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Ok
Yup.
How many of the best top athletes in their own country and their particular sport actually have to pay out of their own pocket to attend and enter an event that wouldn't exist without people like them? Just curious because when I think of other sports i don't see it. The riders lose money even if they win. Meanwhile there is crazy amounts of revenue being generated at the event. I wonder how much the athletes on Spains world cup team spent out of their own pockets to go to the world cup? And I'm sure they didn't make any money right? Wake up people! It's a money grab in the name of patriotism. The FIM is full blown corrup government. They've exploited and ruined the event. I applaud the athletes and teams standing up for themselves.
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So far in all the threads I have never seen anyone mention that Deegan has ALREADY been paid for MXdN - how so? He is under contract 🤷♂️, l know that it would stipulate contracted for SX, MX but what about the recent addition of SMX?
Now this leaves the only people needing paid is the team with cost of shipping & wages for A mechanic
He's gone now.
I’m beginning to wonder if Des Nations is more important of a race to older guys/gals (myself included) than the current generation. It was a staple back in 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s. Everyone sent their top riders, no questions asked. Not that there’s anything wrong with either view, I recognize the current generation have much more time and effort not only with the number of races, but also training and testing. I get both sides of the coin.
True but the American team that got the ball rolling back in 81 was considered a B team . The 3 national champs in 81 were Glover ( 500 ) , Howerton ( 250 ) and Barnett ( 125 ) and for whatever reason they didn't go . If there were internet forums back then they probably would have got roasted lol .
Hymas is pretty young, sexton and Jett were pretty young in 22. Plenty of young guys still get it. Don't judge the whole group of them based on Deegan being a tool, take him out of the equation and there's a lot of younger guys that seem to have some old school grit to them.
Agreed, and I’m not trying to cast a blanket judgement. But it’s been awhile since we consistently sent our A team. The team we have is still badass and I’ll support anyone volunteering to go.
It's been since 2014 since we sent our best 3 riders...but everything is ok and no change is needed...
agreed. it's like the olympics...but if team USA shrugs and is fine sending the B/C team...the entire event loses its luster. Not only for US fans, but other nations that want to race against our best.
There's big nasty cracks in the foundation of MXON
You seem to be implying that the problem is with MXdN itself, but I think you need to look deeper into why Team USA hasn’t been able to send its best team for over a decade. I mean a large chunk of that time Eli couldn’t go because Kawasaki USA refused to participate.
Also what proportion of that time were injuries a factor?
I think you are overstating the importance of the US sending their A team. Probably Redbud 2022 was the last time the US would have been favourites regardless of who they sent.
"Favorites" is subjective but in 2023 a team of Tomac, Sexton and Cooper would have been hard to beat. Instead we sent Plessinger, Hampshire and Christian Craig. lol
In 2024 a team of Tomac, Sexton and Deegan would have absolutely been the favorite. Instead we sent Tomac, Plessinger and Webb on a 250 and still finished 2nd only 3 points back from Australia.
Not at all I have been critical of our industry and their inability to send our best for years and Bruce Stjermstrom summed it up best last week when he said this after Kawi said no to Marchbanks going..."The MXON is number 32 on our list of importance" He's been the top guy at Kawi since 2014(and the reason Kawi hasen't sent riders)...His stance and now Stars stance along with the idiots at the AMA is why we don't/won't send our best riders....with that said I also feel the promoter of the MXDN/mxgp is the biggest whore in this sport...but the fact remains we have people in charge that can't do a realistic budget and raise the funds necessary to send our best team....but they all make sure their trip is covered...to put it simply we know how much it costs to send our best, yet here we are failing again...Our fans want the best team, but as you can see in this thread many, are unwilling to support the team in any way even if it's a $.50 surcharge on tickets to go towards the team...I've have asked several times to people bitching if they have donated to RaiseIt4USA and every single one basically said they are not going to give money to millionaires....My conclusion is that the US industry doesn't give a shit, the AMA doesn't give a shit and I'm now realizing that the majority of US fans don't give a shit either....and that is why earlier I said fuck it about sending a team because obviously nobody cares or cares enough to do it right....I literally believe that I am the only one on this site that donated to RaiseIt4USA and to be honest if we can't do it right we shouldn't waist our time and money to go through the same exact frustrating bullshit every year....The MXDN has been the biggest race of the year for me as long as I can remember (and I'm old) but TBH I'm just tired of the excuses and the lack of interest that I will not be giving my money to Infront and in the future will keep my $100 that I have contributed to the MXDN team for the last several years...
Those are all fair points.
There’s one I want to expand on though - from someone outside the US there is certainly a perception of a recurring theme that the US shouldn’t send a team unless it’s their best and they have a chance at the win or at least a podium.
I find this at odds with the whole premise of MXdN (and really the spirit of racing in general) - to go out and race to see who is the best. At the moment there’s one top rider in the US who embodies this ethos - Cooper Webb. He’s the guy who, when someone says there’s a race on and everyone will be there, says “fuck yeah, let’s go!”. The how and why is irrelevant; just grab a bike, some gear and go race.
It seems a number of people feel like they’ve moved beyond that and it’s disappointing. Ultimately it’s their money of course so they can choose what they want to do but I think the whole industry would be better off with more of that attitude.
I think that the “USA shouldn’t go unless they send their best” is more about the frustration of not sending their best year after year, hell we can’t even send our best available… we can’t even raise enough money to send riders without them spending thousands out of their own pocket! When you have people like Bruce Stjernstrom in an industry leading position and now Bobby Regan with his influence making the final decision on not going at the last minute is extremely frustrating for fans. And you may not like the answer but it’s all about money…I would like to see team USA just once raise enough money to pay Bobby’s ransom…It’s cool that Coop is doing what he is doing but the reality is that this is his swan song and he’s probably our 4th or 5th choice…How many other countries have to go 4-5 deep to find their team leader because the ones that are better can’t or won’t go….I say find a way to raise the money have it in the bank and ready to pay for all expenses and then see how the industry handles it….my guess is that they will find other excuses and reasons not to go…I’m starting to understand that this race is way more important to fans than the industry….But until we can have the funds available by the end of the SX season, name our riders and backups by Unadilla we will never know and that’s why it’s on the AMA/Team USA to remove the excuses that the teams are using…As of now it’s a cluster fuck of incompetence on the part of the AMA/Team USA and I’m done supporting them until they can show me that they can get out of the way of their utter incompetence their whole existence is reactionary and not proactive…Most of the riders clearly don’t care, if you listened to the pulp show last night AC was asked if he had it in his contract to go and his response was very telling…he said that he never thought about asking to put it in a contract…that tells you the level of importance that the riders put on it….
Pit Row
I think the schedule does a lot towards riders not wanting to go. If the powers that be, went back to maybe 3/4 of what riders race currently, I'd bet more would be willing. As well, no one talked about money much as far as "can't" until Deegan mentioned it. So, Tomac, Webb, Hampshire, Plessinger etc etc would probably always say yes, if they were in top form and they weren't switching bikes right at that time. Koodos to Webb for sure. I think honestly, if a rider declines 3 times, he shouldn't be asked again. He should have request himself, to be put on list. Jmho.
That’s an excuse it’s been this way since 2014….prior to SMX they also used the schedule as an excuse by saying that there was too much time between the last national and the MXDN 🤷🏼♂️…it’s more of an industry issue than a rider issue…fast forward to next year if nothing changes it will be no Sexton, no Deegan, no JCoop and no Star 250 riders…but watch them all line up for the 28 US MXDN…It’s the industry that is the problem…all I’m saying is remove their problems, raise enough money to support the team and put the ball in their court…I’ve been around Bruce Stjernstrom and I can guarantee you he will find another excuse….if he’s still there as there are rumors about a Kawi management changes coming at seasons end…
Your username does not check out.
The Man would be disgusted with you
Believe it or not Don, I’m actually agreeing with much of what you’re saying on this subject 😂
It is a bit embarrassing that the US, of all places, can’t seem to get their shit together for this event year after year. MXdN is better with the US in it, no matter the team.
As for “How many other countries have to go 4-5 deep….” Australia as the defending team, is sending probably our no. 4 & 5 pick 450 guys, and no. 3 pick 250 rider. Don’t matter though, we’ll still cheer them hard.
If the promoters who make millions on this one weekend event can't pony up a purse or find a sponsor to cover it like the other 31 events US riders race all year long then I could give a rats ass about donating money for them to go. No offense.
I don't disagree with you, that's why I called Infront the biggest whore in our sport.
Anyone remember Kenny complaining about it? I don't.
This is why it’s so difficult to accept what happens every year when picking team USA. Like Roczen, many of the riders that go, foot the bill to be there. It’s been that way for a very long time.
Should it be that way? No, but it isn’t changing any time soon.
What we’ve seen is, many of the US teams and riders have become entitled, selfish brats…. So those that want to go and willing to commit whatever it takes, including financial support to make it happen are the ones I want on the team.
And hopefully the AMA can figure out how to fund raise at some point to at least foot the bill to get the rider, mechanic, bike and gear to and from the race.
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