Red Bull Rookie Cup Gone!

[reciprocity]

I cant believe this is happening. I thought thay the cup was a great idea. When and where can these youngsters showcase their talent? Why do the Europeans get everything, even though their program has been reduced, they at least still have one.

because no one in Canada cares.

This site has approx 20000 members, a fairly decent cross section of the motorcycling population in the GTA.

I'd bet that less than 10% of that membership has ever been to a race and that under 20% are even aware there is racing going on in Canada.

if this site was based in a European country, the numbers would be reversed, there would probably be less than 10% of the membership that had NOT attended a race of some sort.

And this is the MOTORCYCLING public.

just think of the #'s you'd get with those who are not motorcycling enthusiasts.

You have to be able to draw the general public to events to get decent attendance numbers.

[havin_fun]

because no one in Canada cares.

You have to be able to draw the general public to events to get decent attendance numbers.

While on a 2 week bus tour in Italy with a bunch of Canadians, the couple of soccer fans were complaining about how North Americans don't support/watch soccer. They got the guide to ask who on the bus (43 people) knew who Beckham was. About 3/4 knew. I asked the tour guide to ask how many knew who Valentino Rossi was. No one, aside from the guide, driver, my wife and myself knew.

That's why general public attendance at bike races sucks so bad here. Never mind MotoGP or WSB, did we EVER see stories of the epic Spies/Mladin duels on the US evening news? How about anyone in Toronto that doesn't ride a bike knowing what a Trombino is?

The track-and -field, stick-and-ball sport supporters within news corporations intentionally keep motorsports off the big networks. Here in Hamilton, this reaches back to when Dick Beddoes was the sports director at CHCH. He publicly stated CHCH News would never cover motorsports, and they never have. But until he left the station, you got frequent reports/video coverage of horse racing, Dick's fave. So how many CHCH viewers really gave a crap about horses, except as rose fertilizer generators? So it ain't strictly about ad revenues.

Even SPEED/NASCRAP's success doesn't get stock car racing much news-time, so just having the manufacturers throwing money into advertising doesn't solve this problem. But there's always time to see endless blather about steroids in baseball, football and the Olympics. Congressional hearing and all. If the news orgs wanted to promote a truly "clean" sport, bike racing is it. I can't recall hearing about any major racing star ever testing positive, and they do test.

To paraphrase Macluhan, as a society, we are what we watch... on TV. For the majority of North Americans, if it doesn't appear on the boob tube, it's not real.

[kneedragger88]

If the news orgs wanted to promote a truly "clean" sport, bike racing is it. I can't recall hearing about any major racing star ever testing positive, and they do test.

Nori Haga got busted abeit cold medicine and lost a WSBK Championship because of it.
Anthony "Go Show" Gobert got busted many times.

[dvu3]

The track-and -field, stick-and-ball sport supporters within news corporations intentionally keep motorsports off the big networks. Here in Hamilton, this reaches back to when Dick Beddoes was the sports director at CHCH. He publicly stated CHCH News would never cover motorsports, and they never have. But until he left the station, you got frequent reports/video coverage of horse racing, Dick's fave. So how many CHCH viewers really gave a crap about horses, except as rose fertilizer generators? So it ain't strictly about ad revenues.

I cant believe thats the state of mind our sports news casters.

Constantly at work I debate with my co-workers about how Motorcycle Racing is as much a sport as a stick-and-ball sport.

To me a definition of a sport is: an activity where individuals or teams compete with one another to "win", also there must be some elements of athleticism too.

[john bickle]

My brother works for Red Bull in Austria. They're really going top to bottom looking at ways to trim costs. They're switching from 2 year car leases to 4 year for corporate vehicles and probably will discontinue those vehicles for many employees. It's hard to justify stuff like a racing series when there is questionable return on investment.

This bothers me. In that RedBull has had such a good income for years they allowed themselves to get carelss. Then they make a commitmnet to a bunch of young kids. These kids are over the moon and excited with the oppourtunity. Redbull should have had a plan B once they made the committment and they should have announced in 08 they were cancelling 09. Not lead people down the garden path. Does anybody at Redbull have any idea what these people spent to get their?
They are messing with young kids. How many of those kids do you think will now drink Redbull, and how many of their friends and how many of their friends. This will leave an ever lasting impression on the people associated. Bad marketing and cost people money. How many of those contracts RedBull made the parents sign will reimburse them for their lost down other avenues?
I for one will never let anybody I know drink the stuff becasue of this lack of respect for the parents and kids. Not fullfilling their obligations to the successful applicates for 2009 is wrong.

Dump the cars and fullfill their obligations to kids! Man Up RedBull!

John Bickle

[eastcoast_gsx]

knowing what a Trombino is?

LMFAO.... now that was funny to read.

[reciprocity]

That's why general public attendance at bike races sucks so bad here. Never mind MotoGP or WSB, did we EVER see stories of the epic Spies/Mladin duels on the US evening news? How about anyone in Toronto that doesn't ride a bike knowing what a Trombino is?

If Kleinburg was a small town in Italy, City hall would be named after Frank, and all the town kids would be crashing bikes to avoid going to school or working with their fathers.

[john bickle]

If Kleinburg was a small town in Italy, City hall would be named after Frank, and all the town kids would be crashing bikes to avoid going to school or working with their fathers.

Now that is funny!

[minifig-phil]

this bothers me. In that redbull has had such a good income for years they allowed themselves to get carelss. Then they make a commitmnet to a bunch of young kids. These kids are over the moon and excited with the oppourtunity. Redbull should have had a plan b once they made the committment and they should have announced in 08 they were cancelling 09. Not lead people down the garden path. Does anybody at redbull have any idea what these people spent to get their?
They are messing with young kids. How many of those kids do you think will now drink redbull, and how many of their friends and how many of their friends. This will leave an ever lasting impression on the people associated. Bad marketing and cost people money. How many of those contracts redbull made the parents sign will reimburse them for their lost down other avenues?
I for one will never let anybody i know drink the stuff becasue of this lack of respect for the parents and kids. Not fullfilling their obligations to the successful applicates for 2009 is wrong.

Dump the cars and fullfill their obligations to kids! Man up redbull!

John bickle

time to switch to MONSTER!!!

[invictus43]

I for one will never let anybody I know drink the stuff becasue of this lack of respect for the parents and kids. Not fullfilling their obligations to the successful applicates for 2009 is wrong.

Dump the cars and fullfill their obligations to kids! Man Up RedBull!

John Bickle

Just to be clear, I couldn't care less about people thinking badly of Red Bull. Having said that, you're entitled to your opinion and I'm sure they've considered the downside of pulling out. They've basically said they don't care and don't want to waste any more money in the North American road-racing scene. In their eyes, the pros outweigh the cons. The guy's made a LOT of money..I'm sure they have an idea of what they're doing. Like Dono said, North American ain't exactly the centre of the motorcycle racing universe. F1 does extremely well without the US. Well..so far..

[john bickle]

Just to be clear, I couldn't care less about people thinking badly of Red Bull. Having said that, you're entitled to your opinion and I'm sure they've considered the downside of pulling out. They've basically said they don't care and don't want to waste any more money in the North American road-racing scene. In their eyes, the pros outweigh the cons. The guy's made a LOT of money..I'm sure they have an idea of what they're doing. Like Dono said, North American ain't exactly the centre of the motorcycle racing universe. F1 does extremely well without the US. Well..so far..

Red Bull is entitled to do what ever they want. BUt my point is why do they have to play with the heads of 15 year old kids. Once they ventured down that road and made all the parents/kids sign contracts they in turn ,should have made the same commitment. How many parents and kids ventured to Barber for a 30 minute try out. How many parents toiled over signing the contracts? In 08 there were over 750 kids try-out.
This is a costly sport and I do recognize the economic times. But people made a commitment to Red Bull for their future. Red Bull should be morally obligated to follow through with 09 in the US. Red Bull called them to the table!

John

[eastcoast_gsx]

Red Bull is entitled to do what ever they want. BUt my point is why do they have to play with the heads of 15 year old kids. Once they ventured down that road and made all the parents/kids sign contracts they in turn ,should have made the same commitment. How many parents and kids ventured to Barber for a 30 minute try out. How many parents toiled over signing the contracts? In 08 there were over 750 kids try-out.
This is a costly sport and I do recognize the economic times. But people made a commitment to Red Bull for their future. Red Bull should be morally obligated to follow through with 09 in the US. Red Bull called them to the table!

John

Agree 100%. Clean off your plate before you put it in the dishwasher.

[minifig-phil]

Just to be clear, I couldn't care less about people thinking badly of Red Bull. Having said that, you're entitled to your opinion and I'm sure they've considered the downside of pulling out. They've basically said they don't care and don't want to waste any more money in the North American road-racing scene. In their eyes, the pros outweigh the cons. The guy's made a LOT of money..I'm sure they have an idea of what they're doing. Like Dono said, North American ain't exactly the centre of the motorcycle racing universe. F1 does extremely well without the US. Well..so far..

You are sadly mistaken here! The US is a very important market in racing. Even F1 wishes they could be there. The US is a HUGE (probably the biggest) market in the world for any sponsor.

[havin_fun]

You are sadly mistaken here! The US is a very important market in racing. Even F1 wishes they could be there. The US is a HUGE (probably the biggest) market in the world for any sponsor.

You wouldn't know it as far as motorcycle road racing goes. No media coverage = no public awareness = no external sponsorship = no media coverage.

But as for off-road and freestyle, the sky's the Red Bull limit... http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/306/22...-Compound.aspx

I guess it's just a reflection of the short attention span of the North American consumer. Maybe motorcycle road racers need to be voting each other off the track, or foraging semi-naked for bike parts.

John B. is right, Red Bull signed contracts with these kids. Red Bull should have the guts to either run the series for the contracted year, especially in light of the above link. There were no guarantees of being accepted at the try-outs, but once the selections were made and contracts signed, Red Bull has a moral responsibility to not screw with these kids' lives.

This series was supposed to be about getting talented young people into a sport which desperately needs them. So where are the motorcycle industry heavy-hitters when these kids need them the most? The same place they has always been, relying on racers and their families to bear the majority of expenses to participate in what is essentially a semi-professional level sport. The "amateur sport" version of motorcycle road racing is track days. It's well past time the industry/promoters woke up to this reality and started treating motorcycle athletes with the same respect accorded stick-and-ball athletes.

Otherwise, even fewer North American parents will agree to pay the huge costs involved in allowing their kids to try to break into motorcycle racing.

[TBK]

How many parents and kids ventured to Barber for a 30 minute try out. How many parents toiled over signing the contracts? John

This is the sad thing about contracts, it's only binding to those who can't afford to get out of it. While Red Bull may suffer some monetary loss in the economic times, it's nothing to a family who a parent gave up a salary in these economic conditions to make his son or daughters dream come true.

While I am not impressed with Red Bull, they sound like they were going to follow through on their obligations if it weren't for the other sponser that pulled out. Would that be KTM? How many major sponsers were there?

[Tonto]

I'm $30k+ in so far helping my boy (and he's still relatively little)chase his dream...

[kneedragger88]

I'm with Bic. This is a crappy irresponsible thing to do. Many people have altered their life to take part. As a freind of many years of Gary Christie (Jody's Dad) I am ****** off as well. I have also consumed my last Red Bull.

[kneedragger88]

I'm $30k+ in so far helping my boy (and he's still relatively little)chase his dream...

As a dad myself my hats off to you.

[invictus43]

I'm with Bic. This is a crappy irresponsible thing to do. Many people have altered their life to take part. As a freind of many years of Gary Christie (Jody's Dad) I am ****** off as well. I have also consumed my last Red Bull.

I never bought the stuff in the first place..it's like $2.50 a can for sugar water!!

As for costs..ever put a kid through Triple A hockey?? That's like $10k a year..

[reciprocity]

I'm $30k+ in so far helping my boy (and he's still relatively little)chase his dream...

that's a DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for costs..ever put a kid through Triple A hockey?? That's like $10k a year..

A good national 600 program is probably close to 5 times that.