I'm willing to open a discussion about the sad state of affairs regarding a national motorcycle roadracing series. Many want to blame DMG, which has the rights to promote and organize races. Granted to them by the AMA. IMHO DMG has royally fucked the primary national series we've had for the last 40+ years. But I prefer to place the blame a little higher up. AMA is squarely to blame for this fiasco. AMA signed a contract with DMG to promote and organize the races. And it's been going downhill since. Why is AMA not jerking the contract from DMG? Do they not care? Or, did they not have an out in the contract they awarded DMG? Either way, AMA fucked up and does not deserve to be the sanctioning body recognized by FIM.

Nobody has blamed Obama yet???



You guys are slipping!

Like just about everything Rob Dingman has done since becoming president of the AMA, selling (although as far as anyone can tell, the AMA didn't really get any money) roadracing to DMG has been a failure.

My feeling is that DMG doesn't care because motorcycle roadracing is such small potatoes, and the AMA has far bigger problems to worry about, such as $4 million in losses in the last three years and severely declining membership.

You can read my analysis of that situation here: http://www.theridesofar.com/2014/02/the-decline-of-the-ama/.

During the chaotic first year of DMG ownership, some other entities considered trying to challenge the AMA with a competing series and thought better. Now, however, the situation is different and it may actually be a less daunting prospect.

Not too many factory teams on the grid these days.

@Black Hills: If there's not enough money to support a Superbike series in the United States, why is there enough to support a solid Superbike series in much smaller Britain? It could be done, if done right.

@Mac: There are no factory teams because DMG chased them away as a matter of policy. They wanted AMA Superbike to be like NASCAR. Ford, Chevy and Toyota don't own the dominant NASCAR teams. The teams are independent. DMG wanted the same thing in Superbike and ran off the factory efforts. The trouble is, there's nothing left. The NASCAR model doesn't work for Superbike racing.

Quote from: motociclista on March 06, 2014, 10:49:58 AM

You can read my analysis of that situation here: http://www.theridesofar.com/2014/02/the-decline-of-the-ama/.

Quote

The AMA, which dates back to 1924, reached 150,000 members for the first time in 1988.

Not to get off topic, but really? AMA membership was only 150K in 1988. I'd love to see your source for that statement. Just sayin'. 

Would the AMA magazine be a good enough source to convince you?

http://books.google.com/books?id=FvYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA70&dq=American+Motorcyclist+1988+150,000+members&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MBgZU-iVEMeYqwGHx4GoAg&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=American%20Motorcyclist%201988%20150%2C000%20members&f=false

Quote from: Mac on March 06, 2014, 06:17:15 PM

Not too many factory teams on the grid these days.

None actually. The big 4 abandoned the US scene a long time ago. Way before DMG took over.

In 2008, when control of the series was handed over to DMG, all four Japanese manufacturers had factory teams. Honda was the first to go in 2009.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2008/12/13december08_noroadrace/

The exodus began under DMG, not "way before."

When I say "my feeling is...", that doesn't claim omniscience. It's pretty clear it's just my supposition. I don't know for sure why DMG does anything.

But since you asked, here's my speculation. Why did they buy the series? They thought they could make it a success. They tried to nail down their control by running out the manufacturers, who had, in DMG's eyes, too much power. They thought they'd make it like NASCAR. Trouble is, the manufacturers were the main source of money. So it didn't work. The sport then went into a downward spiral due to the economy, lousy demographics in the motorcycle industry and declining sportbike sales. The downward spiral is self-perpetuating as teams like Buell and Jordan leave. Then there's no TV package, fewer races, so there's no sponsors, and the spiral continues.

Consider this, too. There has never been any evidence presented that DMG paid the AMA a single dime for the series. AMA leadership refuses to say. The AMA's tax filings, which are public record, have not shown any income from such a sale. So maybe DMG "bought" it because it was free.

And I agree with you, the AMA is ultimately responsible. Especially if they "sold" it to DMG, which ran it into the ground, and then used an escape clause to avoid paying anything because the series was no longer worth anything. (Again, not omniscience, just speculation by others who are fairly well informed.)