AMA handing sanctioning, etc. over to Daytona/NASCAR group?!?!

 Just caught a bit of this on the SX coverage, but what I'm getting
is that the AMA is handing over sanctioning, rules, etc. to the
Daytona Motorsports Group (or similar).  This is right out of
NASCAR.  They interviewed one of the honchos and the first thing
out of his mouth was about how they're going to manipulate things
in order to achieve parity so that the "fans" wouldn't know
beforehand who would be likely to win.

Yes, competition is good.  No, manufactured competition for TV
drama is not.  

I think I may be the only one that thinks the NASCARization of MX,
SX, etc is a BAD thing.  Yeah, the top guys will make some more
money, but what about the rest of the sport?  This is nothing but
a ploy by a few to bring huge advertising into this.  It'll do
absolutely nothing good for anyone but a few.


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Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
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 March 07, 2008      
AMA selects Daytona Motorsports Group to manage professional
racing series
- press release -

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)
announced today that the Association has entered into an agreement
in principle to sell the sanctioning, promotional and management
rights for its AMA Pro Racing properties to the Daytona
Motorsports Group (DMG), based in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Led by Roger Edmondson, the founder of the CCS motorcycle racing
series and currently the President of the Grand American Road Race
Series LLC, and Jim France, Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President
of NASCAR, DMG will assume responsibility for the AMA Superbike
Series, the AMA Motocross Series, the AMA Flat Track Series, the
AMA Supermoto Series, the AMA Hillclimb Series and ATV Pro Racing.
The agreement in principle does not include the AMA Supercross and
AMA Arenacross Series, the rights to which are held by Live
Nation. Daytona Motorsports Group will license the use of the AMA
name and trademarks to promote their motorcycle racing activities.

"For as long as I can remember, the AMA name has been synonymous
with professional motorcycle racing in America," said France.
Added Edmondson, "Our goal is to guide the sport into the
mainstream of American culture and showcase the extraordinary
abilities of the competitors and their teams."

"We are honored to be working with the Daytona Motorsports Group,"
said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "This group of individuals
has supported the AMA and motorcycle racing for decades. There
isn't a better-resourced or more qualified entity in which to
entrust the future of AMA Pro Racing."

The agreement between the AMA and DMG came as a result of an RFP
(request for proposal) process undertaken by the AMA in September,
2007 to seek promotional partners for its professional racing
series. The AMA will continue sanctioning amateur motorcycle
racing and club activities.

"Today is a great day for professional motorcycle racing and for
the AMA," Dingman said. "By placing AMA Pro Racing in the hands of
people with a proven record of excellence in motor sports
organization and promotion in a fashion similar to our successful
partnership with Live Nation, the AMA will be able to focus its
resources on its core mission to be a member advocacy
organization."

 


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Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----

 wrote:


   And technically they'd be correct. But I guess it depends on how
you define "stronger." If by stronger they're implying "more popular"
and/or "profitable," then who could argue? But at the same time
they've alienated much of their historic fan base. I guess so long as
the net gain outweighs the loss it's all good, huh? Still, I don't
follow the sport at all anymore and have zero desire to attend any
races or purchase any paraphernalia.


   Personally, I think it'd be an improvement if all of the MX/SX
races were televised live, on a specific network station, with good
commentary and real-time results and points standings displayed
afterwards.

   And they'll probably try to impliment something like this. But then
they'll go to extremes (like they always do) and begin giving us
real-time points standings on the 4th lap of the main, in the second
race of the season! And it'll get worse the closer we get to the
Championship. Hell, they'll probably institute a "Race for the Chase"
over the last 5 races of the year or some shit.


Fred Bradford - CrashTestDummy
fjbradfordREMOVE@tx.rr.com

 On Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:35:10 -0600, CrashTestDummy


I'm sure they see their job as making the sport more popular and
getting more money involved.  At that, I'm sure they'll succeed.

I think both of those are going to be detrimental to the sport.


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Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----

 

I agree, but AMA is holding on to SX, it wasn't part of the deal. But NASCAR
and MX are not a good fit. They are completely different types of fan base.
MX fans are made up to a large degree of actual riders and/or racers or
people who have done one or the other. How many NASCAR fans have ever been
behind the wheel of a race car? NASCAR fans watch for different reasons,
many not even knowing the finer points of the sport, the cars or how a
racing team is run. A lot of them just watch for the crashes and the soap
opera-like drama between the drivers. Many MX fans know the intricacies of
the sport from a fan perspective and from that of a rider. We know what it
actually takes to be out there racing and we rarely like to see a rider
crash because the damage is likely to be much worse. The sponsors of both
sports sell products that their fans use. The difference is NASCAR is
sponsored by mostly beer and household products while MX sponsors tend to
sell products that riders actually use themselves on their own bikes or
riding. I think when we start seeing a rider with Tide logos on his bike,
riding gear and semi-truck it will signal the end of MX as we know it. It'll
be just like pro wrestling, which is what NASCAR has become but with cars.