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Didn’t expect to see the organization that I’m a member of listed as an example, SAG aka SAG-AFTRA. While the guild is not perfect in a very tough and changing industry, I’m very thankful that a key group of performers started it many decades ago. I seriously doubt I would have been able to earn a pension without performers being organized with CBA’s in place.
It may still take more than a decade for it to happen for American motocross, but I think it will eventually happen.
Off Road motorcyclists are ,by nature ,individualists. Hence the attraction to motorbikes. Convincing them to join any group goes directly against their most basic beliefs. Not sure if this will ever fly in this sport. The biggest plus, if it was to get organized, would be to help the second and third tier racers get a better paycheck, and more insurance coverage .
The only way this works at the top level is to get the top 10 elite riders on board.
To do that they would have to commit to standing down and not riding in solidarity.
I dont see that ever happening.
Jett, haiden, eli, chase and cooper have completely different issues than everybody else in the top 20.
They want prime Parking for maximum sponsor exposure. They want security un their pit area l. They want access to stuff for their online content.
The other guys want to park somewhere they won't get flooded if it rains, and not next to the portalets.
As good of people as they are they are simply not going to risk millions in their relatively short career windows for something that does no affect them.
The only way they will find out what 15th place pays is if they stretch out their career past when they are the elite.
And there are a lot of other factors, like that the OEMS are so interwoven and have completely different priorities.
All this verbose stuff is great, but it ends up sounding like everything else in our lives.
It is great to picture a utopia, but eventually somebody will have to pay for it and/or suffer to make it reality.
Unfortunately, this appears to be driven by a group vendetta driven individuals with a mission... If an individual or group has a clear-cut "better mouse trap", that is awesome! Put together a business plan and present it to investors. With the current distribution of wealth in this country there are plenty of investors with a net worth of $50 million plus that would love to get on board for a good deal. Afterall, the identity of America is competition, capitalism, free enterprise, etc. Yes, nothing is easy and it would be a long-range endeavor.
There is precedence for a competing series within the US.
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And we see how well that works.....the UCI makes all the decisions and nobody can do a damn thing about it. Most recently, they changed the podium in World Cup mountain biking to 3 from 5 and nearly every top rider was vehemently against it....and no union or riders group was ever mentioned and nothing changed.
The premise is a noble one.
It's doubtful that rider salaries have kept pace with increased profitability on the part of promoters & organizing bodies, & we can all see the elevated levels of risk / injury involved in today's racing environment.
Riders should have input into their own safety.
Any rider capable of consistently qualifying for the night show or a National should receive a living wage & not just tip money.
It's already been said, but how do you get from here to there without the top 10 riders signing on ?
Those athletes are signing lucrative contracts & have been shown to be very reluctant to upset the apple cart.
Of the examples cited, all have in common either the threat of, or incidence of a boycott, without that there's few if any avenues forward.
I know. The podium thing was sad fining them for that. But at the micro level if a stage is too hot or too wet or whatever, they strike and don't ride and things do change a bit. It's a model to start from. But fia uci and fim are all greedy and corrupt. Uci does require teams to put a minimum salary amount in escrow should teams go insolvent like JWR did with deano. And there are minimum salaries. I'm not sure if that came out of the union or not tbf tho.
Damn I didn’t think that many people on vital were against the riders…. Holy shit. This is shocking
Status quo intertia-ists.
For some of us old guys , what is ChatGPT and why is it Bad or good etc. Seriously I have never heard of it and am trying to keep up. 😕
Current and former pro riders need to run it all!! No need to negotiate, when they are the ones running it. It's time the riders get the big cut, instead of none.
Computer program that responds to prompts by synthesizing all of the material available online.
Kind of like how your stomach takes all the stuff you put in your mouth and turns it into poop.
No team is going to support their riders striking lol. Cycling or Moto. That's the difference. The AMA is not a railroad with employees that are part of a union to avoid mistreatment and create fair practices along with negotiation. They are employed by their teams and/or manufacturers. Not a chance Eli is going to strike so privateers get more purse $ or because someone wants more nets or less whoops etc.
Sorry, but its the Riders who dont want this and have never shown any interest.
Well said! You win the grand prize in smartassery for today! That had me rolling..
I posted this in another AI driven thread....
This is the bad side of AI....when people stop thinking critically and rely 100% on AI to produce an opinion, they aren't even smart enough to put together their own thoughts and don't even realize that the info is wrong....in other words if you use AI thinking it's going to make you look smart, the reality is just the opposite....
Can we get an early life check on the Feld's
You seriously need to do a little “research” and learn about the artificial intelligence tools already being used by your friends and neighbors. YouTube is not a terrible place to start.
Pit Row
You seriously need to Piss Off 😎 3strokemx was able to put it in layman's terms very well.
they dont need eli to strike. unless they want to be wsx with 8 riders on the gate. teams will support it when it poses a risk to their investments and commitments to sponsors. Roger D is known to throw his weight around. yamaha was very vocal about getting the red flag rule changed so cam mcacrash would not be able to rejoin and pose a threat to other riders.
this argument has gone around and around, yes, its a buyers market when every kid out of lorettas will race for peanuts, thus putting downward pressure on wages amongst the paddock. im not saying it SHOULD go to a franchise model, but if it did and if qualy spots were limited, riders would better be able to unionize for wages.
its a tool that scrapes data off reddit and other public domain (wink wink) sources and spits out answers. it also gets people addicted to fake friends and fake praise from constructed personalities. hal from space odyssey for example. they just had a whistleblower get killed for exposing the illegal shit theyre doing wrt copyright.
see the tucker carlson / sam altman interview.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1hkc6ll/openai_whistleblow…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suchir_Balaji
This is not correct, it’s been tried multiple times before
riddle me this, why does every other major organized Sports have a players association or union
Perhaps if motocross athletes had improved concussion protocols we would have enough brains to form a union by now
There is NO minimum number of riders required by federal law.
✅ You can legally exist with as few as 2 founding members.
However, for credibility and practical authority, industry standards show:
20–30 riders = Recognized as a legitimate organization
50+ riders = Seen as the official voice of riders
75–100 riders = De facto industry authority
So even without the top 10 riders, 50 committed riders is enough to be seen as an official athlete organization in practice.
So where is the AMA on this? Doesn't this fall into their domain? Are they just responsible for race day operations. More Chiefs may not be the answer.
Under the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. §§ 157–158), riders have the nonwaivable federal right to:
organize
join a labor or professional association
engage in collective action
discuss safety or compensation
support other riders in workplace issues
Any contract clause attempting to limit these rights is void, unenforceable, and superseded by federal law
PHASE 1: Control & Compliance Era
(Current baseline reality)
Timeframe: Years -10 to 0
Characteristics:
Riders operate individually
Contracts strongly favor manufacturers/promoters
Safety standards inconsistent
Limited career longevity
No unified rider voice
High injury risk with minimal protection
Income instability
This phase mirrors:
MLB before Curt Flood
NFL before NFLPA
Tennis before WTA
PHASE 2: Awareness & Spark
(Beginning of change)
Timeframe: Year 0 – Year 1
Characteristics:
Riders speak openly about safety & fairness
First organized conversations begin
NMRA formation announced
Solidarity Agreement introduced
Riders begin identifying shared problems
Key triggers:
Unsafe track conditions
Career-ending injuries
Contract injustice visibility
Media attention
PHASE 1: Control & Compliance Era
(Current baseline reality)
Timeframe: Years -10 to 0
Characteristics:
Riders operate individually
Contracts strongly favor manufacturers/promoters
Safety standards inconsistent
Limited career longevity
No unified rider voice
High injury risk with minimal protection
Income instability
This phase mirrors:
MLB before Curt Flood
NFL before NFLPA
Tennis before WTA
PHASE 2: Awareness & Spark
(Beginning of change)
Timeframe: Year 0 – Year 1
Characteristics:
Riders speak openly about safety & fairness
First organized conversations begin
NMRA formation announced
Solidarity Agreement introduced
Riders begin identifying shared problems
Key triggers:
Unsafe track conditions
Career-ending injuries
Contract injustice visibility
Media attention
PHASE 3: Unity Formation
(Power starts to shift)
Timeframe: Year 1 – Year 2
Characteristics:
30–40% rider participation achieved
Organized communication channels established
Collective decision-making begins
Safety committees formed
Group identity strengthens
Key developments:
Coordinated safety demands
Unified stance against unsafe conditions
Legal structural defenses activated
PHASE 4: Formal Negotiation Phase
(Structural influence begins)
Timeframe: Year 2 – Year 3
Characteristics:
Promoters acknowledge NMRA
Formal meetings started
Standardized safety protocols discussed
Track & medical requirements defined
Transparent pay structures introduced
Outcomes:
Predictable scheduling
Defined rider input systems
Initial compensation improvements
PHASE 5: Industry Professionalization
(Sport matures economically)
Timeframe: Year 3 – Year 5
Characteristics:
Stable athlete representation
Enhanced sponsor confidence
Improved broadcast packages
Long-term career planning introduced
Media narrative reinforces professionalism
Economic effects:
Larger sponsor deals
Increased fan loyalty
Higher event valuation
Elevated ticket demand
Athlete mindset:
“This is now a profession, not just a risk.”
PHASE 6: Revenue Expansion Era
(Financial elevation)
Timeframe: Year 4 – Year 7
Characteristics:
Structured minimum compensation
Revenue-sharing models emerging
Increased bonus structures
New endorsement opportunities
Personal athlete branding expansion
Expected outcomes:
Average income increases 40–70%
Top riders reach multi-six and seven figures
Career viability extends
Post-career transition systems introduced
PHASE 7: Legacy & Cultural Shift
(Permanent transformation)
Timeframe: Year 7+
Characteristics:
Motocross recognized as structured professional career
Global expansion
Youth recruitment increases
Safer, sustainable athlete development pipeline
Cultural change:
Riders respected as professionals
Institutional athlete support systems
Strong union/association presence
I am not sure that someone that mocks the mental capabilities of those they are wanting to represent is the right person for the job.
To the National Labor Relations Board:
On behalf of the National Motocross Riders Association (NMRA), this letter accompanies the enclosed Petition for Representation seeking formal recognition under the National Labor Relations Act for professional motocross riders as statutory employees eligible for collective representation.
The NMRA respectfully submits that motocross riders, while historically classified as independent contractors by manufacturers and promoters, meet the legal definition of “employee” under Section 2(3) of the National Labor Relations Act based on the demonstrable level of control exercised over their work conditions, scheduling, performance standards, compensation structures, and economic dependency.
This petition is supported by evidence establishing that:
• Riders are subject to extensive supervision and rule enforcement
• Riders do not exercise independent entrepreneurial control over their work
• Riders are integral to the core business operations of promoters and manufacturers
• Riders are economically dependent on the entities controlling race participation
• Riders operate under employer-imposed discipline, penalties, and performance requirements
The NMRA further confirms that the requisite “showing of interest” threshold has been met, with supporting authorization documentation submitted under separate confidential cover in compliance with NLRB procedures.
Accordingly, the NMRA respectfully requests that the Board:
Determine that professional motocross riders qualify as employees under the NLRA;
Recognize the NMRA as the exclusive collective representative of the defined bargaining unit;
Authorize and conduct a representation election as required by law;
Ensure protection of riders from interference, restraint, or retaliation under Sections 7 and 8(a) of the Act.
The NMRA stands ready to cooperate fully with the Board’s procedures and provide any additional documentation, testimony, or clarification required.
I’m one of the athletes that wished there was a protocol for my 10 concussions after I retired , 15 amateur championships later & now I advocate for brain injury treatment , consult with other riders suffering from tbi symptoms & know we can do better !
Post a reply to: National Riders Association to Improve Safety, Fairness, and Long-Term Sustainability of the Sport