This should go over like a lead balloon... Is the AMA relevant?

I have to admit, I don't watch AMA racing at all. Not since the year DMG took over anyway. After just a had full of races with DMG at the helm, I lost all interest.

Then with the economy tanking and several major manufactures bailing, that provided more reason to ignore the AMA. Don't get me wrong, if it's on TV and I'm flipping through channels, I'll watch, but I don't even DVR it anymore.

So besides being the "next step" for a successful club racer, is there any relevance in the AMA? Most of the fast guys have stopped racing in the series because theirs no money to be made. And the AMA isn't churning out the Haydens and Spies of the world as of late either so the world stage is a far shot out of the AMA as well.

Thoughts?

 

I enjoy it.

 

Relevant as a series, as "the next step", as the gateway to the world stage. Is it still the main path for a fast future superstar to make a name for him/her self or is something in Europe a better option?

 

the only series that are really relevant right now is BSB and the Spanish Series

 

The Barber round, well, I forgot about it until the day before it started. Advertizing is total crap lately. TV, well, I'm sorry but I'm not hanging around until whenever it comes on on Saturday and on Sunday night I'm out cold before it comes on. No, I'm not buying a Tivo to watch it, Tivo spies on you.

Roger damn near killed pro racing for the third time in the US, it's going to take a lot to get his smell off of it. Best of luck to DMG on that, I'm actually hoping you can do it.

 

As its the only US RR series thats televised,its still relevant
And to me it aint really AMA anymore,its strictly just DMG...the AMA moniker only gives the series a false sense of continuity

 

You know, it's actually more so than years past in that case. In the past you could make an insane living by staying home and racing AMA. Now, you can get just as poor racing in WSS, WSK or MotoGP as you can by staying home.

I think you'll see more 'merican racers in foreign series than ever before and that's not a bad thing.

 

Some of the best racing in years is going on in the DSB races. You're missing out.

 

seriously! dsb is rockin right now.

 

DSB and its prior incarnation has been "rockin" since it was introduced back in 87

 

In my eyes, AMA is only relevant in getting some exposure to racers in hopes that they can find a ride in BSB, CEV, or one of the FIM European series'. As for being relevant itself to getting people in the world's eye, not at all. I personally haven't watched any AMA racing since DMG started running AMA. Tarnished that series in my eyes. BSB and CEV are just more fun to follow and watch.

Even the CIV and IDM would be better for riders to get noticed than AMA. Just from what I've seen with riders moving up the ranks over the past few years from different series around Europe.

 

It cracks me up when guys who say they stopped paying any attention to AMA Pro more than two years ago, act as if they know what is going on now.

And when guys who aren't involved and have never done it, make statements regarding the best way to move a young American up. Trust me, I have learned a few things about doing that over the years.

Hey, I ran a pretty good program in WERA for 15 years. Won a lot. And then got more attention and new sponsor support from winning an AMA Pro 750cc Supersport race at Daytona (with Josh Hayes) than we did in all those 15 years with WERA. Even today in bad economic times, the available support for an AMA Pro program (for teams and riders) is light years ahead of the available support for a WERA program. That's just a fact. As I am sure Mark Junge will also tell you.

I love WERA and count myself as one of WERA's strongest advocates. But I can't control the racing universe, all I can do is react to reality. If you want to race professionally in the U.S.A., here and now, you have to be in AMA Pro. Period.

 

i'll take it from someone with actual sponsors and a winning team...i do love ama racing and i became a real die hard last year.

 

^^^Very well said imo.

I follow at record WSB, GP, and AMA. I have to be honest and say that I enjoy the AMA 600 races as much or more than any race. The are action packed from beginning to end. AMA Superbike races are not as fun with the exception of the latest Barber race, as most races have one or two guys check out within a couple of laps. I think the telecasts have also been better lately with interviews etc. included in the racing.

 

Those of you who haven't watched AMA racing since the DMG takeover are really missing some fantastic racing action on TV.

Seriously, give it a chance. I've found it more exciting than WSBK and GP's this year.... by a longshot.

Can't comment on BSB since I still haven't found a way to watch those races... legally.

 

Was that a crack at me? Because I never claimed to "know what's going on" now or then, for that matter.

What I do know is what I enjoy watching, and for the last few years the AMA hasn't been it.

And it's nothing against the racers or teams involved, It's because I have a deep hatred for NASCAR and anything related or appears to be related to NASCAR. When DMG took over, they should have called it NASBIKE. If things changed they've done a poor job at promoting those changes.