donington Park (GB); May 21 Monza (Italy); June 4 Hockenheim (Germany); June 18 Misano (San Marino); July 9 Laguna Seca (USA); August 6 Brands Hatch (Europe); August 27 to be announced; September 3 Assen (Holland); September 10 Oschersleben (Germany); October 15 Imola (Italy) - to be confirmed.

An updated edition of a book first published in 1995, Carl Fogarty: The Complete Racer, witten by Sky Sports commentator Julian Ryder, has been brought out by Haynes Publishing, priced £14.99.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.