What is it helping?

Shred wrote:

I know two “bike shop” owners and they are two of the richest people I know.  Great guys both…but how much more do they need?  The...

I know two “bike shop” owners and they are two of the richest people I know.  Great guys both…but how much more do they need?  The two tracks I ride the most are so owvercrowded they are already barely worth going to…so they don’t need more.   So yes, my concern is for the riders that made those people, good people as they are, rich. So…my concern is “growing” the sport into something we don’t recognize or enjoy as much.   There is a balance….we had it for years.  You can deem it a selfish viewpoint….but the other reflects greed.  Feld could not care less about the sport.  They care about money.  I don’t begrudge anyone for making money where they can….i just love the sport…for the rider.  I would prefer it not become the NBA.  Too much money ruins a sport.  Can’t stand the NBA anymore. It just happened to college basketball.  No more Cinderella stories.  This is just my view.  You can have another.    All jmho.

SKlein wrote:

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...

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.

Shred wrote:

I know two “bike shop” owners and they are two of the richest people I know.  Great guys both…but how much more do they need?  The...

I know two “bike shop” owners and they are two of the richest people I know.  Great guys both…but how much more do they need?  The two tracks I ride the most are so owvercrowded they are already barely worth going to…so they don’t need more.   So yes, my concern is for the riders that made those people, good people as they are, rich. So…my concern is “growing” the sport into something we don’t recognize or enjoy as much.   There is a balance….we had it for years.  You can deem it a selfish viewpoint….but the other reflects greed.  Feld could not care less about the sport.  They care about money.  I don’t begrudge anyone for making money where they can….i just love the sport…for the rider.  I would prefer it not become the NBA.  Too much money ruins a sport.  Can’t stand the NBA anymore. It just happened to college basketball.  No more Cinderella stories.  This is just my view.  You can have another.    All jmho.

Flatliner wrote:

The modern NBA is a shadow of what it was,  from the caliber of play, to the players and the BS, and all the rest days...

The modern NBA is a shadow of what it was,  from the caliber of play, to the players and the BS, and all the rest days guys take.  Ratings are down as well.  Then you have the WNBA who have players like angel reese ranting about how she should be paid like elite NBA players, in a league that generates no revenue.  Rant over.

3strokemx wrote:

Do you have any numbers to back that up?  

Timo wrote:

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

DaveB771 wrote:

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...

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.

yamathumb wrote:

Umm Supercross is the #2 most attended motorsport in America usually, and Nascar is on the decline so. They would be wise to position themselves to...

Umm Supercross is the #2 most attended motorsport in America usually, and Nascar is on the decline so. They would be wise to position themselves to be acting right when it becomes #1. No disrespect to Nascar or any other sport, but, this sport has the absolute Gnarliest athletes between all the different disciplines . We all know it, don't be surprised one day of it takes off in popularity to a level we all would be surprised at. Because the skill, the storyline, the spectacle is all very high level. With a more polished production there is room for much growth with regards to the non riding publics interest. And I'm all for whatever it takes to get these guys getting paid like the other sports pay. They certainly deserve more than what they get now, promoters included. Imho, Supercross and Motocross riders are the best athletes in the world. And again, something is gonna be needed to replace Nascar as it fades awaya

-MAVERICK- wrote:

#2 most attended? I would've thought IndyCar would've been above SX. 

Out of curiosity, do you have a link? 

OldPro277 wrote:

A quick check showed 2023 SX attendance at 850,000 for 17 rounds, and only 855,000 for the 2024 season . Certainly not any appreciable increase. About...

A quick check showed 2023 SX attendance at 850,000 for 17 rounds, and only 855,000 for the 2024 season . Certainly not any appreciable increase. About 50,000 average per race . Even NHRA averages 85000+ per race . I think Yamathumb may have some wishful thinking on his stats . 

kawasa84 wrote:

I grew up in northern IA. Raced district 22. I can tell you there weren't many tracks in northern IA in the late 70's or early...

I grew up in northern IA. Raced district 22. I can tell you there weren't many tracks in northern IA in the late 70's or early 80's. I can think of 2 and I raced those and about 4 others in Iowa that were in the middle if not southern part of the state. I haven't lived there for decades, and I know of a few new tracks and several of the ones I raced that have closed.  Its great to see the New Hartford MX track is still going outside of Cedar Falls/Waterloo. As Tipton has closed, and that was my favorite track with its natural terrain elevation.

I do get to Millville often. Been going since the mid 80's

kawasa84 wrote:

I grew up in northern IA. Raced district 22. I can tell you there weren't many tracks in northern IA in the late 70's or early...

I grew up in northern IA. Raced district 22. I can tell you there weren't many tracks in northern IA in the late 70's or early 80's. I can think of 2 and I raced those and about 4 others in Iowa that were in the middle if not southern part of the state. I haven't lived there for decades, and I know of a few new tracks and several of the ones I raced that have closed.  Its great to see the New Hartford MX track is still going outside of Cedar Falls/Waterloo. As Tipton has closed, and that was my favorite track with its natural terrain elevation.

I do get to Millville often. Been going since the mid 80's

DaveB771 wrote:

I spent a lot of weekends at Fort Dodge, Forest City, West Bend/Humboldt, Otter Creek, New Hartford and LeGrand (honorary North Iowa). Never made it to...

I spent a lot of weekends at Fort Dodge, Forest City, West Bend/Humboldt, Otter Creek, New Hartford and LeGrand (honorary North Iowa). Never made it to Castana. Spencer’s track closed just before I started racing.

plowboy wrote:

Does anyone truly believe that SX/MX is going to get much bigger than it is now?  Between the cost, riding areas, and inherent danger I'd say...

Does anyone truly believe that SX/MX is going to get much bigger than it is now?  Between the cost, riding areas, and inherent danger I'd say we're lucky it's as healthy as it is.  Just keepin' it real brothers.

racin mason wrote:

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.

racin mason wrote:

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.

RbR wrote:

High School MX teams competing at multi-school events .... 

Chain ChaTTer wrote:

What exactly are we trying to accomplish here by trying to make this grimey little sport of ours mainstream?Then what?All this SMX bs,local nfl players at...

What exactly are we trying to accomplish here by trying to make this grimey little sport of ours mainstream?

Then what?

All this SMX bs,local nfl players at each round who have zero interest,what's the end game?

More people at tracks? More bike sales?

This thing will never be Nascar or MLB so wtf?

TONS of us hate stick and ball sports...don't fit in...and dirtbikes are what we live for.

We can tell your new to this ...and we hate you 😄

3strokemx wrote:

Yeah I see it getting bigger. 
The next step is indoor arenacross style tracks in major cities, using electric bikes.  

Sparkalounger wrote:

I didn't start racing until 88.  D23Then started venturing into IA and SD chasing money in the 90's.Storm Lake / Truesdale was  A LOT of fun...

I didn't start racing until 88.  D23

Then started venturing into IA and SD chasing money in the 90's.

Storm Lake / Truesdale was  A LOT of fun!  Tiny little town, no baseball field, but they a SX track in the middle of the town!

All I know is that that in 1988, 350 entries per race was average.

A couple of you keep talking about the 125 c class being 3 gates.... Fine.  But that was like 50% of the entries, LOL.

There wasn't 650 entries with (7) - 50cc classes, (4) - 65 classes.... +25 abc, +30abc, +40abc, +50 abc, and on down the line.

Every guy in the 70's that bought a suzuki 185, raced it with the lights on it 2 times and forever identified as "i raced back in the day"....

I thought the debate was "is it more mainstream"?  I feel like it is.  

More participants per capita...?  That might go to the 70' era...? 

 

3strokemx wrote:

Yeah I see it getting bigger. 
The next step is indoor arenacross style tracks in major cities, using electric bikes.  

OldPro277 wrote:

Smaller tracks with more powerful bikes --- what could possibly go wrong with that ? lol. Feld's circus background would certainly lend itself to that attraction...

Smaller tracks with more powerful bikes --- what could possibly go wrong with that ? lol. Feld's circus background would certainly lend itself to that attraction  however 😂

I think the only thing that would help get participation back to the glory years levels , is for current  parents of the young kids start the little ones out on a Staycyc early , keep them away from the stupid  "screens" and keep them hooked without pushing hard enough to burn them out .  We need as many "do'ers" as we do "watchers",  and at the moment its definitely not that way . Without the participation at the local level, the talent pool will start to diminish, which will eventually effect the level of the Professional competition , and when that starts to decline ,all the "watchers" will tune into something else to get their vicarious thrill. 

Any of us old dudes that were around racing in the 70's and 80's will tell you that from the beginning there was  always talk about  the plans to "grow the sport " --"make it more mainstream", blah, blah and blah, but now 50+ years later its just obvious that MX/SX is pretty much where its going to stay. Had a few oscillations in its popularity thru out the years , but where the Pro level is at the moment is ok with me , I'd just love to see the local stuff get a little closer to the participation levels of years past to keep feeding the Professional machine . 

 

Not hillbilly wrote:

That’s some good nostalgia. I wanna hit of that!Let’s also remember how different the markets were back then. The bikes were way cheaper, largely because they...

That’s some good nostalgia. I wanna hit of that!

Let’s also remember how different the markets were back then. The bikes were way cheaper, largely because they were made cheaper. They broke more often and they all needed relatively significant mods to really race. I mean, when I first raced my XR75, I had to get better shocks and a pipe. Today’s bikes are just about as trick as they come.

Real estate development is also largely to blame for the loss of Chicken Licks and other local favorites.

But hey, if all it takes to fill 3 gates with 250F C racers is inexpensive bikes, there are plenty of Chinese bikes out there for next to nothing. 

RichieW13 wrote:

I have often tried to figure out why more people were interested in riding dirt bikes in the 1970s.  I'm sure at least a small part...

I have often tried to figure out why more people were interested in riding dirt bikes in the 1970s.  I'm sure at least a small part of it was entertainment options.  In 1972, you had 3 channels of TV to watch, and the TV's sucked anyway.  Now we have so many more entertainment options (addictions!) without even leaving the house. 

I think one obstacle for newbies to get into dirt biking is figuring out how to start.  My dad started riding when I was about 5, and he bought me my first one when I was about 8, so I've been around dirt bikes forever.  And HE got started because a neighbor moved in who was already a dirt biker.  But if he didn't get me started, I think it's unlikely I ever would have.  Maybe I would have seen a dirt bike in some fields or on TV and been interested.  But I'm not sure if I ever would have been willing to make the leap of spending thousands of dollars to buy a bike and trying to figure out how and where to ride.   

I am impressed any time I meet somebody who got into riding on their own.

3strokemx wrote:

In the 70's you could ride pretty much wherever. Over the years, the DOT, land use rules, and posted property put the brakes on that.I suspect that's...

In the 70's you could ride pretty much wherever. 

Over the years, the DOT, land use rules, and posted property put the brakes on that.

I suspect that's why e-bikes are gaining popularity in urban areas.  Laws haven't caught up with them yet and the lack of sound helps in most situations.

3strokemx wrote:

Yeah I see it getting bigger. 
The next step is indoor arenacross style tracks in major cities, using electric bikes.  

OldPro277 wrote:

Smaller tracks with more powerful bikes --- what could possibly go wrong with that ? lol. Feld's circus background would certainly lend itself to that attraction...

Smaller tracks with more powerful bikes --- what could possibly go wrong with that ? lol. Feld's circus background would certainly lend itself to that attraction  however 😂

I think the only thing that would help get participation back to the glory years levels , is for current  parents of the young kids start the little ones out on a Staycyc early , keep them away from the stupid  "screens" and keep them hooked without pushing hard enough to burn them out .  We need as many "do'ers" as we do "watchers",  and at the moment its definitely not that way . Without the participation at the local level, the talent pool will start to diminish, which will eventually effect the level of the Professional competition , and when that starts to decline ,all the "watchers" will tune into something else to get their vicarious thrill. 

Any of us old dudes that were around racing in the 70's and 80's will tell you that from the beginning there was  always talk about  the plans to "grow the sport " --"make it more mainstream", blah, blah and blah, but now 50+ years later its just obvious that MX/SX is pretty much where its going to stay. Had a few oscillations in its popularity thru out the years , but where the Pro level is at the moment is ok with me , I'd just love to see the local stuff get a little closer to the participation levels of years past to keep feeding the Professional machine . 

 

3strokemx wrote:

You might be surprised to learn that you can limit output on electric bikes.Also, why would Feld have anything to do with it?   I think...

You might be surprised to learn that you can limit output on electric bikes.

Also, why would Feld have anything to do with it?   I think the tracks will be private and people pay to rent a bike for an hour or 2, kind of like a go-kart track meets bike park.