Sparkplug 56

Don't call it a comeback!

Yes, it has been a little while since the last Sparkplug, but the muse has returned so to speak. My little hiatus was unexpected but apparently much needed and that's all I'll say about that. For now, I'll just ease back into the swing of things... I don't want to pull a mental muscle.

This week's Sparkplug is about Motocross Media, specifically, the recent changes in the game. It looks like this sport may just join the 21st Century yet.

Just tonight I had the pleasure of browsing through my second copy of the new magazine, MOTOCROSS ILLUSTRATED (aka “MXi”), a unique and welcome addition to the pantheon of MX press. What makes MXi unique is the fact that it comes out twice a month, and yet it is as slick and glossy as any of the monthly mags. Led by Editorial Director Steve Cox and Executive Editor Scott Rousseau and published by Access Media, MXi combines the timeliness of Cycle News with the visual excellence of Racer X or TWMX. I'm really glad to see a new publication, and I think they're doing a heckuva job, Brownie.

Also relatively new to the scene is VitalMX.com, which is sort of the MySpace of Motocross. Vital MX is an ambitious, web-only undertaking that boasts just about everything one would want in a motocross enthusiast's website. Ably run by Steve Gibberson (former web honcho for TWMX Online and the generous guru behind Motodrive.com), VitalMX features the very latest MX news, race reports, and videos as well as a full-on membership area (and it's FREE!) with fan forum and all that jazz. Vital is just picking up speed, but it will probably become one of the primary web destinations for motocross fans in the upcoming year.

And speaking of the upcoming year, some really big news dropped this week regarding race coverage for 2007. Live Nation announced the broadcast schedule for the 2007 Amp'd Mobile Supercross series, and the big news is that the Anaheim I race will be broadcast live on the Speed Channel! This is a historical milestone for the sport and hopefully this will lead to my ultimate dream: seeing the entire season broadcast live on a major broadcast network. As for now, the majority of the races will be shown either next day (for the 450 class) or the following weekend (250F, the “redheaded stepchild” of Supercross), with the Las Vegas finale also getting the benefit of a live broadcast.

With the experience gained from this year's live finale broadcast, I certainly hope Live Nation improves their performance. Here's what I thought about the 2006 show.

Live Nation/CBS/Speed also announced earlier that Jeff Emig will be taking over Denny Stephenson's spot in the broadcast booth, alongside the mediocre Ralph Sheheen and woefully inadequate Krista Voda. (Did I just say mediocre and woefully inadequate? Perhaps I exaggerate.) In any case, I find it not so surprising that they chose to replace the best performing person on the team... that seems to be par for the course for some of these old school organizations. I wish Fro the best of luck with his big broadcast debut; I like Jeff Emig a lot and I hope he does well.

But the biggest media news, to me, was the announcement from Mike Kidd that the BooKoo Arenacross series... the ENTIRE series... will be webcast live each week! Here's the announcement. These are full video webcasts, similar to the live webcasts that I enjoyed for both the 2005 and 2006 Motocross des Nations. The BooKoo Arenacross series has truly stepped into the new media millenium, outfoxing the more established race series by going directly to the fans at $5 per viewing. Outstanding!

Too bad what the fans REALLY want to see online is the Amp'd Mobile Supercross series. I'm sure Live Nation's financial analysts looked at the business model for using the internet versus their current scheme of paying for cable and television time and decided that the old model is better. It's all about the dollars, and I don't blame them for maximizing their profits. But I sure do hope that they are able to get the sponsors to cough up more than one commercial for the entire season. Parts Unlimited's Thor commercials are always well done, but there is no excuse for filming just one spot and expecting us to love seeing it all season long. Don't make us hate you, Thor.