ged wrote:
It's a chicken and the egg scenario now 2t. GP racing has always been wildly popular in Spain (in their one round per year), I don't contest that but in the pre Dorna era they hadnt produced any top 500 riders (save Puig, Criville and maybe Checa) and no champions at all. Now, we have wall to wall Spanish riders across all 3 classes, a predominance of Spanish teams, sponsors and even the administration, (that gives them 4 rounds a year) and the worst part being the overarching system that gives preference to Spnish riders.
Success breeds success, but exactly how you start the sequence is the difficult part
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Over decades there have most certainly been many attempts to promote and kick start various racing series in Australia and America that I know of. There has been limited success (MX and Supercross!?). So it is not for the want of trying.
If Australia, or anyone else, was truly interested maybe they should go back and study what the Spanish did, how they started the cycle. We probably want be able to replicate exactly what they did but could use elements; maybe - taking control of Dorna and FIM and their $$$$'s and influence maybe involve a fight or two.
Regardless, one of the problems is that success can either stimulate or crush growth. Stimulates by creating interest and awareness, setting best practice etc etc or crushes by sucking the oxygen out of any rival series (oxygen is the $$$$'s from audience, sponsors etc etc). This can be seen in the competition between MotoGP and World Supers.
The nurseries, feeder series and regional races all need oxygen. When there is only limited supply then the MotoGP succeeds and the local dies. In Australia Sydney motorcyclists, avidly watch pay TV, plan ahead, take holidays, spend thousand of $$$$'s to go to PI and the World Supers but won't ride to EC to see a round of the Australian Supers. Figure that out and counter it and you'll be half way home.
What it comes down to is for all human activity to have ongoing success there has to be a closed loop of training and success. Spain has the closed loop but the world series doesn't. So either Dorna and FIM et al has to consciously feed oxygen to the world's motorcycling racing nurseries or the World Championship will die. It might continue with the name, financial success and the entertainment industry success but it will be a Spanish benefit masquerading as a World Series.
"A motorcycle is a bicycle with a pandemonium attachment and is designed for the especial use of mechanical geniuses, daredevils and lunatics." - George Fitch Atlanta Constitution, 1916
