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The Star team will have 8 riders for outdoors, Kawi/PC will have 4, etc
If you combine the regions the factory 250 teams will adapt to the 450 business model of having 2 riders.
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No I’m saying the teams won’t field as many riders because they won’t have to to cover both coasts
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Not if they combine coasts
Yes but the riders who get cut will go to some of the lesser teams because they can get a better rider; that will trickle down so that eventually only the best 20-30 will stay.
Keep the east & west series and Make every other race a shootout.
Have a shootout overall championship
Keeps everyone happy
No, but having them all together makes an 8th place finish have a lot more merit so it can be justified.
'Er, waite a minute, maybe....
Why do you say that?
It's not that simple.
A lot of privateer teams would disappear. They put a budget together for one region, combine the regions and there's no longer an incentive for them to race half the races. If it was that easy to double their budgets those teams would currently be running guys in both regions.
Not to mention, the other riders you said would go to those teams are worthy of a factory ride. You don't think they'll also want to be paid accordingly? Those privateer teams can't afford those type of guys. So where do they go? Single privateer effort? Most of them don't even own or want to purchase a bike when they're let go or switching teams. You think those same guys will try and put something together to race 31 rounds? Some will, but the majority would only do a few races or wait for a fill in ride.
Also, the riders finishing 5th and 7th in their respective regions would then drop down the standings outside the top 10. Is it easier to pitch sponsors with your riders finishing 5th and 7th or outside the top 10?
No sponsor is going to pay more money for less exposure or to advertise in markets they don't plan on expanding their businesses to. Not every team works with multinational brands. A lot of them work with local or regional companies. The regional series helps those smaller teams acquire sponsors.
Combine the regions and you'll have less factory riders leading to less rides and more privateers. It wouldn't make the racing any better.
People already complain about the 450 field being thin. It wouldn't be any different for the 250 class.
Combining the regions and expecting the same amount of factory caliber riders is nonsense. If it were that easy, how come the factory 450 teams are not fielding 4-6 riders or fielding factory supported teams?
You don't think the 250 riders will want to be paid the same or nearly the same as the factory 450 guys?
Same amount of races and similar amount of track and TV time.
They'll want to be paid more. They'll want the same type of bonus structure for wins and championships.
The 250 factory teams wouldn't field 4-6 riders if it required paying all of them a million dollars+ a year.
There's a reason the 450 teams are not fielding 4-6 guys and it not because the series is not divided into two regions.
I have heard the arguments for east and west and more riders and more teams and more jobs.
What are the promoters trying to do for the industry? Have more jobs or promote the best possible racing for all involved?
I for one want better racing. The cream will rise to the top. That's what I thought was the purpose of the racing, but I must be a minority.
Is this a jobs program or pro sports? Not every NCAA player makes the NFL. Maybe Star doesn't need 20 riders?
There is not one employee anywhere in any industry that doesn't want paid more, it doesn't mean they get it. Sorry the two regions dilute talent and confuse casual fans. It should be one engine size, one class, 250 two stroke and/or four stroke, A for fast qualifiers and B mains for those that make the night program but don't get through the LCQ. Pro racing shouldn't be a jobs program, it should be for the elite. I really don't understand why we think there needs to be unlimited enrollment and opportunity in the premier racing series in MX/SX. We now have 450, 250 regions, SMX next, Juniors, good lord what is next. The NFL doesn't air high school games at half time. Not every kid that wants to be an astronaut when they are growing up gets to be one, sometimes things are just tough shit. Streamline the program. Cut back the TV presentation staff by a third too.
Good points, lots of things come in to play for sure.
There would be even less jobs if you put all the 250s in 1 series 100%.
The top 250 riders are already over paid for riding a half series, they are not going to quit if their pay isn’t increased. PC and others will still need 4 riders to cover injuries. Star will still have 8 riders because they can offer Pennie’s to be on their bike. Don’t understand why fans argue against a full series?? Currently almost everyone that enters makes the night show because the field is so thin. Cutting out some riders will make the mains healthier and get rid of people that really shouldn’t be out there.
You are describing a system that is apparently designed to maximise the number of people participating.
How can you say the racing won't be better with ALL the best 250 riders competing against each instead of only half at a time.
Those guys who may want to be paid better probably won't; they'll have to accept a lower paid ride.
Who is complaining the 450 class is too thin? By my count there are 16 full time factory 450 rides currently. Throw in Quadlock and its nearly a full gate in SX.
Pit Row
They may want to be paid the same but they'll ride for whatever they are offered. Last time I checked there isn't a minimum wage for SX and MX.
What's the problem if there's a similar number of 250 teams and riders as there is for 450's?
How many of the 250 teams only race regional SX and not the nationals?
Lets say that you're right with that hypothesis, the 250 teams would apply the same team structures as in the 450 class. No more 4-6 rider teams, more 2-3 rider teams.
I would have ZERO issue with that, it would mean that the well funded teams like Club MX and Phoenix would have the chance to sign even better riders and compete against the factory teams. The talentpool is exactly the same, regardless of how many factory bikes there are out there the same good guys would have rides. The losers in this would be the 15-25th place riders in each coast and i'm sorry but it doesn't bother me one bit if it means we get a proper combined class.
He’s not even sure what he says anymore. Maybe it’s designed for the rest of us not to have a clue what he’s on about..
The 250 regional classes are a feeder system for the premier class (450). More 250 riders = wider talent pool for the premier class which makes for better premier racing. The regional setup with half the races mitigates for the long meat grinder season the premier riders face. Privateers are more likely to afford racing on either coast vs both coasts with combined longer series, so this removes a major financial barrier.
What exactly with the class structure is broken that needs fixing?
If the 250 class was run correctly, you wouldn't need SX Futures.
A lot of you guys complaining about the 250 class are the same ones who were complaining about that Deegan needs to be banned from the sport but now can’t wait to see him race Nationals….yawn. Complainers complain.
A1 is always Great when a new years excitement of who will win at the 1st race in both 250 West and 450 …… So removing the excitement of the East 250 series 1st race of the year is a good thing for the fans? Series becomes more boring. More rounds means Huge points difference so less excitement of a battle for the championship.
When David Coombs SR started the East / West 125 class it created more teams and more riders getting paid not less. In the beginning there was a East / West shoot out at the final round in Vegas and it was not for championship points because both East and West series was already completed and championships awarded.
Do you think Feld and MXSports will increase what the $$$$$ 250 racers are being paid?
Pull the plug on East/West 250 and there will be less teams and less racers that hired employees. Less jobs.
When Privateers can not afford to criss cross across the country multiple times they wont do it so the sport DIES.
It's not a dig on Deegs. The last few years, for some reason the 250 field has been wildly inconsistent, except for Haiden. He'd have won anyway, but every year it's not even fucking close because nobody can put even half of a series together.
Probably because they were trying to keep pace….
No one is telling a privateer he needs to do every race. Many in outdoors do not and this is not a jobs program for mechanics. The issue is we are spreading 16 fast riders over 2 series so halfway thru you are down to 4 guys. So a Josh Rodbull doesn't have a ride, that is the life of a racer. But the other issue is they need to make 250 just s a series and not try to sell it as a development program when we have guys in the series for 7 seasons. "If it is development then you get 3-4 years and are out. Win 2 titles and out is fine. What makes 450 great is there are 8-10 good riders or more. 250 is like 3 -4 guys. And if some teams go from 4 to 2 so be it. No like the mechanics at BARx are making 60k a season.
The best races are the shootouts so why not have them every week. If a privateer goes to 7 of them fine
If they combine both coasts and make one PRO level 250 SX series there will be more excitement and interest in the class again so more money coming in. Would things change and teams restructure? you bet there would be but that's not always bad. Right now there are only a few top riders on either coast so the racing sucks, let them all race every race, no pointing out or age limits. SX is not LLs that's what the SX next class is for. People cry about losing jobs if you combine the coasts and they may happen to an extent but it would still be better for the sport to run one series that more people are watching and sponsors could see the value in.
The 450 class isn’t dead; it doesn’t have regions.
Again, is the purpose of a championship structure to create more rides and more jobs, or to allow the best riders to compete for a title?
I’ll bet there are plenty of guys who’d love be able to count a 250SX title among their national championships.
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