Did Supercross have problems getting stadiums to allow them in during its infancy?

don'tknowwhy
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don'tknowwhy
Often wondered how much convincing was required when SX was just starting out and monster trucks were still just a dream in some hillbillies eye to get their foot into the door at stadiums. I imagine there were a few, "You want to do whats" back then.

Does anybody have any insight or knowledge of whether that was ever an issue with all or certain stadiums and has there ever been any stadiums that flat out refused the event?
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Momus
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Momus 2/2/2020 11:30pm
2/2/2020 11:30pm
Here I'm Melbourne Australia the first time use of one of our newer stadiums for SX last November was met with approval from the owners but a lot of restrictions and requirements. Like a lot of newer stadii it has a supported playing surface with an underground car park. In order to support the hundreds of tons of dirt a lot of extra support was required. No big dozers we're allowed either and there were many other rules regarding refueling in designated areas etc.
wildbill
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wildbill 2/2/2020 11:43pm
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We'de just carve up the horse shit and make killer jumps.
mxrose3
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mxrose3 2/3/2020 6:17am
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The man who would probably have detailed answers was a rock concert promotor. He was convicted of murder.
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919x
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919x 2/3/2020 6:34am
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mxrose3 wrote:
The man who would probably have detailed answers was a rock concert promotor. He was convicted of murder.
Another man that would have known the detailed answers got murdered by a rock concert promotor.
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bierbower105
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bierbower105 2/3/2020 7:07am
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DC told a story about a supercross type event in three rivers in pittsburgh that was a total disaster I think it almost bankrupt Big Dave.

There's a podcast on it floating around out there somewhere.
BobbyM
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BobbyM 2/3/2020 8:38am
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Some stadiums were leary of having a dirt bike race held on the grass field no doubt. The LA Coliseum would take a chance because the majority of the track was built on the perimeter of the football field I suspect.
The idea of racing dirt bikes inside a stadium was already a reality but it wasn't indoor motocross. It was the Houston astrodome short track event I believe. So Goodwins idea wasn't as much of a pioneering event as it was perceived to be.
Of course these are only my opinions based on flimsy memories.
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RichieW13
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RichieW13 2/3/2020 10:49am
2/3/2020 10:49am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2020 10:49am
This is a great question.

I think in the early days they didn't ride on the grass portions of the fields. Here is San Diego 1980, and you can see the football field.

I assume it was easier to do full stadium tracks on the indoor stadiums with Astroturf, which was more designed for removal so they could hold conventions there.

https://youtu.be/N3xODIV1GsA
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RichieW13
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RichieW13 2/3/2020 10:58am
2/3/2020 10:58am
1977 was the first year of 10+ rounds of supercross. The stadiums were:

Atlanta Fulton County - grass
Daytona - grass, but not used for sports
Astrodome (2 rounds) - artificial turf
Texas Stadium - artificial turf
Silverdome (2 rounds) - artificial turf
Superdome - artificial turf
LA Coliseum - grass
Angel Stadium - grass

According to this, the Atlanta race they built the track on the grass. So maybe Atlanta was the first place to allow it?

https://youtu.be/I1LlRcRmNRA
motoman617
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motoman617 2/3/2020 11:41am
2/3/2020 11:41am
I wonder if they will allow races in the new Rams/Chargers stadium?
RichieW13
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RichieW13 2/3/2020 11:53am
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motoman617 wrote:
I wonder if they will allow races in the new Rams/Chargers stadium?
Since Supercross has been held in other recently built stadiums, I am sure they would allow it at the Rams stadium (SoFi Stadium).

The question is if Feld wants to have an event there and/or if the stadium will have room in their schedule for it.

With two football teams using the stadium, I doubt they'd want to try to schedule any of the first 3 rounds of SX there, due to playoff conflicts.

Will they try to have one event in Anaheim and a second in SoFi? I assume Anaheim is fairly profitable since they leave the dirt there for many weeks for Supercross and Monster Jam. If Feld puts a third event in Los Angeles, would it hurt the attendance in Anaheim?

Since I live west of Los Angeles, I'm hoping they put SoFi on the schedule, because it's 30-60 minutes closer for me.
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xrmark
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xrmark 2/3/2020 12:34pm
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motoman617 wrote:
I wonder if they will allow races in the new Rams/Chargers stadium?
RichieW13 wrote:
Since Supercross has been held in other recently built stadiums, I am sure they would allow it at the Rams stadium (SoFi Stadium). The question is...
Since Supercross has been held in other recently built stadiums, I am sure they would allow it at the Rams stadium (SoFi Stadium).

The question is if Feld wants to have an event there and/or if the stadium will have room in their schedule for it.

With two football teams using the stadium, I doubt they'd want to try to schedule any of the first 3 rounds of SX there, due to playoff conflicts.

Will they try to have one event in Anaheim and a second in SoFi? I assume Anaheim is fairly profitable since they leave the dirt there for many weeks for Supercross and Monster Jam. If Feld puts a third event in Los Angeles, would it hurt the attendance in Anaheim?

Since I live west of Los Angeles, I'm hoping they put SoFi on the schedule, because it's 30-60 minutes closer for me.
They’ve had rounds at dodger stadium. I don’t think it effected Anaheim attendance. It did hurt it’s own attendance by being in down town LA though. The new stadium is in a little bit better part of town so who knows. We don’t need anymore rounds here.
OldPro277
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OldPro277 2/3/2020 12:42pm
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bierbower105 wrote:
DC told a story about a supercross type event in three rivers in pittsburgh that was a total disaster I think it almost bankrupt Big Dave...
DC told a story about a supercross type event in three rivers in pittsburgh that was a total disaster I think it almost bankrupt Big Dave.

There's a podcast on it floating around out there somewhere.
Yeah ,that Pittsburgh Sx was a mess. Complete with rain of Biblical proportions ,was a total mudfest. . I raced in that one and remember that even before practice ended that many areas the dirt/plastic/plywood was destroyed and the artificial turf was showing. It was a mess. And I'm sure that crazy weather didn't help the attendance.
DoctorJD
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DoctorJD 2/3/2020 12:56pm
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RichieW13 wrote:
1977 was the first year of 10+ rounds of supercross. The stadiums were: Atlanta Fulton County - grass Daytona - grass, but not used for sports...
1977 was the first year of 10+ rounds of supercross. The stadiums were:

Atlanta Fulton County - grass
Daytona - grass, but not used for sports
Astrodome (2 rounds) - artificial turf
Texas Stadium - artificial turf
Silverdome (2 rounds) - artificial turf
Superdome - artificial turf
LA Coliseum - grass
Angel Stadium - grass

According to this, the Atlanta race they built the track on the grass. So maybe Atlanta was the first place to allow it?

https://youtu.be/I1LlRcRmNRA
Not sure how much say they had in the matter, but the Atlanta Braves organization wasn't cool with dirt bikes destroying the field. I remember (about the time of this video) a news story about how the outfield was never the same after the SX. It had bumps and holes that made fielding the ball a little tricky. I think if they had their way, there would have been no SX in Atlanta Fulton Co. Stadium.
Dropbear
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Dropbear 2/3/2020 1:34pm
2/3/2020 1:34pm Edited Date/Time 2/3/2020 1:35pm
Started in Czechoslovakia in 1958. Would have helped sell a few Jawa’s and CZ’s.
https://youtu.be/LdRaQW0Opsc
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Racerman967
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Racerman967 2/3/2020 7:38pm
2/3/2020 7:38pm
I don't think the LA Coliseum ever allowed them to race on the football field. But the had a huge amount of space to the side of the field
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TG130
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TG130 2/3/2020 8:16pm
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Back in the early 1980's, the Oakland Coliseum banned supercross because they broke some water pipes underneath the field. I think the pipes were actually broken by whoever set up a wire for Doug Domokos to do his wheelie tricks on. They didn't have a race there for years after that.

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