I've subscribed to MXGP TV off and on since 2017. In 2017 the "early-bird" price was about $70. In 2023 it was up to $115, or about an 8% average increase year-over-year. In 2024 it was $125, or a 9% increase. In 2025 it jumps to $145, or an almost 15% increase! It seems like they're just dialing up the increases without any real added value. For example:
- they can't even get a proper leaderboard on the left-side of the screen and instead keep running that crappy scrolling one along the bottom where you miss half the race trying to see who is in what position;
- they won't even hire a full-time analyst/color commentator to work alongside Paul Malin's play-by-play announcing. Granted, he does as good a job as anyone trying to cover both, but it's impossible to do and falls short of the depth and analysis provided by say a Weege / Carmichael / Stewart / JT / Will / etc. combo. JT does a good job alongside Paul the few times he gets over there, but it just seems like a way inferior production, and I can't even recall if they ever jump to Lisa for any on-track reports during the race.
Not to mention I went to the Maggiora MXON in 2016 and paid $700/ticket for the highest level VIP access. In 2018 I went to the RedBud MXON and paid about the same. In 2022 I went back to the RedBud MXON and paid $1,450/ticket! An outrageous increase.
Listen, I understand basic economics and know all about inflation, supply & demand, etc., and that they'll charge what the market will pay. But in my opinion there appears to be a bit of gouging taking place here especially when I hear Cooper Webb share on PulpMX that all he received to cancel a vacation, risk injury, and grind it out on a 250 to race in Matterley Basin was merely his travel expenses covered! And when I pay $280/yr for my YouTube TV NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone and get almost 300 games and all kinds of analysis, etc.
Are the race purses going up 10%+ per year? Are we getting extra value in the video coverage to justify the increases? Something seems inequitable here unless I'm missing something? Can we at least get a proper leaderboard and maybe $20K for any rider risking it all for the MXON? Someone please feel free to slap some sanity back into me.
You have the power and freedom to say no
The key to this is "I paid $1450 for the ticket".
Right there is why they keep raising prices, it is not really the sellers fault. You wouldn't say no to a raise in your salary right? It's not like they are selling milk and bread, but tickets to a dirtbike race.
Get a VPN & set it to New Zealand, it’s a lot cheaper.
Sigh. I think you've watched too many campaign commercials.
FWIW, I bought the MXdN streaming pass in 2023 and didn't get much entertainment out of it. So, this year, I passed and saved my money. Probably the wrong decision based on the racing we had but that's life.
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I’m going to get hate for saying this. But considering how much money the MXON rake in. It would be nice if the racers got compensated. It’s beyond ridiculous they don’t.
The riders should definitely get paid. And paid well. The race is a big cash grab for the promoter.
My guess is the des Nations are going to get stale by going to the same venues. Same venues are used for a cash grab. Yes its business but its at a cost.
MXGP needs some serious soul searching with the tracks they go to.
It's not just them. AMA/Feld is also getting too expensive to attend as either a spectator or a participant. I'm down to attending one SX and one Outdoors event a year now. Each event is $500+ for 4, more if it's fly away. I budget $1000 for an Amateur day at a LOCAL Pro National event, what with camping, memberships, gate and entry fees, fuel and food and event tickets. This year we didn't do Washougal at all simply due to cost. My son wants to try to make Loretta's next year but that's just a huge money grab now, and I don't want to spend $10,000 on it. Even just racing local series (we do 100+ gate drops every year) is a $200-300 weekend. It's not a poor man's sport.
And let's not talk about concerts or any of the big 4 pro sports. They are even worse. I don't attend any of them now.
Just you and Cooksey..everyone else is good with it on vital, because Cooksey is against it..
Well written post. I don't know enough about what goes into the pricing but I do wish more money went to the riders.
The package is expensive but I still purchase every year as it is 100 percent better than anything we have over here!! If the ama could cover the sport like they did week after week I would pay extra as well!
I just wish they wouldn't keep selling out to all these shit tracks.
Nobody's twisting your arm to pay those fees. I personally would never pay the amount you've paid for those VIP tickets. I wouldn't buy any VIP ticket, to be honest. Not my cup of tea, I need to see, feel, smell those bikes and get dirt/mud on my clothes.
I mean if you're willing to write all of those paragraphs AND pay the increases, they will probably continue to "test the water$".
I've been mostly priced out. Once I figured out that I wouldn't die if I didn't attend A1, they mostly lost my monetary support. I still attend the occasional SX/MX event.
The NBC/Peacock TV SX/MX package is a good value for me. The F1 package is a great value.
I appreciate your breakdown of how of how things have changed year-to-year.
-I like the scrappy scrolling which doesn't take one fourth of the screen.
-Malin is ten times better on air than RC, unlike him he both won the Nations AND speaks proper english. When he's paired with JT, they're the best team you can get.
-I don't miss one second "sending it to the local Will" who'll explain me for three minutes that she talked to Paulin who explained her why Vialle had to stop for fresh goggles (spoiler alert: cuz' it's raining and he don't see squat).
Just my three cents.
Not stirring the pot, but you can buy a one year $5.99 archive pass that includes 2024 and past years, including this year's MXdN. I have not subscribed to the full season in advance for several years, mainly because I did not have the time to catch all the races and CBSSN was good enough even with the incessant commercials. But $5.99 on the back end is not much to have some racing on call to catch up on this off season
Enjoy Paul a lot, but I am not someone who hangs on announcers and prefer the stateside production and presentation.
TTFN
I only know the facts I know of. In 2022 at Red Bud we paid a total price of $1800 for VIP Silver for entry and gate tickets. This year at MXON it was only $800 and that was for the highest-level VIP Diamond. The question is why in the US is it so much higher? Is it that Infront gets a share and MxSports gets a share? If I understand it right, they both promote the event and share in the money if the race is in the USA?
Insport tends, at least in the past, to shift all the cost of the event to the track - they sell the right to the event and control it - while limiting the local promoter's access to sponsorship revenue to offset the cost of the event.
It may cost more to recoup that here.
Pit Row
$1450 for red bud? I drove from NY, camped, went to the races both days, ate, drank, and drove home for less than that. It's your own fault, stop blaming others and stop voting blue.
Well, that would normally be true but I would expect the VIP tent, tables, chairs would all be rented locally, correct? The only thing I can imagine they brought in was the starting line structure and their film crew equipment and a few other items. Shipping all of those VIP tents would not make much sense.
Mxon for the promotor and federation a money grab. The top riders should get equal cut of all the millions they rake in.
WHO THE F@#K are you and who the F@#K is COOKSEY. No one cares about the two of you. Just saying
What about New Zealand who have to fly from the other side of the world, for every MXoN, shouldn't they get more compensation than riders who can drive to the race?
Our Tuesday I saw the 'Early Bird' deal for MXGP.
Paid it, right then.
With the fee tacked on for my payment method, it came to $234.43 AUD.
I would like it to be far cheaper, but, well, I can afford it.
Trying to find cheaper deals for another country - eg, UN Zud - well, I could do that.
But, I swore off VPNs and having to f**k around with them a few years ago.
Besides which, I fear the 'Anti Kiwi Squad' coming to my door for aligning myself with those Horrible Bloody Kiwis - Bounders and Cads, ALL! I'm Not going into the AKS torture chambers for a a couple of hundred dollars....... cripes. maybe I should have.
Nope, Being associated with Kiwidom, well, no, Never! (we luvs Yuz Kiwis)
Awaiting the cost of the US season(s). Last year the p**ks double charged me, and took quite some time to refund said double charge
No, and this will sound harsh but New Zealand being there or not being there probably hardly affects there bottom line.
That would apply to any teams outside the top 10, why not only have 10 teams? 2 motos with all 30 riders in each moto.
f1tv is 90 or 99 and you get everything. great production quality too.
Somebody has to sign the check for JT$.
STAN TV with the sports package, They show all the GP's, AUS mx and all 3 des Nations races.
I like the scrolling leaderboard. It leaves more room on the screen for the racing.
I think the announcing is good. I don't mind at all. The best would be if they all stopped talking and just let us listen to the bikes.
I haven't seen the early bird special. $145 is a bit much, but I'll probably pay it.
I miss the $10 tickets to Supercross. 2 strokes will be back before those are.
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