Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128133
"Last place should Win $5000 - not first place. Take this to the next level, please." The Supercross Saga Hello, is anybody awake out there? Look at the CART/IRL split a couple of years ago - how has that all worked out? Besides giving some journeyman-privateers a chance at making some more money, I see nothing good coming out of this power-struggle. The revenue-sucking warlords of Supercross better wake up before their greedy decisions leave Supercross flattened and depleted and nothing more than sideshow status at monster-truck shows. AMA Supercross coming to you from fairgrounds and livestock arenas. Give me a break. stretch Eberly Enola, PA The Supercross Saga II For the last 10 years I have been an AMA member. I joined so I would have a voice to be heard with 270,000 other brothers, and to race in local events. I find the idea of the AMA going with another promoter to help Supercross absurd. What is wrong with the current state of Supercross now? With attendance up the way it is, why change? Clear Channel has the correct a~proach to the situation - they are utilizing all the resources that are currently available to keep Supercross the way we like it, the way it is. The AMA should have talked this through more with Clear Channel Entertainment. If the AMA and Clear Channel folks do have separate series, the fans will suffer. I want to see the prize purse. If Jam wants to insure their supremacy in this battle, raise the purse. Ricky Carmichael could make more prize money being the winning jockey at a county fair than winning a Supercross. Come on Jam, put some of that title sponsor money in the pot, unlike your predecessor. Last place should win $5000 - not first place. Take this to the next level, please. Jerry Anderson \I7a the In~met The Supercross Saga IV Amazing. The AMA plans to take their premier series and place it in the hands of a new promoter with zero motorcycle racing experience, let alone motorsports experience. And the board at the AMA believes this move is a good idea? This notwithstanding the fact that Supercross is now healthy: Huge crowds, great venues, top-notch organization, an excellent TV package in comparison to any other twowheel racing series you care to name, decent prize money and significant sponsorship opportunities for the teams that participate. The AMA can legitimately claim little if any responsibility for any of these improvements. The AMA's contributions to Supercross consist primarily of providing referees, issuing licenses, keeping points and printing the rulebooks. Not much. The success of Supercross comes from the riders who attract attention, the teams that invest in the series and the financial backing, management and marketing efforts made by PACE/SFX/Clear Channel Entertain- The Supercross Saga V Is it just me or is Clear Channel trying to quickly get all the important eggs in their basket, in hopes that the AMA will need to crawl back into Clear Channel's full basket? Ray Merkle \I7a the In~et The Supercross Saga VI As a longtime AMA member and motocross fan, I am writing this letter to show my disappointment in the AMA's decision to break away from Clear Channel. Although your press release claims it is in the sport's best interest, I disagree. The people at Jam Sports have no experience in the promotion of motorsports. Clear Channel has been true to the sport of Supercross and has promoted the riders. I believe the AMA should stick to helping the riders, working on safety issues, keeping government legislation actions under control, and let Clear Channel continue to organize the events. To me, this appears to be a change pursued by the AMA for con- why are they so silent and union-less in all of this? I hope they are not content with $1000 for 20th position. Come on, AMA, show the whole motorcycling community that you are not just an 'also ran' association; strike a selfless deal with Clear Channel that benefits the riders as much as the promoters. Patrfck Stojack \I7a the In~et Not Enough Rides trol of the entire show. Every time in the past when the AMA has taken similar actions it has backfired on them . and as a member this disappoints me greatly. Please, AMA, reconsider this move and reunite with Clear Channel so that the sport of Supercross does not do what CART and IRTA has done to the sport of open-wheel racing. Even when taking the current economic and political climate into consideration, the decline in factory support for next year's AMA Superbike Series is truly shocking - from 15 factory seats (more or less) down to nine for 2002. Some of this shrinkage may have been expected, but so much at once carries some distinctly negative fallout. It's almost always been true that in order for fresh talent to rise, some other riders' careers must fade. So after several years of getting their chance, but not quite being able to step up to the plate, I suppose it was inevitable that Tommy Hayden, Steve Rapp, Mike Smith and Larry Pegram were going to fade from the Superbike spotlight. But the way things are at the moment; there is no place for our rising stars' careers to ascend to. Robert L Brown \I7a the In~et The Supercross Saga VII fastest racers on the planet racing against each other. I do not want the ment over the past decade. AMA's decision to dump PACE/ split to happen. Just look at the past (IRL/CART and AMA/Formula USA). Hey look, the AMA again. Remember that lawsuit? Is the AMA in this sport to make motorcycle racing better for the fans, or to fill their pockets with SFX/Clear Channel Entertainment from Supercross should put chills down the spine of any promoter that has invested its money and time in promoting AMA events. My guess is there is more than All of the grandstanding by Clear Channel goes to show just how valuable the Supercross series has become. It does not show Clear Channel as valuable to Supercross. The money seems to be allocated to our money? Too bad for us fans - heck, too bad for the AMA. If only we could race without needing an AMA card. Dustfn Soldano \I7a the In~met enough blame to go around for the breakdown in negotiations between AMA and Clear Channel Entertainment. However, rather than getting everywhere except the riders. Clear Channel wants the Super. cross series? Then they should pay up - to the riders who are the show! rid of Clear Channel Entertainment from Supercross, the wiser choice This is or could be a great opportunity for the AMA to really shine through an ultimatum that would put Clear Channel on the spot. The AMA Hopefully, that stoppage will not last. Even worse is the fate being suffered by former AMA Champions who may be a bit long in the tooth, but undoubtedly still have the potential to win. To see the careers of Doug Chandler and Scott Russell end so ignominiously makes me want to cry. should represent the riders through demands of a purse that truly is worth battling and getting crushed for. Think of all the ways a large purse would benefit both privateers and factory teams alike. As for the riders, For much of the last decade, these two riders were either topping the AMA charts or representing America in the World Championship series. They both deserve better than this. John Gomer The Supercross Saga III may be to dump the AMA. Douglas Gonda Truckee, CA If we can hope that one positive thing Gonda is the founder of Formula USA, is gained by the present Supercross ownership battle, let's hope that it comes in the form of a respectable a package that was sold to SFX/Clear Channel... Editor cue I • n • _ S • DECEMBER 5, 2001 5