What is it helping?

They're trying to generate more revenue for the promoters.

I have been saying the same thing for years. What exactly would be accomplished by making mx / sx more mainstream? I can’t think of anything positive. Would more tracks  open, or would more get shut down?

A bigger sport means potential for a larger, more competitive talent pool, and more money to spread around with bigger potential TV contracts. As well, what's the resistance for having a more accessible sport [viewership wise]? Personally I'll take our current Peacock setup any day of the week over the shitshow that was the MavTV/FloRacing days.

Good to see the #mainstream debate coming back around again.   This was a super hot topic back about 15 years ago.   It would be interesting to see how many of those arguing for more mainstream in the old posts are no longer around MX.

Oh how quickly we have forgotten about 2022. 

The sport was one hell of a lot  bigger in 1972 than it is now in terms of bike sales, participation, and places to ride.

With business, you're either growing or dying.

I like it small.

I'd be willing to debate that it was more mainstream in the late 90's early 2000's than now.

That only matters to people who view MX as a business and not a sport.

The sport is dying and its pains me to say it but I dont think theres any saving it. When I was young, our local pit was the place to be on the weekends. Fast forward 25 years, the only people in that pit on the weekends are my kids and I. Its been a slow decline but the train is rolling....

This is the kind of critical thinking we need more of in the good ole USA about now.   Like someone said above, the forces pushing to grow the sport are the ones that would profit the most from growth.   In our current financial markets, if your not growing you're dying.   No room for flat or slight decrease.   Always more more more.   

I've been hearing this about growing the sport since day 1.   Actually all niche sports I participate in, not just motorcycle racing are trying to increase their slice of the discretionary spending pie.   Feld competes with all other sports and also Disney, Time shares and Cruises.  .  

But I agree with the OP, what does it do for me, the guy who buys a bike and pays to go practice whenever he can.   The answer is really nothing but more crowded tracks, more regulation with more eyes on the sport and increased costs because..... they can.   Think COVID.   

Back then, you could flip channels on a Saturday and anyone could see the outdoors on ESPN2. Now with streaming only and lack of coverage, no randos are tuning in. Back then the general public knew who McGrath was. You would be hard pressed now to find a rando who knows any top pro's name. 

I'm still convinced that an enthusiast lead company needs to purchase the rights to the  SX/ MX series and run it. It doesn't need to be run by a circus organization, literally. We only need to focus on the core demographic and focus on sustainable profitability. Can you imagine football or basketball being owned by an entertainment parent company and not by the operating league itself? 

Do you have any numbers to back that up?  

Mainstream how? 
 

OR there are better places to ride now so we don't have to go to your pit all the time.

He's got no data but a "gut feeling". Seems legit 😂

As a fan, I think the two things I think would make the sport better:

- fewer riders missing races due to injuries

- more riders at each race capable of winning the main event 

I would also like it if all the riders who make the night show are able to earn a living as pro racers, but I don't think that will make the product better as a fan.  Maybe if there was more money in the sport, there could be more factory-supported riders, but I'm not sure if that gives us more racers who can compete for race wins.  I think there's just a very limited pool of guys talented enough to go that fast.    

I do want to make sure there is enough money in the sport that we continue to have a TV package that gives us the option of watching every round live plus the ability to watch every round on replay on demand.

Growing the sport could just as easily create positive public sentiment. 
Positive public sentiment will help when the elected officials need to decide on situations involving track closures.   

If the only thing they know about motocross is what they glean from social media or the news, then having positive associations will help grow the sport in that respect. 

Your local mayor, "I like this popular football player, he must be a fan of motor bikes because I saw a 10 second clip of him doing a jersey swap with a rider."

More money for the people making money.  That’s it.  For us, the real fan, more expensive to go watch a race, lines for autographs worse then ever (already are), more idiots buying bikes, tracks more crowded with more slow/dangerous riders, and many more bad injuries = suits and track regulations leading to dumbing down tracks.  Last week I watched a beginner on a shiney newYZ450F, that couldn’t even shift properly, roll on to the pro track and roll around getting bucked every time he accidentally gased it and falling over multiple times.  He almost got jumped on because a faster rider couldn’t see him rolling between a big double.  Mainstream would change the sport we love…and already is.  I would rather have MavTV cover it with Denny Stephenson commentating….but that’s just me.

Kind of where I'm at....

Sales were larger.

The moto scene in Cali was off the charts.  The rest of the nation.... not so much.  Decent amount of flattrack racing. 

What about average attendance to a regular pro national in 78?  Millville was like 4k people, right?  Now its what, 40k+?

Is the sport hurting a bit right now? Yes.
Is it less mainstream than in the past?  I don't think so.

Merch at retailers like Target, Fox stores in malls, social media, Youtube, broad TV packages.  Way more exposure.

The dang ol' wheelie boys fer cryin' out loud.  That demographic is because it is more mainstream...

I kind of like it small as well.
But, i think the answer to the original posters question is: Bigger / more mainstream = more money = better pay for the rider = draws ore people / talent = better / more racing.

AND - More money in the sport = opportunities for media like this to exist.  This place is great!

Like anything else though, more money more problems....

Give me 1988 again.

Highly doubtful. Ive live here my whole life the amount of locals that ride used to be triple what it is now.

It was many concussions ago, but I remember a magazine stating that in the late 1970s the RM125 was US Suzuki's third-highest selling model. And there were motocross tracks all across North Iowa.

I'm willing to bet that there are more non-fan views on interesting mx/sx social media posts than any 90-00's tv show appearance.

reference McAdoo racing with his balls out
 

Dave,  how many entries at a D23 race at Kellogg or Mankato in 79?

Perhaps, but you don't see McAdoo on a 1-800-collect ad during a packers game.

Or on Jay Leno

Yes...it is dying.      Bikes too expensive for families that are interested in getting involved.  On the flip side you have Bulldozer parents who wrap their kids in bubble-wrap these days.   Rapidly diminishing/lack of places to ride/race legally.  Increasing government land use restrictions    Mom and pop not buying a bike for little johnnie/Jillie means no $$$ for factory racing.    It's only a matter of time before sponsors start drying up. 

   ...but electrics will surely save us....lol.   It's not about the noise... and those who don't get that are helping quicken the demise.     

How about todays moto "fans".   You can't even get them to be interested in a whole season.      They'd rather be involved in a 20+ page thread bitching about (Insert this weeks target here), than read real content.

Wait for it....