Coming off the announcement that Lucas Oil Pro Motocross will run most (probably all..) rounds without fans and the powersports industry seeing record sales, how can we promote the sport of dirt biking in a way that lays a better foundation for us all when Covid-19 and ‘the new normal’ is eventually behind us?
Coronavirus aside, how many sports can you watch the most elite of its athletes on prime network television on Saturday and then go out and participate in that same sport on Sunday? Motocross is unique in that enthusiasts have the opportunity to participate in as high a level as they wish, at any age, with any skill set, On Any Sunday, on equipment that can be purchased in most towns across the developed world. You can’t, realistically, do that with car racing. Sure you can play a pick-up game of basketball or a church league game of softball, but not to the level you can compete in motocross [and definitely not during a global pandemic].
You can watch Drew Brees throw passes from the pocket under pressure but unless you’re still in school playing football, you’re not going to go out and duplicate that feeling at your local park. You can watch Eli Tomac make passes on a rutted track under pressure, wide open through a set of sand rollers and then go out and get that same feeling, with that same personal intensity at your local motocross track.
Local motocross has seen record numbers of participants. Local and national off-road racing has also seen record numbers of participants. I hope I’m not speaking from a point of ignorance, but I haven’t read any media or come across any VitalMX or Thumpertalk forums about breakouts of coronavirus from attendees of dirt bike races. Assuming that I’m correct, can the motorcycle industry use this as a way of showcasing our sports? I get that it’s a fine line of, “Look as those stupid dirt bikers disregarding safety, as usual,” and, “That looks really neat, maybe we should look into getting the kids a dirt bike,” but that’s a dance worth trying.
The Industry needs to continue gaining new participants looking to break the boredom of whatever stage of quarantine we’re in, but it also needs to focus on retaining those new participants after all is said and done. We’re consistently hearing how well the powersports industry is currently doing, it needs to take full advantage of every opportunity.