Posts
855
Joined
6/7/2009
Location
Puyallup(by way of TX, OK), WA, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 2:17pm
Guys...the brutal facts are, IMO, motocross simply never will garner the TV, fan base/attention that NASCAR or even motorcycle road racing does. All one needs to do is look at the motocross world scenery nowadays(look at the advertisements, all over the internet & magazines-many cases kinda goofy huh?), can you imagine the world of RCR, JGR, Gannasi, Hendricks, Rousch racing operating/advertising in such a manner? Me neither.
Let's face it, our target audience is the flat billed cap/kids in there teens and early/mid 20s(which Co sponsers in our sport have assisted in steering it in that direction). Not exactly the deeper pocket target audience corporations have in there crosshairs. NASCAR, on the other hand, has the tiger by the tail. They've done a marvelous job with there fan base/target audience and marketing the sport. Additionally, there's some awfully good racing going on.
The simple fact is, while we've made big strides since I watched Weinert beat the Euros in the mud back in 71 or 72(forget), motocross will never be an attraction like NASCAR or, in my opinion, motorcycle road racing. Simply because of the perception(or lack of)-of the casual(beer in hand)Sat or Sun TV channel switching audience(also lack of advertising space on bike is an issue, to some extent).
SX is the biggest splash for this sport. Lets hoards of people stumble in at the stadiums at $35-55(or more)a head, guzzle beer/stuff hot dogs/nachos in there mouths(@5-6 bucks or more/a piece), in the comfort of a stadium with excellent viewing in just about any seat. EVERYBODY makes big $. Which is what it's ALL about anymore. Regardless of the distruction of the SPORT of motocross, money is the driver here.
The dirty little fact is motocross just isn't that interesting to most casual observers.
Sad but true.
What's your take? Solutions??
Let's face it, our target audience is the flat billed cap/kids in there teens and early/mid 20s(which Co sponsers in our sport have assisted in steering it in that direction). Not exactly the deeper pocket target audience corporations have in there crosshairs. NASCAR, on the other hand, has the tiger by the tail. They've done a marvelous job with there fan base/target audience and marketing the sport. Additionally, there's some awfully good racing going on.
The simple fact is, while we've made big strides since I watched Weinert beat the Euros in the mud back in 71 or 72(forget), motocross will never be an attraction like NASCAR or, in my opinion, motorcycle road racing. Simply because of the perception(or lack of)-of the casual(beer in hand)Sat or Sun TV channel switching audience(also lack of advertising space on bike is an issue, to some extent).
SX is the biggest splash for this sport. Lets hoards of people stumble in at the stadiums at $35-55(or more)a head, guzzle beer/stuff hot dogs/nachos in there mouths(@5-6 bucks or more/a piece), in the comfort of a stadium with excellent viewing in just about any seat. EVERYBODY makes big $. Which is what it's ALL about anymore. Regardless of the distruction of the SPORT of motocross, money is the driver here.
The dirty little fact is motocross just isn't that interesting to most casual observers.
Sad but true.
What's your take? Solutions??
And is Nascar realy fun? No becouse its about the car, so is also F1. The only way to make it fun is to put money on a driver.
And about betting, Supercross would draw an completely new audience if they made it possible to bet when you arrive to the event!
They are doing quite well. It's the "base"...the racing, the drivers accessibility & relationship with the fans, etc. Also, it's cars. Motorcycles just aren't that appealling to a lot folks.
And yeah, betting would open a new venue, but I don't see it as big draw for the betting types.
Again, an interest and perception thing. Auto racing is just more "big time"/big money. People with money want to be associated with other "money"-if ya know what I mean.
I can hear it now man...kid working his way up on minis or a 125...
"yeah, that nephew of mine has a little dirt bike he rides all around the place out back, thing sounds like a chain saw....har har,..."
I'm not convinced that there is - or ever will be - a HUGE market for mx, live or delayed -
on TV. I don't fault the powers-that-be for continually trying though, in fact I heartily
applaud the most recent efforts, it's impressive ,
Where WE ARE missing the boat though, is in our selling of SUPERCROSS as a
live SATURDAY NIGHT staple on television. I am fully confident - that a well
produced, exceptionally "ORCHESTRATED" and executed winter/ early-spring
LIVE SATURDAY NIGHT SUPERCROSS series - that was consistently exciting and
professionally produced, would be a ratings hit (especially after a couple seasons
of development and honing).
And I would agree totally. I think SX is THE venue to showcase the sport. No question.
My concern with that route is the "poisoning" that'll usher motocross to it's ultimate destiny...stadium only racing. The handwriting is on the wall to me. And I'd bet with you too...
Sad but true. And I don't see any way around it. I sure hope I'm wrong.
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Screw NASCAR, it´s the most boring redneck sport in the world, and if anything, NASCAR can have a couple of thousands of "our" rednecks too.
I was watching a SX event on pay TV recently with a friend who is an absolute sports nut , Rugby, AFL, Cricket etc. It was a great race, I was jumping out of my chair and explaining but all he saw was motorbikes doing jumps.(Does SX really need 10 jumps on every straight??)
He tried to like it but he has never ridden a bike and just could not relate and got bored.
I think that is the problem. Everyone has thrown or kicked a ball, and I guess everyone drives a car , so MX is going to never be mainstream.
Nascar would never stand for RC or Stewart going 24-0. They'd never stand for Pro Circuit winning all the 250F races. No matter how hard Ryan Dungey trains, they'd find a way to handicap him or his team until the other guys beat him.
Nascar is barely even a series any more. It's basically professional wrestling at 180 MPH. The drivers might as well draw straws for the winner's trophy.
While you're thinking up ways to make motocross grow, keep in mind that the sport has to continue to be a "sport".
And Kawboy nailed it, too.
Pit Row
And whats-his-name SCREAMING riders names in that WWF voice...
Is there anyone in attendance that says "man I love it when he does that?"
The freeken music turned up so loud that its pure static...
And a million dB 4skins...
Yea, all that helps attract the casual fan.
I know this thread is targeted more about TV coverage, but try introducing someone by taking them to a race and see how long it takes till they get a screaming headache.
Like I said, the driver is money and it's clear(painfully) they are calling the shots. It's not so much the growing of the sport, as it is the direction the sport is being steered(off a clift IMO)that I'm concerned with. I do think they can do better with the race calling/TV format, and personally would make some changes.
I just hope the outdoor Natls manage to hang on.
'shougal in 2 wks! woo-hoo!
Thanks.
It's the age thing. The riders are retired by the time most other pro athletes are in their prime. I've had the conversation with non moto fans, and they see it as a "kids" sport.
What I don't get is why the powers that be want to take the was nascar does things and bring it to mx? If they are going to follow the nascar pattern, they need to follow the whole thing, not just bits and pieces of it. Nascar works because they have a solid foundation. Mx and sx? Well, they can't even agree on the names of the classes...
Unless you "get it", motocross is boring.
Riders will be getting blocked / use team tactics left / right and center- it will be great.
IMO, The athletes in our sport are the dumbest athletes of any sport X's 100
I bet there are only a few home schooled under 20 yr old riders that could score a 9th grade level anything if they were tested.
In my opinion, TV coverage holds the keys to the growth. I'm watching Formula One now. There was an hour of behind the scenes coverage before the race even started (same with football matches), and thanks to that, I give a shit who wins and am glad Webber is in the lead and will be rooting for him. If the average Joe tuned into MX and saw 40 guys buzzing around, he'd think its neat at first but soon get desensitised and switch over.
I think it takes this kind of indulgent coverage to rope people in and hold their attention. If motocross has a bigger TV slot, amazing packages covering the back stories and rivalries I think you'd get (and keep) more viewers. If MX had a TV package as in depth as this F1 race I'm watching, normal viewers at home would just presume its a legit, credible mainstream sport. Easier said than done when theres dozens of sports competing for the spot light each week.
I also wonder if the format of MX might work against it.. Ie. 4 separate races rather than 'one' big race/match/fight etc.
MX has a built-in, passionate audience, but it's not likely to attract millions of non-participant followers. The good news is, we're finding that people can participate in the sport for a very long time, unlike football or even baseball. We're pretty dependent on participants to support the sport, but if we can be more careful about track layouts and rules, we can keep guys riding into their 60s. Imagine - a kid rides his first race at maybe 10 or so and keeps riding for 50 YEARS. What a great sport!
MX was closer to soccer in popularity then imo
In a way kicked the 70's boom off,
Since then there's been a kick from sx and its tv coverage
then fmx and the extreme sport stuff.
In general its holding it own but when you shift out of the dirt bike scene
and meet people, they know or care little about it.
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