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The riders who do have the financial backing to race GPs are far less likely to jump ship and go anywhere else and the ones being pushed out because they don't have the funds are not going to have the backing to go anywhere else.
When was the last time a "hillbilly fast guy" screwed up a top guy's season?
I guess kids like Shaun Simpson, Jason Dougan, Ray Rowson and Bryan Mackenzie (just to name some British kids) all must be dirty rich huh,
Seriously tho, Im with you on the fee, It only works if theres enough wealthy teams to pay the fee but how can you charge a fee if you cant fill the gate. Its the same fee if your budgets 1,000,000 as it is if your budgets 200,000 it doesnt quite work does it.
As for making it more exclusive well I get that, it is a world title after all, not an amateur free for all. There must be loads of drivers in F3 that are as fast as some of the F1 drivers but thats the nature of a fixed entry, it helps the teams in that it gives the teams more chance of securing sponsors when theyre guaranteed a start. Those selected drivers earn a little more but its obviously harder to break into as a driver.
I will still continue ride and watch despite what these people come up with...
You don't see NFL teams show up to play 2 days early to hold tryouts so locals can get a chance to get hammered with the pros. Why has SXMX had to rely on such a half-pro/half amateur system?
The debate then on the US side was just the same-professionalism vs access.
SX was signing up sometimes 3-4 times the riders it needed for a night show. Local stars were getting hurt, and some badly, one died. If SX could get away with it, it would do the same thing YS is doing. When news of this got out, the US fans and cranky-outdated mags whined as if they had their candy taken away.
The economics of the GPs are not the same as SXMX in the states. They spend a lot more on travel, and move a lot more equipment. (just look at the 2-story pit lane, it goes to every GP, and that's not a trivial task.) It's logical that if they are going to all that trouble, that they reduce the number to the reliable teams that are going to make their commitments to make it to these events and not flake out halfway through. You would do the same thing if it were your deal.
They still left the door open for 4 more riders above the 26, so local federations can get in the heroes the host nation wants to see, or have big names race by invitation.
Go to a mall and visit a sports store. All the big sports have a set number of teams and you know who they are.
sheesh people!
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Budds MXoN was the biggest and baddest MX race in US history, and it had 3 US riders. YS made the US side look like amateurs on its first race.
It's no wonder the US side tries so hard to sabotage everything YS wants to do! They can't handle a better example. Total cowards.
Youthstream just rode the coat tails and laughed all the way to the bank.
Of course the cowards pulled the scheduled USGP last year and are to scared to comit to one this year. Who is scared?
.
Glad to hear you're capable of some thoughts of your own.
Pit Row
Nobody "sabotaged" anything. Except their own careers.
I saw the AMA considering the same things a few years ago. SX did cut back, but it also had some empty gates for heat races too...
Are you guys saying that is not a fact?
Name the other pro team sports that open the door for locals to try out and be heroes for a weekend.....
Two years from now, if things pick back up, it could go back to 40. Right now it's a good idea to focus on strong teams that are securely funded and will make the whole series.
Most teams get supported by sponsors of their home country and that's not enough for the costs. A Californian says he's an American, but a French says he's french, not european. Know what I mean? As long as we don't have a united european economy, people don't care about the foreign country teams sponsor products.
Back on topic... I'm not against the under 23 rule. If you think about it, they can race the gp's at age 16... that gives them 6 - 7 years in the mx2 class. I think that's plenty of time.
Riders would hate it though.
Post a reply to: Interesting PR from Youthstream