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RCB33
2/9/2016 5:15pm
2/9/2016 5:15pm
Edited Date/Time
2/10/2016 9:47pm
Ok,so after reading a previous thread it appears that the general consensus is that we all want our great sport to appear more professional. So how do we do this? It isn't like we can ditch the energy drinks but I wish red bull was the title sponsor (I feel they maintain a more professional take on the sport. Instead of dirtshark they have Red bull TV and Redbulletin magazine) so what do you guys suggest?
The best example is Ryan Dungey. Target is one of the only major outside sponsors to sponsor an indivudual (not a team). Guys like him are what we need sport wide, and he's one of maybe 5 guys that have that appeal.
Also our fan base is mostly riders or two wheel industry people. Most other sports with the big corporate sponsors are sports most viewers never played and need all the commentary so they can follow along. Most Moto people don't.
Also our heroes come and go a lot faster than a the stick and ball sport types. Also those viewers like the follow the leader type situation and we like the come and get it type.
Wwe no more like ufc big difference.
Well, then, "There's no pleasing you".
Even Weston's punching bag episode on Vince was mainstream "gold"...
The Shop
Nice play Manny!
If I sound like a dick, it's because I think we are the worst f'ing critics about... Our own sport...
We need to "Lighten up, Francis" and just enjoy the damn racing.
With ball sports you can play with almost no money. Even car racing people can go to a local cart track and experience it for a decent price. Who is gonna go buy a bike and gear without even knowing if they like it or not.
Now how many mx race tracks and Bmx race tracks ?
That's why the latter won't be as big in our lifetimes.
But bigger isn't better. Motorcycles and cycling is a lifestyle stick and ball sports isn't a life style for anyone past the participants.
I like the idea of growing grassroots racing and getting more local races/offroad series/moto tracks etc.... I really don't see the interest in commercializing a good thing.
Just my opinion here I guess...
No matter what is done to the sport to make it grow, there will be people that disagree with everything that's done. I think having Toyota, Nike, Chaparral, GoPro, RedBull, Monster, Rockstar is a damn good list of major sponsors as well as prime TV time on major channels like Fox and NBC. The sport is headed in the right direction but it will never be as big as the stick and ball sports.
I assumed too it wouldn't be a problem, by now, because of population growth, even a lesser interested percentage would equal net growth. It doesn't seem that way.
Pit Row
My suggestion:
The in-stadium commentator that screams all the farking time needs to be gassed. Do anyone honestly think that an inaudible holler adds anything to the show? It's tacky as hell and drives me nuts.
Anyone that rides and has tried a current electric bike knows there is a huge gap in performance between a 450 and what's currently offered by the electric bikes, but it's getting closer. However If you could ride a track in your local neighborhood that was scaled down to fit the capability of the bike it would still be fun. I know I have fun when I go to K1 Speed and drive the electric karts on a scaled down warehouse track, but those cars would be extremely boring on a full size shifter kart track. If you scale down the performance of the bike and the tracks you would see less injuries and would see more participation. Not everyone wants to be a dare devil and not everyone wants to jump 90' doubles. For those that are capable of that there would still be 250F/450s and the larger raceway facilities to go ride at similar.
The problems right now is the electric bikes are more expensive than the combustion bikes, and to my knowledge no electric manufacturer is really focused on the mini bike market.
The reason the sport exploded in the 70s was the bikes were relatively cheap to get, and you could ride where ever you wanted. If you could create that environment again the sport would see a huge growth spurt. More participation = more money in the industry = more interest for the professionals that the populous has a shared experience with.
MotoGP is huge in Spain and Italy because the populous rides motorcycles, you see thousands of 125cc two stroke bike decked out in Repsol colors, people riding 50cc scooters all over the place. They love motorcycles, and aren't afraid of motor cycle riders, and little old grandmas have swung their leg over a bike or a scooter a time or two in their lives and know the rush and admire the skill of the professionals. Make the sport easier to try and the sport would explode in popularity.
That's my opinion. Although I think the professional level has seen immense growth in the past 30 years.There's always ebs and flows, but the sport at the top looks healthy. The problem is the bottom at the local level is drying up.
MX has been pretty resilient compared to some motorsports like Indy Car, and AMA roadracing.
Instead, we get just a backboard of half-drop Claws and FS1 logos... I get they're the big players, but they need to look at how they can do more for sponsors...
Although it would be a good idea to have some cross over with BMX and electric Moto at local parks, but I know the MTB community is not about sharing trails with Electric Motos.
Do you like it when people say "oh wow you race motorcycles"? Ever heard anyone say "oh wow you play adult soccer"?
Some growth is good and required for technical progress, etc. But the fact that we do what we do probably means it will never be mainstream, and I am happy about that.
I am not sure what's the purpose to have this guy is screaming at the top of his lungs when the bikes are at 12K RPM once the boards turns sideways. To me (and so far two other people here) this is one things that needs to change as I believe this single action is what dumbs the event down to Monster Truck/WWE proportions.
a brief moment of silence (no announcing) and a "gentlemen start your engines" is so much more professional then the anticipation builds on it's own once the bikes start revving not some dudes vocal chords clapping together.
To add, the local promotional TV stuff with the guy with the deep, monster voice is cheesy as hell. For the love of Pete, even the monster truck series have moved away from that. As a life-long fan and participant in this sport (since the 70's) I'd hoped that by now we would have evolved into something beyond a circus sideshow. I guess as long as 12-year-olds and bro's are the sports target demographic, nothing will ever change.
Post a reply to: Ok,so what do you propose then?