http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/event...eid=2014011405 Well its officially official. Foremost/Pegram Racing has entered the EBR 1190RS in all 6 races of the 2014 season. So far with just over two weeks to the dead line to enter Daytona, only 5 riders have signed up for Superbike and 12 in Daytona Sportbike. As opposed to last year at this time when the grid was full with 21 entered in Superbike. Deafening silence still emanates from the TV coverage conversation.
Unless there is a slew of teams who are going to pay the late entry fee, there will only be a bakers dozen of machines on the superbike grid at Daytona next month. Meanwhile the Sportbike grid will see some hard racing and desparate attempts to qualify with 32 machines entered to do battle. Still no word on TV coverage.
Well per the entry list this morning http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/event...&class_sort=SB there are only 15 superbikes enterd to race at Daytona this year. Simply abismal. I wonder if DMG will repeal its no late entry policies now, that the preimer class can even fill the grid. I was hoping to see Cory West out there on the EBR but maybe he will join in later rounds. I'm torn on the one hand I feell like not making the the trip because DMG has ruined the series but on the other hand if I don't, me and my family won't ring the turnstlyes which will further injure the sport.
Well there are 20 entries now, but I think they're in serious trouble. Has there been any word on TV coverage? Will the AMA webcast it if there's no actual TV coverage?
I don't know how a series like this can survive if there's no way to see the races (other than going to your local track - and I think those numbers will drop dramatically if there's no way to see the races that aren't local).
The races were available via the online DVR but the quality was VERY poor. I was just was ranting on another board about the patheticness of being able to see IROC snowmobile racing or NHRA swampbuggy racing on TV and yet not have a deal in place for the AMA when the network had already inked a deal for 2014 and 2015 but can't move forward because DMG is only holding half the the number of events everyone expected. This is effectively quadrupling the cost of each available advertising spot while reducing their number. Since there are fewer commercial spots available at MUCH higher cost to cover the base production cost, the network and producers are having little luck selling them.
That just seems to emphasize how critical it was for them to put together 10 races. They should have done everything imaginable to lock down those venues. They may be in a death spiral now. No TV coverage means even fewer fans than before. Fewer fans than before means less money at the gate. Less money at the gate means fewer venues will be interested. Fewer venues interested when they could only get 5 this year means there may never be a 2015 season.
Am I overstating it?
It seems to me they need someone with deep pockets who can afford to take a loss for a few years but make sure they'll have at least ten races plus TV coverage for a minimum of 3 years to try to build some interest. I think the problem is that anyone with that kind of money didn't get that kind of money by gambling it on a venture as risky as that.
No, I think you're spot on Scott. The articles from Roadracing world late last year indicated that many venues were not even contacted by DMG/AMA. In fact the reason the whole issue about the sceduling conflict with the US round of WSBK was because no one from DMG/AMA was in contact with Laguna Seca's mamagment until after everything was done or at least so claim the folks at Laguna. There are 3 sides to every story though. Its not that people aren't interested in motorcycle roadracing, its that DMG keeps making it harder to back, follow, attend, watch, participate, and cover the sport.
Mean while this Pegram Foremost EBR is quite patriotic!
Awesome looking bike!! At least that cheers me up some. Thanks for sharing.
Looks like John Ulrich is going to make his alternate series happen:
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/raci...racing-series/
The interesting question here is: "Will the AMA try to partner with him and find a way to integrate this into their own series . . . or will they try to compete directly with him?"
I have a feeling that if the AMA doesn't play this right, Ulrich could be hosting the premier US roadracing series in a few years.