I know I’m going to get roasted for this but I have to agree with Gypsy on the privateer thing,
there is a reason there is formula 1, formula 2 and formula 3, in car racing.
Formula 1 is the best drivers in the world in the best equipment in the world,
Formula 2 is a step down
Formula 3 a step down again,
If the arena-cross was the F2 of SX and they made bigger and better these privateers would probably make more money, be further up the pack and that 2nd series would have its own sponsors and media attention instead everyone tries to get into sx and those competing in arenacross aren’t getting the attention, money or credit they deserve as no one is looking in that direction,
With a bit of investment and improvement and the top privateers went and raced AX, there would be more great racing to watch.
Ok the LCQs are sometimes entertaining but I can take or leave watching them and these riders add nothing to the main events other than sometime taking out top riders when getting lapped.
By next year we’re at the point where SX has enough manufacturers to have a factory only top 20 there shouldn’t be privateers in this class, and the top few privateers should even get a chance at those last few slots on the factory teams.
I realise people will bang their fist against the table saying privateers make the sport, yes they do but let’s celebrate them and give them their own premier series rather than making the elite professional one worse,
Got my tear offs at the ready 🍿
Wouldn't the 250 class be the F2 of supercross? Which would make arenacross F3? I'm not sure how that changes anything other than you're telling some guys that want to race in stadiums to go race in a barn in Iowa instead, for their own good.
You're overlooking a good percentage of the field in f1, pay drivers. As it stands now in moto, anyone can pull up and try to get in the show. If you go to some type of charter system or something you'll see factory teams field two good riders and one paying to be there. Happens in every series
The reality is, not enough riders exist to run the same pace as the leaders .
Are you just going to pull top level riders out of thin air ? No amount of money is going to close the talent gap that exists in the sport.
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I don’t think he was necessarily incorrect either. In some ways it’s cool that anyone with a license can enter but it’s also kind of Mickey Mouse.
We also have some much attrition in the sport compared to F1. It’s hard to draw a direct comparison.
the organization of the sport could use a reboot IMO but it’s hard to see it being torn down and built into something different cause people hate change and love money.
I think the privateers are fine for outdoors, but I do think they need to trim them down for SX as they are just in the way after a few laps when the leaders start lapping. Ronnie Ford for example.
I’ll ask the same question nobody could answer last time this was brought up.
You have people bitching every year on here about $80+ SX tickets. You get your premier series with 20 guys, How is a promoter supposed to sell tickets at the same (or even higher) price while only offering a 1/4 of the show? The promoter would still be incurring all the same expenses of track building, personnel, medical staff, stadium rentals, etc.
I think people are confused over F1 due to the Netflix series and a huge marketing push in general in the US. F1 has been extremely glamorous and extremely expensive for 30+ years. It's silly to think that sx/mx would become even something remotely close during the next 10years. Where it's at in 30-40years I don't know.
There was so much money poured into F1 the last 30years, so many billionaires, so many pretty models, so many LV/Chanel wearing Moet sipping ladies with extremely wealthy men...
I think Gypsy Jase is really really good, but I think he got this wrong about 'F1', it feels like he discovered F1 the last 10years and is forgets how huge it was already 30years ago.
Trimming a few privateer's off the gate isn't going to affect the "show". They would still have heats, LCQ's and mains just with fewer guys on the gate. I actually think the racing would benefit with fewer on the gate. Lets be real no one pays $80/ticket to go watch Jimmy Nobody run around in 21st place in the 450 main.
The topic at hand is not trimming a “few” riders off the gate, but rather removing everyone who doesn’t ride for a factory team. You’d be left with about 20-22 riders.
I honestly don't care how the top 10 guys finish. I love watching that back 40 riders, they are way more relatable.
Yeah you’d be left with around 20 riders, at the start of the season, barring any off season crashes. Then by about round 5 there’d be 10 people on the gate. Look at the nationals last year, there was only 5 factory 450 guys left when the season went outside.
I think the comparison is being taken too literally, the mention of F1 is being used as a comparative because it’s a racing sport everyone globally knows about,
mx/sx would never be F1 nor should it be,
the point is in a truly professional sport you shouldn’t just be able to pay your entry fee and try your luck to qualify, it’s kind of ridiculous.
Imagine how much better TV would be if they weren’t trying to air a 4 hour show.
If they did quali mid day (aired seperately like F1 quali, and the night show was just the 2 races, 1.5hour prime time tv on a sports channel that would sell.
4 hours of heats, fillers lcqs then racing it’s too much and if it weren’t for the hardcore fans that always tune in they’d never sell it,
And this is the problem with the economics of SX. The stadiums are too expensive.
for a real controversial take, kill SX expand outdoors.
F1-3 race the same track on the same weekend with the same sponsors in front of the same fans with the same production.
No amount of Jerry Robin’s and AJ Catanzaro’s (or up and coming factory amateurs) are going to draw people to an AX who weren’t already going to attend.
It’s a different fan experience of a different discipline at a different venue.
I can’t see any way F3 would make financial sense if they were a completely separate series.
I’m on board with the last bit but the first part seems like your perceived perspective. It doesn’t appear that Feld has any problems with the economics of SX nor the rental cost of a stadium.
You might be right, yes. Thinking of it, I probably taken it too literally also
Great idea,
have the support races, sx futures etc on the Friday or the Sunday and leave the top level elite riders to be be the show and to have all eyes on them and nothing else for the main day, better track, better tv, better schedule, more professional more attractive to sponsors the list is endless
Pit Row
You’d be surprised when you have some privateers pulling 20-40 people in each from their personal circle. Nothing huge but nothing small.
So 7 riders each practice… 10 riders each heat…. No lcq… ktm race…. Main?
Not the point, the point is that you'll have the top top guys and lesser dudes getting lapped regardless of your structure.
Sure are a few disrespectful comments about privateers in here. Clearly you’ve never acted on your dreams. Sometime the only way to improve is to race your way up.
In a sport filled with injuries and tragedy, you should be commending those who put their balls on the line to do their personal best.
It took me 30 supercross races before I made my first main. I was sketchy af in the beginning, but I learned every year. Making my first main was a top 5 day of my life. It was my dream to be that guy and I threw the biggest whip possible over the finish line.
Houston SX 2000 4th in the semi. Chain snapped in the main, but that could not derail my accomplishment.
I’d be curious to see how that would play out.
Cannot agree with your take on “truly professional sport” means “no one should be able to pay entry and try your luck to qualify”.
Should is an automatic red flag.
I dig the fact that someone can show up and if they got the goods, they can QUALIFY.
Exclusion is lame. If someone can build a faster car than Haas and they hire a fast driver, then they “should” be able to earn their right to play.
Instead, it’s a corporate good ol’ boys club and no one is allowed in (cough Andretti), even if they can QUALIFY, because of the fear of upsetting the apple cart and taking some pie off of the others’ plate.
That type of mentality is the opposite direction that we need to go, as a sport and a species. Moto is one of the few places left where the American dream still exists.
F1 model means the true qualifiers are in the off-season and behind closed doors. What they do now is really start seeding.
LAME.
Three digit is legit.
Everyone claims to love watching the privateers but then they all funnel out of the stadium and into the pits after the 450A group practice instead of staying and watching the privateers ride.
Arenacross is pretty much all privateers and is rarely, if ever, talked about on here because no one really cares.
So the fans just show up on Saturday night, watch a 25 minute main event, and leave?
Where do I send my ticket money?
It's a dumb idea
Right, if some of these guys were huge privateer fans like they claim why is their not threads every week diving into Derek Drake and Cade Clasons 19th place rides.
I could see how atleast in SX if they cut the field down some and turned the LCQ into more of a B main instead that would be cool. The biggest detriment to reducing the field at all in the main is you sort of diminish the huge spectacle and chaos of the first turn and lap or two.
I certainly dont want the SX night shows to be any shorter, it can get a little long watching at home but when I attend in person I want to watch as much racing as possible.
Just think of the money we'll save on concessions
Gypsy clearly doesn’t know or at least understand the history of F1 and how its economics work. Motocross is a Motorsport and technically so is F1 but that is the end of the similarities.
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