Huge cash infusions launch the International Supercross Championship

When the American Motorcycle Association organized the first Motocross Super Cup in 1972 at the Colosseum Stadium in Los Angeles, the two disciplines of motorcycle racing began to diverge. Traditional motocross remains in the fresh air; it is long, heavy, exhausting, often remote and completely weather-prone for both riders and spectators. In recent years, the best money has gone to supercross, with shorter, tougher and more technical races, all in the light of night, in easily accessible stadiums in major cities. Fans can sit in their seats all night and see the whole track. Purists may not like it, but it feels like a modern spectator sport.

Supercross up to this point was as American as apple pie, and with the exception of the amazing Chad Reed, it was dominated by American racers. The Supercross World Championships began in 2003, but eventually merged again with the 2008 AMA Series. To win the “World Championship” as approved by the FIM, the riders had to win in the US.

Not anymore. Last year, Fimd Motor Sports, which had a FIM license for supercross racing, refused to extend the treaty on international sanctions, referring to COVID-19 as an occasion to refocus on the domestic series. This license was attacked by the Australian company SX Global, led by Tony Cochrane, who is best known for bringing the V8 Supercar race to immense popularity.

Today, SX Global announced a grand financial deal with Mubadala Capital, the asset management division of investment firm Mubadala, which controls a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets in connection with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Therefore, any fears that this series will be underfunded can be removed. SX Global is preparing an unprecedented carrot worth about $ 50 million to attract the best riders: each of the 10 selected independent teams will receive initial funding, fees for appearance, logistics and cargo support, as well as a prize wallet totaling $ 250,000 at every event – it’s the biggest wallet ever offered in a supercross – in addition to everything they can bring through sponsorship.

“There is a huge fan base and untapped demand for supercross outside the United States and with the support of Mubadala Capital’s financial support and significant resources, we intend to support this by bringing sport to new regions through the most exciting and lucrative World Cup series in sports history.” Said Tony Cochran, president of SX Global. “We’ve created a whole new model for supercross that emphasizes increased financial support and opportunities for riders and teams, increased opportunities for sponsorship and a better experience for fans.”

SX Global

The group is planning a “pilot” season for 2022, with five events taking place from September to November, and everything will expand to cover the period from June to November from 2023.

“Over the years, there have been various attempts to build a real series of the World Supercross Championship, but none of them have succeeded due to lack of funding and resources, lack of global and regional ties and many other factors,” said Adam Bailey, managing director. Motorsport, SX Global. “Our team has the necessary experience in supercross and international competitions, relationships and experience, as well as funding to make this World Cup a reality.”

Source: SX Global