Exactly where does Supercross rank on the list of most popular US sports?

TDeath21
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TDeath21
Edited Date/Time 4/15/2018 7:38pm
I only include US because it’s primarily a US sport.

People on here complain all the time about a tape delay race or another sport being shown its completion before SX starts, often overlapping into the SX original schedule. But it’s just common sense for the TV networks to show the most popular sports in priority. Obviously it sucks for us, but it’s understandable.

I was just curious where you guys thought SX would rank on a comprehensive list? Here’s mine.

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Baseball/Softball
4. Hockey
5. Soccer
6. MMA
7. Tennis
8. Golf
9. Auto Racing
10. Boxing
11. Volleyball
12. Lacrosse
13. Bowling
14. Swimming
15. Track and Field
16. Skiing
17. Horse Racing
18. Gymnastics
19. Skateboarding
20. Billiards
21. Supercross

So I have it ranked 21st. I would say the absolute highest anyone could argue would be 14th and that would be pushing it big time. Could be sports I forgot, but I feel like this list demonstrates why our TV package is the way it is. The fact that we get a three hour slot for live coverage most Saturdays on a major station is pretty good for a sport well outside the top 10 in the rankings. Especially considering there are only about 4 sports stations on a basic cable package, in which FS1 is a part of.
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KMC440
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KMC440 4/14/2018 11:22am
4/14/2018 11:22am
If we aren't above

12
and
20

Just kill me
Andy_Greenney 4/14/2018 11:25am
4/14/2018 11:25am
Biggest problem it will ALWAYS have is that it’s an expensive sport, like all motorsports. Auto racing maintains its position but will probably slowly slide as the onslaught against vehicles for enjoyment continues.
kunk
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kunk 4/14/2018 11:33am
4/14/2018 11:33am
You forgot curling. So it’s 22.
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-MAVERICK- 4/14/2018 11:36am
4/14/2018 11:36am
kunk wrote:
You forgot curling. So it’s 22.
Might as well put Darts and Poker while you're at it.

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TDeath21
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TDeath21 4/14/2018 11:51am
4/14/2018 11:51am
KMC440 wrote:
If we aren't above

12
and
20

Just kill me
Lacrosse is shown in prime time on ESPN and/or ESPN2 often during big time games. Billiards is on ESPN a lot on the weekends and during the day. Must have some following.
stiksandstones 4/14/2018 1:00pm
4/14/2018 1:00pm
I'd have to call BS on that 813k number. Thats almost 3x what A1 was, which is often the highest rated broadcast. These numbers can be reported in a manner that creates some smoke and mirrors, would love to see the actual report.
Frank
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Frank 4/14/2018 1:27pm
4/14/2018 1:27pm
Lets put this in a real perspective. I work with 532 people. Not a single person there has ever heard of motocross or supercross. They literally have never heard the words spoken more less know what it is. I would not want to see a single one of them at the track. They are worthless muricans looking for free shit and hand outs while putting out zero effort. Complete wastes of oxygen. Lets keep it this way folks. It worked great in the 70's, 80's and 90's.
White_Trash 4/14/2018 1:31pm
4/14/2018 1:31pm
Lacrosse is a legit sport... Basically hockey where slashing is encouraged. Football has nothing on Lacrosse.
In Canada, I can't turn on a TV without seeing curling.

Supercross? Well, I have to search for it, my TV provider (bell) doesn't air it... Sure, I could pay $150 for the official package and be pissed when I can't watch the races live. It's 2018, that stream should be perfect in HD every single time. So instead I'm left trying illegal links just to follow the sport. It seems they really don't want the sport to grow.
Andy_Greenney 4/14/2018 1:31pm
4/14/2018 1:31pm
^ it’s the same over here, people still know it as Scrambling, but then it used to be on tv prime time on a Sunday with soccer, impossible to even imagine these days.
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Matt Wozney 4/14/2018 1:33pm
4/14/2018 1:33pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 1:34pm
As for bowling, it does better than SX just because they tape their shows and show them at a prime spot, for example Christmas Day or day of Super Bowl. Also, more people bowl. And pro bowling will be on Fox Sports starting next year after a couple of decades on ESPN.
gnarwhip
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gnarwhip 4/14/2018 1:34pm
4/14/2018 1:34pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 1:35pm
Yea whenever I mention motocross to people, they look at me like I'm some retard hillbilly. It's gotten to the point where I don't even bring it up. Hell, drone racing and American Ninja Warrior are more popular
MX Guy
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MX Guy 4/14/2018 1:58pm
4/14/2018 1:58pm
gnarwhip wrote:
Yea whenever I mention motocross to people, they look at me like I'm some retard hillbilly. It's gotten to the point where I don't even bring...
Yea whenever I mention motocross to people, they look at me like I'm some retard hillbilly. It's gotten to the point where I don't even bring it up. Hell, drone racing and American Ninja Warrior are more popular
We’re smaller than the Kennel Club, boys. Always have been, always will be. Most wouldn’t even consider SX a sport, we’re simply bottom-scale entertainment at best.
BobbyM
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BobbyM 4/14/2018 2:00pm
4/14/2018 2:00pm
TDeath21 wrote:
I only include US because it’s primarily a US sport. People on here complain all the time about a tape delay race or another sport being...
I only include US because it’s primarily a US sport.

People on here complain all the time about a tape delay race or another sport being shown its completion before SX starts, often overlapping into the SX original schedule. But it’s just common sense for the TV networks to show the most popular sports in priority. Obviously it sucks for us, but it’s understandable.

I was just curious where you guys thought SX would rank on a comprehensive list? Here’s mine.

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Baseball/Softball
4. Hockey
5. Soccer
6. MMA
7. Tennis
8. Golf
9. Auto Racing
10. Boxing
11. Volleyball
12. Lacrosse
13. Bowling
14. Swimming
15. Track and Field
16. Skiing
17. Horse Racing
18. Gymnastics
19. Skateboarding
20. Billiards
21. Supercross

So I have it ranked 21st. I would say the absolute highest anyone could argue would be 14th and that would be pushing it big time. Could be sports I forgot, but I feel like this list demonstrates why our TV package is the way it is. The fact that we get a three hour slot for live coverage most Saturdays on a major station is pretty good for a sport well outside the top 10 in the rankings. Especially considering there are only about 4 sports stations on a basic cable package, in which FS1 is a part of.
Somewhere between poker and cheerleading I'd say.
ATKpilot99
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ATKpilot99 4/14/2018 2:01pm
4/14/2018 2:01pm
You've probably got it about right. Most people's reaction when they hear Motocross is , " Oh yeah thats where those guys do tricks and backflips and stuff right?" . One thing I was surprised about though was some time ago talking with my dad and he actually knew who Bob Hannah and Roger DeCoster were from back in the day even though he's not a Motocross fan.
BobbyM
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BobbyM 4/14/2018 2:01pm
4/14/2018 2:01pm
Frank wrote:
Lets put this in a real perspective. I work with 532 people. Not a single person there has ever heard of motocross or supercross. They literally...
Lets put this in a real perspective. I work with 532 people. Not a single person there has ever heard of motocross or supercross. They literally have never heard the words spoken more less know what it is. I would not want to see a single one of them at the track. They are worthless muricans looking for free shit and hand outs while putting out zero effort. Complete wastes of oxygen. Lets keep it this way folks. It worked great in the 70's, 80's and 90's.
That's a lot of people to ask what mx is.
Ebs
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Ebs 4/14/2018 2:35pm
4/14/2018 2:35pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 2:40pm
It's a niche motorsport. If I'm referencing supercross/motocross to someone that isn't in the know, I just say 'dirtbike racing' or 'motocycle racing'.

"I watched some motorcycle racing this weekend."
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SwingHard 4/14/2018 3:10pm
4/14/2018 3:10pm
TDeath21 wrote:
I only include US because it’s primarily a US sport. People on here complain all the time about a tape delay race or another sport being...
I only include US because it’s primarily a US sport.

People on here complain all the time about a tape delay race or another sport being shown its completion before SX starts, often overlapping into the SX original schedule. But it’s just common sense for the TV networks to show the most popular sports in priority. Obviously it sucks for us, but it’s understandable.

I was just curious where you guys thought SX would rank on a comprehensive list? Here’s mine.

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Baseball/Softball
4. Hockey
5. Soccer
6. MMA
7. Tennis
8. Golf
9. Auto Racing
10. Boxing
11. Volleyball
12. Lacrosse
13. Bowling
14. Swimming
15. Track and Field
16. Skiing
17. Horse Racing
18. Gymnastics
19. Skateboarding
20. Billiards
21. Supercross

So I have it ranked 21st. I would say the absolute highest anyone could argue would be 14th and that would be pushing it big time. Could be sports I forgot, but I feel like this list demonstrates why our TV package is the way it is. The fact that we get a three hour slot for live coverage most Saturdays on a major station is pretty good for a sport well outside the top 10 in the rankings. Especially considering there are only about 4 sports stations on a basic cable package, in which FS1 is a part of.
BobbyM wrote:
Somewhere between poker and cheerleading I'd say.
And above or below the Spelling Bee?

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deluxeman
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deluxeman 4/14/2018 3:26pm
4/14/2018 3:26pm
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would be surprised if MX/SX isn’t 10-14th. Auto racing is made up of many different genres, so I think they need to be defined. I wouldn’t be surprised if SX is bigger than Indy car racing.

If you want to grow the sport you have make it more mainstream, which means you have to promote personalities,athleticism, drama, action and bring in outside the industry sponsors. I just don’t see Feld/AMA/FIM having the smarts to make this happen.

SX is really promoted much the same way as Monster Truck shows. Lot’s of heavily reverbed screaming, flames, crashes and Monster girls. SX/MX racing involves real athletes doing spectacular things. I think the athletic angle needs to be promoted even more. It gives the riders more credibility and the sport becomes more of a real sport and less of a side show/novelty sport.

SX/MX is a solidly middleclass sport and with bike prices getting too high and riding areas harder to find, it will be difficult to grow this sport without going more mainstream and less extereme. NASCAR did pretty good when they promoted the drivers and not the cars. They let the personalities drive veiwership. Once they got away from that they started down slippery slope.

I don’t really think most fans want the sport to go mainstream.
TDeath21
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TDeath21 4/14/2018 3:42pm
4/14/2018 3:42pm
deluxeman wrote:
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would...
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would be surprised if MX/SX isn’t 10-14th. Auto racing is made up of many different genres, so I think they need to be defined. I wouldn’t be surprised if SX is bigger than Indy car racing.

If you want to grow the sport you have make it more mainstream, which means you have to promote personalities,athleticism, drama, action and bring in outside the industry sponsors. I just don’t see Feld/AMA/FIM having the smarts to make this happen.

SX is really promoted much the same way as Monster Truck shows. Lot’s of heavily reverbed screaming, flames, crashes and Monster girls. SX/MX racing involves real athletes doing spectacular things. I think the athletic angle needs to be promoted even more. It gives the riders more credibility and the sport becomes more of a real sport and less of a side show/novelty sport.

SX/MX is a solidly middleclass sport and with bike prices getting too high and riding areas harder to find, it will be difficult to grow this sport without going more mainstream and less extereme. NASCAR did pretty good when they promoted the drivers and not the cars. They let the personalities drive veiwership. Once they got away from that they started down slippery slope.

I don’t really think most fans want the sport to go mainstream.
I was actually generous to SX by combining auto racing. If I didn’t, NASCAR, IndyCar, Drag Racing, etc. would all top it. So would softball, which I combined with baseball. No way in hell is SX in the top ten. But since you believe it could be tenth, I’m curious as to what your rankings are.
GNCC Lapper 4/14/2018 4:21pm
4/14/2018 4:21pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 4:22pm
Take golf, bowling,and billiards off the list as sports. If I can drink and smoke whilst doing it, It ain’t a sport!
ML512
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ML512 4/14/2018 4:30pm
4/14/2018 4:30pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 4:37pm
5thgearpinnedJB65 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/04/14/255449/s1200_image.jpg[/img] I would rank it 11 I don't think bowling or gymnastic gets 800,000 views

I would rank it 11 I don't think bowling or gymnastic gets 800,000 views
If that number is true, it's actually larger than the average F1 race viewership is in the US. That's a huge jump from Supercross races that have kicked around the mid 300,000 range...seems a little odd for mid-season to have such huge increases.

Ahh, I missed the note about Fox network for that round...not FS1.
ML512
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ML512 4/14/2018 4:36pm
4/14/2018 4:36pm
http://www.racer.com/north-american-racing/item/142420-tv-ratings-nbc-s…

According to this info from NBC who had Indy, F1 and Nascar in 2017...

Nascar was a little over 3 million average.

F1 mid season was 579,000 average.

Indy mid season was 474,000 average.

Those are US broadcast numbers for NBC.

F1 world wide broadcasts average around 19,000,000 viewers, if I remember right.
10000hrs
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10000hrs 4/14/2018 4:58pm
4/14/2018 4:58pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 5:05pm
ML512 wrote:
http://www.racer.com/north-american-racing/item/142420-tv-ratings-nbc-sees-indycar-f1-viewership-change According to this info from NBC who had Indy, F1 and Nascar in 2017... Nascar was a little over 3 million average. F1 mid season...
http://www.racer.com/north-american-racing/item/142420-tv-ratings-nbc-s…

According to this info from NBC who had Indy, F1 and Nascar in 2017...

Nascar was a little over 3 million average.

F1 mid season was 579,000 average.

Indy mid season was 474,000 average.

Those are US broadcast numbers for NBC.

F1 world wide broadcasts average around 19,000,000 viewers, if I remember right.
Never mind., too muc drink.
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dcg141 4/14/2018 5:00pm
4/14/2018 5:00pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 5:06pm
In the US I would put MMA in 4th golf in 6th and soccer in 8th. Even with it pushed down our throats soccer is still not that popular outside of recent immigrants. After the top 10 does it really matter where you rank?
deluxeman
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deluxeman 4/14/2018 10:41pm
4/14/2018 10:41pm
deluxeman wrote:
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would...
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would be surprised if MX/SX isn’t 10-14th. Auto racing is made up of many different genres, so I think they need to be defined. I wouldn’t be surprised if SX is bigger than Indy car racing.

If you want to grow the sport you have make it more mainstream, which means you have to promote personalities,athleticism, drama, action and bring in outside the industry sponsors. I just don’t see Feld/AMA/FIM having the smarts to make this happen.

SX is really promoted much the same way as Monster Truck shows. Lot’s of heavily reverbed screaming, flames, crashes and Monster girls. SX/MX racing involves real athletes doing spectacular things. I think the athletic angle needs to be promoted even more. It gives the riders more credibility and the sport becomes more of a real sport and less of a side show/novelty sport.

SX/MX is a solidly middleclass sport and with bike prices getting too high and riding areas harder to find, it will be difficult to grow this sport without going more mainstream and less extereme. NASCAR did pretty good when they promoted the drivers and not the cars. They let the personalities drive veiwership. Once they got away from that they started down slippery slope.

I don’t really think most fans want the sport to go mainstream.
TDeath21 wrote:
I was actually generous to SX by combining auto racing. If I didn’t, NASCAR, IndyCar, Drag Racing, etc. would all top it. So would softball, which...
I was actually generous to SX by combining auto racing. If I didn’t, NASCAR, IndyCar, Drag Racing, etc. would all top it. So would softball, which I combined with baseball. No way in hell is SX in the top ten. But since you believe it could be tenth, I’m curious as to what your rankings are.
You have to take into account how many teams there are in Football, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer and Softball. There are pro teams, college teams, development teams. Stick and ball sports are more popular because lots of people played them when they were kids. How many kids or adults ride dirt bikes these days? Thats were the fans are coming from. Until you can get non or previous riders to tune in, your only going to get what you have now.

Put motocross as a highschool/college sport and watch it grow. Motocross is a fringe sport probably always will be. Who is really pushing to grow it?
TDeath21
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TDeath21 4/15/2018 1:27pm
4/15/2018 1:27pm
deluxeman wrote:
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would...
Isn’t there data avaliable on these other sports? Veiwership is the ultimate yardstick. There are so many choices as far as sports are concerned. I would be surprised if MX/SX isn’t 10-14th. Auto racing is made up of many different genres, so I think they need to be defined. I wouldn’t be surprised if SX is bigger than Indy car racing.

If you want to grow the sport you have make it more mainstream, which means you have to promote personalities,athleticism, drama, action and bring in outside the industry sponsors. I just don’t see Feld/AMA/FIM having the smarts to make this happen.

SX is really promoted much the same way as Monster Truck shows. Lot’s of heavily reverbed screaming, flames, crashes and Monster girls. SX/MX racing involves real athletes doing spectacular things. I think the athletic angle needs to be promoted even more. It gives the riders more credibility and the sport becomes more of a real sport and less of a side show/novelty sport.

SX/MX is a solidly middleclass sport and with bike prices getting too high and riding areas harder to find, it will be difficult to grow this sport without going more mainstream and less extereme. NASCAR did pretty good when they promoted the drivers and not the cars. They let the personalities drive veiwership. Once they got away from that they started down slippery slope.

I don’t really think most fans want the sport to go mainstream.
TDeath21 wrote:
I was actually generous to SX by combining auto racing. If I didn’t, NASCAR, IndyCar, Drag Racing, etc. would all top it. So would softball, which...
I was actually generous to SX by combining auto racing. If I didn’t, NASCAR, IndyCar, Drag Racing, etc. would all top it. So would softball, which I combined with baseball. No way in hell is SX in the top ten. But since you believe it could be tenth, I’m curious as to what your rankings are.
deluxeman wrote:
You have to take into account how many teams there are in Football, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer and Softball. There are pro teams, college teams, development teams...
You have to take into account how many teams there are in Football, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer and Softball. There are pro teams, college teams, development teams. Stick and ball sports are more popular because lots of people played them when they were kids. How many kids or adults ride dirt bikes these days? Thats were the fans are coming from. Until you can get non or previous riders to tune in, your only going to get what you have now.

Put motocross as a highschool/college sport and watch it grow. Motocross is a fringe sport probably always will be. Who is really pushing to grow it?
You’re just listing reasons why it isn’t as popular, which is what this whole post is about. If I split those sports up into their professional and college leagues, SX would drop even farther down the list. And yet there’s a post every single time another sporting event overlaps with SX about how they should show SX.
line-up
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line-up 4/15/2018 1:44pm
4/15/2018 1:44pm
Last year SX had a total of 6.000.000 unique TV viewers for the whole season
KennyT
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KennyT 4/15/2018 3:44pm
4/15/2018 3:44pm Edited Date/Time 4/15/2018 3:45pm
I’ve been into MX since 1969 but I’m sorry to say I wouldn’t even have it on the list. I know the top riders are outstanding athletes but there is a large portion of MXers who don’t have one ounce of athleticism in them. It may be top of the list for those that participate but for general public it doesn’t exist
KennyT
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KennyT 4/15/2018 3:48pm
4/15/2018 3:48pm Edited Date/Time 4/15/2018 3:49pm
GNCC Lapper wrote:
Take golf, bowling,and billiards off the list as sports. If I can drink and smoke whilst doing it, It ain’t a sport!
maybe you need to switch to a open face helmet Smile

When you get old enough you figure this shit out

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