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As far-fetched as a sustainable rider's union sounds, a team owner's union seems even farther-fetched (not to mention ambiguous).
Would Chad Reed, DeCoster (doesn't own the team, but represents the owner), and Mike Genova agree on many topics?
......but, i don't think it will ever happen. The riders would need the backing of the teams and an ok to not carry out their obligations for their team and other sponsors.
What about privateers? In stick and ball sports the minimum pay is like 300,000$. How do you tell a privateer to stick to a plan when they have no leverage to start with and could possibly be banned for life? Sure Feld wants Roczen, Dungey, and Tomac out there. Ronnie Stewart? No biggie, throw him out.
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Funny
Were Osbourne's hands on the bars when Bowers hit him or was he tooling off to the side of the track? Not discussing punishment fairness at all only taking issue with your (correct me if I am wrong please) comparing Reed/Canard as apples as apples to Bowers/Osbourne.
You're welcome to do it but they aren't fair comparisons.
Both cases, there was initial contact and a retaliation. Both riders retaliated against went down. One got injured. You're arguments are on intent or the situation of the other rider on the track, Did Bowers not mean to hit Osborne? Chad had no way of knowing Trey's hand was off the bars, it was his right hand, and hitting him as lightly as he did, I guarantee he wouldn't have assumed he'd go down.
No one is arguing Chad did the right thing, or that Trey didn't. They both fucked up. The system fucked up worse.
Except, maybe a P.R. specialist, what do you need ?
If without an employee, it cost what ? $100 a year per pro rider to write the Union status ? (no corp. lawyers on the payroll in factory teams backed up by huge corporations?)
And if with an employee, can't it be sponsored by like a DCshoescoUSA rider union ? Based on how it works & what it makes, it has the potential to be mentioned on broadcast pretty regularly, be showcased on their role at least a few times a year, etc. Like Asterisk mobile.
1. Both are champ'.
2. Small racing incident. Unlucky for both.
3. Another incident, unlucky for Canard, which became unlucky for Reed.
People can keep telling "retaliation", "bad move", "dirty" and all the bad words but PLEASE GO BACK TO WATCH THE VIDEO. Trey should not have had 1 hand on the handlebar at that time, as there was a good probabability Reed would at least come to show him some attitude and a nice block pass / brake check. In this end it is just an incident that looked dirty but it was not. Nothing to debate for hours about or to insult any of these riders.
Think reed wanted a rider rep to go over the track each race night and make sure the,workplace was safe.
Just going off memory.
A million dollar union is probably unrealistic. But to think negotiating contracts and such comes for a cheap cost isn't right either. At least not a good contract.
There are endless variables to a union. Who's a member? Any pro? What about the guy who gets a pro license to race his local national? Does he pay the same dues as a factory rider? How do you negotiate for all? Take into consideration the laws of each state represented?
Keep in mind that they'd be negotiating with the promoters who have far deeper pockets than the riders. They could tie up a negotiation in red tape and financially bankrupt a union.
This is an age old problem with motocross. People complain about payout, conditions and rules. But they all pay their entry fees. And they all continue to fill the starting gates every week.
Where's the incentive for the promotors/sanctioning body to offer any concession? They're at risk of losing nothing. The show will go on...
Shane
Getting them to agree on sharing $ would likely never happen, and the only way would be if they thought they were somehow growing the sport in a way where everyone would make even more.
Seeing as how the riders are all members of the AMA, and the AMA is supposed to represent riders, what is it that the AMA adds to the series?
You could argue that Hansen deserved the same punishment as Chad, but Hansen got away with his little punt on McElrath because he was cunning about it. Both those cases were open to interpretation, whereas Reeds was so blatantly obvious it was indisputable at the time. He probably didn't intend to send Trey tumbling over the tuff block but he still has to take responsibility for that happening.
The problem is with this grey area in SX where certain incidents tend to go unpunished, but there are still written rules that riders are supposed to adhere to and they should be aware that there could be repercussions. Supposedly John Gallagher has been a race official for 30 odd years, he's been race director of the Supercross series for around ten of those, so you would expect someone of his experience to make an educated decision based on what he saw happen right in front of him. The fact the AMA official also backed him up suggests he wasnt the only official that felt it warranted a black flag.
It's a little bit like Rugby Union; the game largely hinges on the the players ability to play right at edge of legality, often exploiting the rules to their advantage. Infringements often go unpunished, but occasionally a player will get penalised for exactly the same thing that others have been getting way with all game. Like Chad, players tend to get caught and penalised when the infringment is blatant.
Its a great idea for Supercross. Riders can discuss ways to make conditions as safe as possible, perhaps have input into rule changes, provide input into salaries, contracts, conditions etc. At the moment, riders are at the mercy of promoters and federations and "in the name of entertainment", they are getting banged up, crippled and left without a say in any matters and a lot of time left penniless if anything goes wrong.
Pit Row
IMO, if riders really wanted a riders association, they would do something similar to what these UFC fighters are doing because I can't see FELD wanting to go thriyugh that discovery phase either.
Google UFC antitrust lawsuit if you care to know more.
You avoid this hypothetical because it doesn't support your opinion.
The point is that Reed's move, a lame choice in my opinion, wasn't a vicious collision. There are many, more violent, intentional collisions that are are never penalized.
they are going to payout well over $2 million in purse money. That much I know.
Lack of available venues for one great reason.
Besides, it's already been done years ago. it's a long crappy story too
That's why the FIM is in volved in American Supercross now.
RC and Reed didnt' get rich by throwing away money on crap ideas.
Post a reply to: Sounds like Reed is hinting at a Union.