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I don't know what it costs to haul all that dirt into a stadium and then sculpt a track but I'll bet packing the stadium the following weekend helps mitigate the cost.
SX tickets would definitely be higher without Monster Jam.
Probably not, or at least not as a Feld property.
Yes I think SX would still exist but it would be different.
WSX and AX both make due without Monster Jam.
Would Monster Jam still exist without Supercross? They don't have as many outside sponsors as SX, so I would think it cost Feld quite a bit more to operate Monster Jam than SX.
Monster Jam makes their money from licensed toys I imagine. I would almost bet 50% of US boys age 3-7 own at least one Monster Jam toy.
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Yes. But not as you know it.
I’m not sure 17 rounds would be cost effective.
So long as they pick the right venue's attendance wouldn't be a problem.
They also have some pretty incredible live attendance numbers. I don't get it, but they do.
How quick they forget.
What's hard to get? Its what people do for their kids. My kid has wanted to go see monster trucks every time they are in town, or in another town, and so do all his friends. Not once has he wanted to go to supercross. We've been to 6 monster truck events in the last year and half. Haven't been to a supercross since pre covid and that was without my kid as he was still pretty little then.
Yeah.... WSX is just killing it....
AX isn't even close to the same monster as SX, takes half the dirt so it's half the cost to construct. I'd assume they also cover quite a bit of costs with the amateur racing entries.
Thanks to Mom-Mom, my 2 year old owns 100% of the Monster Jam toys 😂
The original Bigfoot as seen in the movie 'Take this job and shove it' was badass. Amazing what it started.
I see a bunch of people I know going to Monster Jam every year that are definitely not Motorsport or off road people at all. Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right.
My nephews couldn't care less about watching a SX in person, but those trucks will get them to Anaheim every damn time.
My wife and I shared an Air BnB in Breckenridge with some friends with kids, their son is 4 and absolutely obsessed with monster trucks. He had all the toys, played with them exclusively, and we watched tens of hours of Monster Jam over the course of the week.
After that week, I understand why monster trucks are so popular. It's really easy for the kids to follow. They don't have to follow a specific rider, they follow a truck. They can swap out drivers and the kids have no idea. I'm assuming the "results" are fixed so there is always a story line, and kids follow that. It's easy to track one or two massive trucks on the course at a time rather than 22 bikes with tiny logos and numbers.
I always kind of assumed it just resonated with the "developmentally challenged" folks, but this kids parents are highly-educated ballers and all he cares about is monster trucks. I've tried to get him to pay attention to SX races and he doesn't give even the slightest shit, and I get it.
I think SX would struggle to bring in all that dirt into these high-profile venues and keep ticket prices close to the same. As the years go on, I hate Feld less I am actually becoming appreciative of them. It takes some serious capital to fund the SX series.
The original branding of these cars as "Monsters" instead of "giant" or "big wheel" or whatever was such a masterstroke. Just instantly resonant with a little kid as soon as you say the name, even if they don't know them.
My brother went to a Monster Truck event at Anaheim a couple years ago and said it was a sea of young Hispanic kids just losing their minds lol
That shit sells tickets period. The superiority that SX fans feel over Monster Trucks is weird. It’s all entertainment
Pit Row
right, but those series would have a bigger audience and opportunities if Feld / AMA SX went away.
Lol speaking of how they switch drivers. I remember when I was a kid my favorite was Panther.
I met the driver once, and then a year later I saw the driver and it was a completely different person and I was so confused 😂
Back in the late 80's to mid 90's i worked for supersports, one of the companies that did supercrosses and monster trucks.
There were some shows, like miami, that they would level parts of the supercross track and do a mostertruck show on sunday afternoon.
As monster truck stuff took off they did stand alone events the week hefore or after a supercross, much like feld does now. It absolutely helps spread the dirt expense over several events.
They saved enough on move in/out expenses by spreading it out over several events and not laying plywood on the field that they could resod the field if needed and still come out ahead
Their truck events at tampa grew to dwarf sx attendance numbers, and they could add additional days just by booking another day at the venue.
Monster trucks, just like supercross, have come a long way.
I dont care who you are, if a 20,000+ pound truck doing wheelies, stoppies, and back flips doesnt impress you, then check your pulse.
Last i knew feld owns the trucks that run their events, and i believe they actually had a practice facilty where the drivers hone their craft.
I do not think bigfoot has run any feld(or clear channel) events since the late 90's because of a conflict over film, merchandise, and marketing rights.
Last i remember they had multiple trucks and drivers booking special events. Everything from small arenas, to fairs and filler time at various motorsports events.
There have been many safety innovations since the tv clip shown from 1992.
George carpenter, who was a show director for pace and supersports developed remote, radio controlled kill switches for the trucks that as far as i know are still used. A safety official has a radio they can activaate in case a driver is knocked out or otherwise loses control. Each truck has a switch and they check them as the truck is introduced before they make a run. There is an indicator light that will be on also where the sun visor would be.
There are other things like securing drive train and other componets so they do not hecome projectiles.
One of the last shows i worked for supersports was in chattanooga. I was from the area and had an english teacher from high school that had become a college professer. He also had a couple of boys aged 5 & 7.
Now this was the most button downed, military school candidate, tweed wearing guy you could imagine.
When his wife found out from my mom that i could get them tickets you would have thought they won the lottery.
I got them up in the cab of bigfoot for a parade lap in opening ceromonies. they were ecstatic.
30+ years later and they still mentioned it when they last saw me to their kids that are about that age.
As much as i love supercross, it is hard to imagine that kind of lasting impression from attending it once. they only knew of monster trucks, and to this day probably could not tell you who was driving.
Dang, did not mean to write a book.
Answer to the op, yes, sx could probably still do ok.
But hopefully between amortizing production expenses and cross promotion that make both events more lucrative supercross racers see a little more money being spread around
JustMX : "George carpenter, who was a show director for pace and supersports developed remote, radio controlled kill switches for the trucks that as far as i know are still used. A safety official has a radio they can activate in case a driver is knocked out or otherwise loses control. Each truck has a switch and they check them as the truck is introduced before they make a run. There is an indicator light that will be on also where the sun visor would be.
There are other things like securing drive train and other components so they do not become projectiles."
Thanks for that - I've always wondered at what sorts of safety measures they may have with those things. As, with the stuff they do, going into , and over, the stands and the people in them, would be no challenge to those behemoths.
I'm not at all interested in MTs, but, as others have said, when you see how Kids love it, well, it gives you a glimpse into it's popularity.
The amortization of costs between SX and Monster truck events has helped Both - the majority of events seem to be paired, for a couple of weeks at at time, so, that would, I assume, be a considerable saving over 'stand alone' events. As a side note, I'd love to see a costing of the build up and holding of a SX. It must be quite the $$$$$ figure.
Imagine how much better SX racing would be if they went the Monster Jam route, every rider on the track being on even equipment? But Monster Jam is somewhat scripted and we wouldn't want that for SX
The Sound is a big thing there Really Loud & sound Great . Plus there Huge & painted up cool. I know women that hv to drive there little boys to a construction site or a truck stop . They hv to see big iron. They see a semi hauling a huge mining truck & r blown away . Or a combine etc. if monster trucks every stopped the little boys would Major freak out. The pipeline co I worker 4 has quarry days . All kinds of hvy equipment they let kids on it . The kids go nuts.
A couple clips, including one from motoworld. of course i was standing on the right 20' out of camera shot. I was holding a pole to mark where he touched down. I don't think you will see press or track workers all over the floor anymore like they were back then.
I think Rich Winkler with dirtwurks even got clipped one time and got a fractured sternum. he was lucky.
CHI-TOWN HUSTLER MONSTER TRUCK JUMP ON "MOTOWORLD!"
Back then about 75 feet would have been a record. now it is 75 yards.
Here is a video of the 1990 tampa show. the place was packed.
1990 USHRA Mud & Monster Series Tampa, FL
those same little boys like to see it live also. I took my sons when they were kids ( a couple times actually). Then when my grandson came along I took him a few times as well. Both attended their first Monster Truck show prior to their first supercross. It's not really my thing either. Its kind of like Nitro Circus, the kids loved it, I just thought it was okay. But one thing I can definitely say for sure. Every time we went to the Ga dome or Atlanta motor speedway, it was a sellout for the Monster trucks. That's not saying much though as the Atlanta SX always had a very large crowd as well.
Damn man, I felt that! Developmentally Challenged people? Those are my people. lol Let me fix that. Those WERE my people, no longer my thing.
I kind of feel like things were heading that way.
SMX might have veered the direction for a bit
What I could never wrap my head around is how they literally destroy trucks from race to race (or event) and still make money doing this.
Pretty sure Feld owns the trucks and there are actually multiple trucks doing events on the same dates. For example, there is more than one Grave Digger.
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