Posts
7
Joined
3/19/2015
Location
US
Edited Date/Time
7/9/2015 11:21am
What I’m bringing up here isn’t on most enthusiasts’ radar but I think it should be.
The recent closing down of Chad Reeds Two Two team makes a huge statement as to why the sport you love and spend your hard earned money on is designed to keep it small. This sport needs privateer racers to exist “not kind of it needs them” Yet for the most part with the exception of well-funded satellite teams it treats them like red headed step children, under the grass roots BS that’s what real moto is all about “don’t piss on my head and tell me it’s raining”
As long as just a few entities control all the money streams for everyone the scale is going to stay tipped in their favor. Allow teams and riders who make a name for themselves to get their own sponsor money into the sport and you’ll see it grow bigger every year. Who agrees or disagrees I think it’s worth talking about.
The recent closing down of Chad Reeds Two Two team makes a huge statement as to why the sport you love and spend your hard earned money on is designed to keep it small. This sport needs privateer racers to exist “not kind of it needs them” Yet for the most part with the exception of well-funded satellite teams it treats them like red headed step children, under the grass roots BS that’s what real moto is all about “don’t piss on my head and tell me it’s raining”
As long as just a few entities control all the money streams for everyone the scale is going to stay tipped in their favor. Allow teams and riders who make a name for themselves to get their own sponsor money into the sport and you’ll see it grow bigger every year. Who agrees or disagrees I think it’s worth talking about.
And remember, commas are your friend. It can make the difference between "Helping your Uncle Jack, off a horse" and "Helping your Uncle jack off a horse"......
This whole privateer thing has been around for years and years and years, and some riders have done well (Ricky Ryan, Reedy, and I am sure there are a ton of others that I cant remember) and others not so well. They are always going to struggle against a team that has more funding. And if privateers suddenly get sponsorships worth big bucks then they become a team and less a privateer...*shrugs*
The Shop
Also IMO:
MXGP is a SHOW, because anyone that can afford to race all the rounds would get a placing & the tracks are so un-augmented / unpredictable / un-trainable that a lot of the field get injured.
SX is a SHOW because only the first half of the field can afford proper facilities & proper testing / bike setup to even be competitive.
AMA MX is a RACE because the playing field is about as level as it can be compared to the other 2.
A lot of privateers from countries like Australia, New Zealand, Sweden etc etc have a nudge at the AMA Outdoors, they would not be able to race mxgp or sx because of the constraints mentioned above.
No heats, no semi's, no LCQ required, that should keep the fans coming in and the television coverage solid!
Top 2 reasons IMHO:
1. Its dangerous (relative to many sports)
2. Its expensive (relative to many sports)
Just think they could take it further, turn it into the complete show.
Have 24 riders in each class, Each Manufacture if they want to play in the show has to provide four bikes each, or heck just have 18 riders with each manufacture required to have three riders for each class, then a "POOL" of fill in riders that manufactures can pick from when their main riders are injured.
The fill in riders would be pulled from the AX Championship!
A total of 36 contracted riders over two classes with reserves.
Propably should not post this and give FELD ideas hey.
Pit Row
The reason we aren't growing is becuase people think of us as a huge show not an actual sporting event/venue competition. Our riders are probably the most conditioned athletes in the world, yet nobody thinks that at all. We aren't taken seriously and marketing is a shame...its too bad~
Once we turn the mindset around we will be able to grow and people will take this sport/racers legitimately.
As of now we are no bigger than FMX! Fact is nitro circus travels the globe more than our sport does...
Its not going anywhere fast, so love it for what it is.
Best sport going though.
Well that and it's fuking expensive and practice tracks are non existent in many areas.
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