ABA/NBL —> USA BMX / BMX Canada

USA BMX is a great name for a BMX sanction. As long as you’re in the “Free 52.” Since the moment news of the merger between the ABA and NBL, under the USA BMX Umbrella, was first announced, there were questions asking “What about Canada?” What about Canada, indeed.

News was just talking about this subject at the recent Interbike trade show with some folks from up that way, and the sentiment was that they really didn’t mind the USA BMX moniker, as applied to their brand of BMX Racing up North. “I mean, it doesn’t exactly fit, but whatever” said one racer.

Well, no need to shoehorn the Canucks into the program, because Gilbert’s got ya’ covered. Little did we know that plans were underway to give Canada a league of their own, via BMX Canada. We spied the above shot on ABA’s Facebook page earlier in the week, and gOrk confirmed that this was the BMX brand for the Northland.

The above rig will roll on Canadian soil this weekend, just in time for the 2011 ABA Canadian Grand Nationals, held at Chilliwack Heritage Park in Chilliwack, BC.

Keep it right here on BMX News for more developments from the Arctic Circle to

Oh, and we’re reasonably sure that yellow “boot” is a security device so the trailer won’t get stolen. Looks too new to have five parking tickets already

#SingItWithMeNow – O Canada

On The Ground at Interbike 2011 – Part II

Continuing on from the first installment of things seen at Interbike 2011. But first, let’s take a brief pause to say Wazzup to Bill Allen, “Cru Jones” from the movie “RAD” who ambled up to the Hyper booth, just as we were finishing up our media tour. A perfect mix of show-biz and go-biz in this shot: Bill can say “I play a fast guy in the movies” and Jud Ciancio can say “I play a fast guy on the track.” Great to see both of youze guys.

FREE AGENT

Headlining an island booth chock full of new hardware from parent company, KHS, Free Agent BMX had their new Team Limo completes on display. In observance of the London Olympic Games, and in support of their resident Olympic Gold Medalist, FA’s paint scheme for 2012 goes for the gold…black & gold. Available in Team Limo 20″ and Team Limo 24, this is the ride that Maris, Kyle and Cristian use to make it happen in main events.

Free Agent Team Manager and world-champ-in-his-own-right, Dale Holmes said this of the 2012 Limo line:

“We are very excited about our line of bikes for 2012 — we’ve really switched it up, with a move to gold with an influence from Maris and the Olympic Games on the horizon. The specs are even more impressive and the frame is race-proven. After the overwhelmingly positive response here at the show, we’re just getting started on all that’s to come in 2012″

The line makes use of U6 Alloy with ovalized seat and chainstays, an integrated headset and CNC’d dropouts. The Limo has lots of name-brand parts on board too, such as the Sinz Carbon forks, Sun Envy rims and Kenda Konversion tires. A carbon seatpost and Free Agent housebrand Crankset are also legit for a complete. Take your pick of the 20 or the 24″ Team Limo for a suggested retail of $899.

DK BICYCLES

Yesterday, we told you a little about the forthcoming Strength Magnesium frame. Well, there was one other BMX race frame made from old number 12. DK Bicycles was showing their Magnesium “team replica” frame, which will hit the streets in seven sizes, when it’s all said and done. The Mini, Junior and Expert will be shipping in time for you to stage one up at the ABA Grands, and the Pro, Pro XL, Pro XXL and Cruiser will follow soon after. On magnesium, as a material for race bikes, Jason Jewell, who was doing the honors vis a vis our questions, said “it has the stiffness of aluminum and the forgiving properties of chromoly…kind of all mixed into one. First straights feel great on it…lots of power to the wheels… and in the turns, even if it’s a little bumpy like at one of our local tracks, the mag frame forgives a lot of that chop.” Price point for this baby will be around $500, and while the exact weights of all the models were not available at the show, our BMXNEWS best guess is that it will be in-line with the Strength frame, at around 2lbs for the largest pro size. You can see the DK magnesium Team Replica under 9x terror, Spencer Cole at a national near you, and likely Tommy Zula as well, but no confirmation if he’ll be piloting it in Chula Vista next week. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that green, black and white paint scheme!

FLY RACING

Ray Hudson and his posse were in the house with the 2012 Fly Racing lineup. Too much to list here in the way of colorways and variations, but suffice it to say you’ll soon be seeing the 2012 factory uniforms that make use of the pants, helmets and gloves nicely accenting a factory-fresh custom jersey.

One product we did want to highlight with a photo is their new “Default” BMX helmet. Available in youth sizes (SM, Med, Large) and Adult (Sm, Md, Lg, XL), the Default is incredibly approachable as the first lid after you graduate up from a loaner helmet at the track, or the hockey helmet with goalie mask bolted to it. With an MSRP of $99.99, a factory look, and well-preserved brains are yours “by Default” (har, har, har). Four color combos match it up with practically any jersey you can pair with it (blue and red, black and red, black and white and “voodoo” purple/yellow/black). The Default has got TLD-esque (our words) fin-shaping out back and air vents where they need to be. Definitely a solid offering as a starter skid lid.

Also in the above photo, not included with the helmet, but a great pairing, nonetheless is the new “Zone Pro” goggle. Sick-slick graphics on the band and the frame make the Zone Pro just the ticket for looking the part, as well as keeping out that which you want to keep out. The Zone Pro is also mindful of the “factory look” by coming stock with a chrome lens to put just as much mental distance between you and your comp as you plan to put once the gate drops. And get this…the Zone Pro Retails at $29.95. At that price, you can have a Friday, Saturday and Sunday set to match your mood.

INTENSE BMX

The design and geometry of the Intense Podium line is rockin solid and steady for 2012. Why try a mohawk on the Mona Lisa, afterall? Still, there will be some freshening up of paint and badging to separate those with the shiny new from those with the…shiny old. Also look for more news coming down the pike on the “Flying Circus” models they have been doing up for sponsored pros. No immediate glimmer as to what that’s all about, but we’re going to keep our inbox open and our ear to the rails.

T.H.E.

A fair amount of new helmet paint on the THE side of things for 2012. We focused in on the sexy carbon sizzle, bringing four new looks: Impression II (a black, grey and white), Monday (a sort of “Mondrian ala moto” motif), Koi (which will put you swimmingly into a deep blue sea, see and be seen scene), and finally the red orange and black “Tiki Torch” (ooga-booga…pass the mai-tai-flavored Monster). We always love the THE stuff, and guys like Maris and Willers solidly back up the brand’s bad-assness. Truth be told, we forgot to ask on the MSRP on these, but a quick check of J&R and Dan’s Comp has the 2011 designs at $296-and-change, so our chips would be on the new model being in that ‘hood, monetarily speaking.

SPEED

Speed’s first year blazed by pretty quick, didn’t it? Seems like just yesterday that we told tale of a twinkle of a new idea coming from the drawing boards over at VSI. Well, that was March 1, 2010. Since then, they have made major moves on the team front, with hotshots like Willers and Mariana Pajon winning world cups and world championships, respectively on them…and Felicia Stancil winning twin W1 titles on the Am side. For 2012, the “limited edition” frame we saw this year, which sported slightly different tubing, making the frame much lighter than the stock mamma, will be the new, improved in-stock-and-shipping-to-your-zip-code model. The black and red “Ferrari” paint will be retired in favor of a livery that riders went ga-ga over when they saw something similar painted up as Marc’s “New Zealand” team ride for the worlds. VSI riffed off the UCI Rainbow with some commemorative touches of color to celebrate Mariana’s worlds win on the brand.

MCS

Modernized metal is making its way to market from MCS as well in 2012. The “Tracer” frame will be the platform for a new line of complete bikes that will retail for about $429. Available around April 2012, the Tracer will be available in sizes ranging from mini to cruiser, all at the same price point. Down-range, they’ll be offering the Tracer as a frame-only, with some up-market upgrades like integrated headset and like that. Talk around the campfire is that the new-fangled frame is 3/4 of a pound lighter than the stuff currently in service.

BEYOND TODAY

Since there is so much more to the BMX Racing industry than the companies who attended the show, BMXNEWS.COM will be hosting a “virtual BMX Racing trade show,” here on our site, the week of November 14. From the comfort of your own home, office or starting hill, you’ll get the latest info on all the new stuff debuting at the ABA Grands and for the holidays. Watch for more info on this the last week of October.

If you missed part one of this article, check it out now

ABA Black Jack Nationals – Reno

While the NBL Grands were underway back in Louisville, the classic ABA Black Jack Nationals were rolling strong in Reno. Both cities will play a solid role in the go-forward national schedule under USA BMX, with the Reno Race being the “ABA” Divisional Championships, and Louisville being the “NBL” Divisional Championships. News will have more on this, and other emerging details of the 2012 season later in the week.

Meanwhile, BMX News contributor Cole Proctor was in Reno, and filed the following story and photos package. Good stuff!

—Mike Carruth

Re-Cap and Photos by Cole Proctor

The talk around the arena was that the track seemed long-ish, “Bro this track is super long, has Reno always been like this?” Yeah it has…I mean, was only 950ft. With the last two indoor nationals being Vegas and Tucson this track seemed like forever. The first straight was technical and fast, with long jumps and steep transitions. The second straight had more flow then the past Reno tracks Lots of mellow rollers in between the doubles. As for the third straight, there was a “Decision maker” Same length as the amateur side, but on the outside and with steeper lips. The question was, Should I go wide and jump the section for the inside? Or should I stay low and close to earth hoping to pull whoever took the gamble of jumping through the section? The last straight was more like dirt jumps, with close, fast transitions and tall lips. This track fit every style of racer.

SATURDAY
Saturday started of with a bang– 207 motos strong–the Black Jack nationals have begun! As racing went on through out the day, the “decision maker” seemed pretty popular with riders 13x – 19-27x.
After a couple dozen semis, it was time for the mains. The A Pro main was one for the books. Napa Valley Crush rider Blake Paulson with his first Pro win and Factory Tangent rider Josh Oie wins enough money to put him over the top, and bump him up to AA. Sean Gaian and Carlie Ferree both locked up wins in the USAC Junior development. And SE Factory flyer, Javier Colombo, won Vet Pro.

As Day One of the Black Jack nationals ended, the night had just begun. Living here in Reno, there was little need for us to go to the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in years past. But this year I did, and had a blast! It was full of rowdy BMXers, Burning Man “Burners,” Rib Cook-off enthusiasts, and AVID girl Volleyball players. The place was packed! After the race, “Down time” was in effect, but it wasn’t so mellow. With kids and adults alike smashing golf balls at the driving range, racing the go-karts, shooting each other in laser tag. You know there was a lot going on. The night eventually softened and it was time to focus on Sunday’s race.

SUNDAY
Racing ran quick, with an “out-of-the-parking-lot” time of about 2:00PM. But don’t think the action was any less intense–Sunday was jammed with great racing, gate-after-gate. As mains came around, A Pro had everyone on their feet. Jacob Peebles came up on underneath side of Blake Paulson to take over the lead then lost in it the “Decision maker” to Lee Lewis. The ‘Flea’ taking the win in A Pro. Lain Van Ogle blasted Factory Crupi’s Justin Anderson in turn two of 16x to take the win, and in 19-27x KJ Romero tried taking the lead away from reigning number one Am, Josh Klatman, but fell short in the first corner.

The net impression on Sunday’s racing was that everyone was putting in 110%, and it was all-out war to the finish line. Words were exchanged, some tears shed, and hands shaken in sportsmanship. BMX At its finest.

A great Weekend in Reno! A nice, fast track, that had something for everyone, solid comp, and lots of after-race fun. What more could you ask for? The Black Jack Nationals were a success!

Check out the Black Jack Nationals Photo Gallery

What Does It Mean To Be Sponsored – Part II

In part two of this two-part editorial, we pick up where we left off– with the questions BMX News posed to a panel of eight industry experts–the guys who make the decisions on who gets sponsored and who doesn’t.

If you haven’t yet read part one, we encourage you to go do that now, then come back for the final word.

Read Part One Now

---

OUR PANELISTS
Michael Gamstetter, Marketing Manager – VSI Products (Intense, Speed, Sinz, THE)
Bill Ryan, Owner – Supercross BMX
Dale Holmes, Team Manager – Free Agent
Ryan Birk, Vice President – Answer BMX USA
John Sawyer, Owner – Ssquared Bicycles (and Answer BMX, but responding for Ssquared)
Toby Henderson, Former-COO for VSI Products (answering on his own behalf)
Pete Dylewski, VP of Marketing – BMX Racing Group
Gus Lanzilotta, Team Manager – Profile Racing

6). What should a rider do to be an outstanding brand ambassador?

Michael Gamstetter: I think that depends on the brand. We have sort of an ideal “type” that we think fits our brand images. Hopefully, we’ll pick riders who fit that image, so we don’t have to work on that later. So, being a good fit is important. We want someone who is loyal and who will be with us a long time. We potentially may invest a great deal in promoting our riders, so we wan to know they will stick with us. It’s also important that riders look professional on and off the track—wear our race gear when they practice and race; wear our hats, T’s etc. when they’re at BMX events and not racing. We also want them to use our products and give us constructive feedback. Reach out to the media. Be friendly and approachable. Be nice to the kids. Communicate with us regularly. Attend and compete in all the big races. And, winning’s not bad. Winning, does get the attention of the media and public.

Bill Ryan: Always keep their uniform and bike clean, make sure all sponsor logos are in the proper place on the equipment, make themselves available to the fans, present themselves in the best manner possible at all time. Some riders do local clinics, help younger riders at their track, etc…

Dale Holmes: An outstanding brand ambassador is always a good role model. Someone who does more than there share. One that helps out at their local track that makes trips to local schools to visit with kids and leaves a good BMX taste in the mouths of those they visit with.

Ryan Birk: As I’ve said a few times above, riders need to be a “person of influence” for me to want to partner with a racer/ or team. That means, be a high profile racer that people look up to as a role model. Obviously race results are important, but so is being “the guy” that everybody wants to see roll up to the track and has time to talk with people. Racers that have that “Factory” look to them with their bikes always being clean and their uniforms clean, and only using their sponsors product are what people notice and can be influenced by. Being knowledgeable about your sponsors products and being able to answer questions about them is crucial to be a “person of influence” and promote sponsors effectively. Going out your way to be a friendly and helpful pro to younger riders can go a long way towards making you a “person of influence” and also gaining a large fan base to support you on the track.

And doing clinics is the ultimate way of gaining fans and promoting sponsors to the buying public. Ask Bubba Harris about that one, that guy has the most fans of any racer and their parents in the world because he’s probably coached 99% of them at a SuperCamp over the years. Even if he never won a title (much less the 3 ABA and 1 UCI World) he would probably still receive the most cheers and high fives at the races because he’s taken the time to coach these kids and help make them faster. People see Bubba as their friend since he’s spoken to them and not just some guy they’ve seen in the magazines and on the computer that is fast. I think that can go a long way towards people’s decisions in brands when it’s time to buy.

I’m sure Bill Ryan can attest that he’s selling more Envy frames now because Bubba Harris is riding for them than he was before. And the Envy is a great frame that could sell itself, but Bubba’s fans and followers may have been influenced to buy an Envy because that’s who Bubba rides for. I’ve seen the same thing happen with Jeffery Upshaw in Ohio and the Midwest. I’ve sponsored Jeffery in one way or another for the past 12 years and I can honestly say you can see a trend in sales in his area based on the brands he’s sponsored by. His following is that big and it’s because he talks to everybody like they are his buddy. Yes he’s fast and freakishly skilled, but off the track he’s approachable. He does clinics, he rides locally, and he’s got parental support that will talk with everybody as well. Bottom line, if you’re a rider that everybody likes, whether you win mains or just make mains, you’ll still have fans that can influence sales and that’s valuable.

John Sawyer: I feel they should they should have a good attitude towards being approached and to promote their main sponsors with the clothing ( if available ) and if there is TV, magazine, video or phone interviews they should promote there as well. Giving 100% every lap. If they have a podium spot, take a look at the AMA riders. Bring bike, have jersey on, hat, helmet and goggles, all of those people help get you there so let them see you care too.

Toby Henderson: Squeaky clean, all-American pie to start. After that use and develop the products your sponsors rely on to run their companies. Too many riders do not get this point.

Pete Dylewski: Win races, have a good fan base, give back to the sport, keep his name in a positive light, be a role model.

Gus Lanzilotta: Be informed about their sponsors /companies products, be ready to answer with confidence about the product and have a positive attitude at all times.

7). What can a rider do to be a poor brand ambassador?

Michael Gamstetter: Be a jerk. Complain about our product publicly, or even privately to other riders, be they peers or just a buddy. The BMX rumor mill moves fast, and one off the cuff comment or slip of the tongue will get around. Rumors are extremely difficult to deal with and can be detrimental to a brand or product.

Bill Ryan: Not using the products, speaking badly of the products, bad conduct at the track or at the event (hotels and areas around the track included. People are watching everywhere )

Dale Holmes: Someone’s who’s not a team player and that clearly doesn’t pull their own weight is a poor brand ambassador. I can tell you from experience that poor brand ambassadors don’t make it long on our team. We weed them out quickly, as we’re a hard working, cohesive group that likes to win but always makes time to give back.

Ryan Birk: Do the exact opposite of everything I said above. Even if you win every single main during the year, if people hate you and can’t relate to you, you’re useless to a company or brand as a sales tool which essentially what sponsorship is.

John Sawyer: The opposite of above and get dead last every race

Toby Henderson: Besides talking down your product, not using your product, and acting like a baby at the events.

Gus Lanzilotta: Not know anything about the brand, having a poor attitude and being a bad sportsman.

8). How important is “podium presence” for riders who have podium presentations

Michael Gamstetter: Very. It’s a great opportunity to be in front of the fans and since they are photographed, those appearances live on long after race day. People notice when a rider doesn’t show up. I know I hear about it. I’d like the ABA to make a bigger deal of podium presentations and do them before everyone goes home on Sunday and make them more central to the event. I think they could and should be a bigger deal. More like the podium celebrations in other sports.

Bill Ryan: If there is a podium presentation and the rider has made it to the Podium, they need to be there for the photos. If possible bring your bike to the podium, be in full gear. I know some people say “Oh this is not Motocross and we are not making a Million Dollars” That doesn’t matter, there is an old saying, dress for the job you want not the job you have. If we want to bring in outside dollars, TV, etc… We need people to take it a bit more seriously, if they want to be taken seriously

Dale Holmes: This would be a deal breaker if our riders missed the podium. This is an area where I am a stickler. Our guys need to be on the podium in their proper uniform representing our sponsors that have invested in both them personally and also our team. I also encourage our riders to have a full uniform and plate for practice at the Nationals. Also, when our guys are training at home, I encourage them to at least wear their race shirt.

Ryan Birk: Not nearly as important as their “off track presence” is during the weekend and during the week. Yes, of course the year end titles, and UCI World titles and that gold medal every 4 years is a marketer’s dream for advertising campaigns but in reality, nobody remembers who wins weekend to weekend, but a kid will remember if Pro A took time to sign an autograph and Pro B just blew him off and rode on by after winning the main.

John Sawyer: Extremely important as that is the one chance that they will have for that day ( if they are top three ) to know they will representing their sponsors while standing still and they can let every front jersey sponsor be seen as well as the bike and so on.

Toby Henderson: If you make the podium you BETTER be standing on it at the time of picture taking!

Pete Dylewski: I would like to say its always important for a rider to be there, but when its hours after a race, with no fans in attendance, other than the postage stamp size photo that may or may not show up, its not important. But when its a big event or with the crowd present, by all means the rider should be there.

Gus Lanzilotta: It is very important. as a company you want to see your rider on the podium. If the rider blows off the podium then maybe you should reconsider why you have a rider that does not care about your brand and might be in it for a “free ride’.

9). How much of a factor are parents in your decision to sponsor or not sponsor a rider?

Michael Gamstetter: The people I work with directly generally no longer have parents involved. But I do know parental involvement plays a big role in who gets on the teams we sponsor. Not always, but often.

Bill Ryan: Parents are a huge factor, you have to deal with them as much as the rider. All manners of being an Ambassador apply to the parents just as much as the rider.

Dale Holmes: Parents are definitely a factor in my decision to sponsor or not sponsor a rider. It makes for a more cohesive team if I deal with the rider themselves. Clear communication is key and I can’t get that with parents in the middle of every discussion. My rule is, if we sponsor a rider, I will only deal directly with them-period.

Ryan Birk: As a company that does not have their own factory team and only does co-sponsorship support, parents have little impact on the decisions. But, if I was a bike manufacturer and a Factory Team, parents would ABSOLUTELY play a factor in whether or not a kid gets picked up or not. I have to believe that every parent in the world only wants the best for their kid and expects the royal treatment in support in return for the services of their child for marketing/advertising/team sheets. However, I’ve seen way to many disillusioned parents ruin a kids chance and ultimately their career by being too “involved” in the whole team/sponsorship process. It’s a bit easy to understand and accept when the kid is young, but when you see the parents of 18 yr old plus racer’s parents getting too involved and ruining the potential relationships of the race, it’s quite sad. But the BMX race world is a small family and if you get the reputation as being one of “those parents” everybody knows about it and will avoid you like poison ivy even if your kid is the next greatest racer ever.

John Sawyer: Well, as I said above I have been watching and learning and that seems to be a pretty big deal with the overall picture with how they riders ride to what he or she worries about and I have noticed that the parent can even affect the pit area vibe as well so it is something that is as important as the rider themselves.

Toby Henderson: For BMX racing it plays a big part. Without parent support most companies cannot deal 100% with a riders needs. Maybe Tennis can but not BMX Racing.

Pete Dylewski: It can play a big role. Many riders have been denied sponsorship over the years by companies due to parents.

Gus Lanzilotta: Wow! The parents are a big factor. You can be the best racer in the world, however if your parents are too pushy and require the world from you just to have their child put on your jersey it’s not worth the aggravation that they will give you. BMX has a huge talent pool of riders and parents that want to be a team player, if the riders and parents don’t jell with the rest of the team members that will bring the moral down and the rest of the team will suffer. Choose wisely!

10). What is the best way for a rider to get noticed by you for a sponsorship (break it in to “Co-Sponsor” and “Factory” if you have such a thing).

Michael Gamstetter: I know I said winning isn’t the most important thing, but I think when it comes to getting noticed, it sure goes along way. Perhaps the best way to get noticed is to introduce yourself to the team manager and say hi when you see him at the races. Just keep it simple though. Say, hi, make small talk, mention your results (if they’re good), but don’t ask to be sponsored every time to see him.

Dale Holmes: Co -sponsorship can be applied for on our website, freeagentbmx.com. For our Factory Team, I’m watching everyone on and off the track. I feel it’s important to get to know the rider before there’s ever a discussion about sponsorship. Personalities are important and I like to get an idea of who riders really are before they are invited to join our team because it affects us all.

Ryan Birk: For me it’s easy: Go fast, have some good results, but most important, while achieving this success, become a “person of influence.” Do stuff at your local track or within your local team to help younger riders and gain a fan base. As we are a co-sponsor company and not our own Factory Team, we rely on riders and teams coming to us with good, professional looking resumes and realistic expectations of what the sponsorship partnership is.

Be friendly and courteous and make yourself known to your prospective sponsors. Submit resumes and proposals/requests when the time is right and remember to offer what you can do for them and not just ask what they can do for you. And PLEASE, learn how to spell “sponsorship”. It’s not “sponcerchip or sponserschip”. If that is how you think it is spelled, please go back to your second grade teacher now and apologize for being an idiot and let them know it wasn’t their fault you turned out the way you did. Bottom line, go fast, be a nice guy/girl, give back to the sport when you can, make friends with as many people as you can, look and act like a champion but be humble and appreciative about it, and sponsors will find you.

John Sawyer: The attitude and giving 100% even if they are in dead last.

Toby Henderson: EXPOSURE and PROFFESIONALISM

Pete Dylewski: For the BRG, we seek out the riders we want to support. We are looking for hi level athletes, so for sponsorship, we seek out. For Team support, teams need to go through their local bike shops and we work directly with the shops to support the team.

Gus Lanzilotta: Performance and sportsmanship!!!!

BONUS QUESTION: Any additional thoughts on this topic?

Michael Gamstetter: Again, I know this sounds crass, but sponsorship is not charity or “a way to give back.” It can be, sure. But even those things are marketing techniques and a way to get your brand more exposure, and thus, sell more product.

Companies make stuff to sell. To get sales, they need to get the word out. Attaching your company/brand/products to a great athlete who gets good press, is in the public eye often, wins a lot and has thousands of adoring fans, in theory will help sell more stuff. But selling more stuff is a lot more complicated than that. Those sales have to actually result in profits.

For some reason, in BMX, everyone from the parent of the hot local 6 Inter rider to pretty much every expert racer thinks they “deserve” to be sponsored. Although BMX is an individual sport, a strong culture of being part of a team and sponsorship has developed over the years. This is not intrinsically a bad thing, but when every local track has five home teams and each is looking for discounted or free bike parts, it becomes a bit of a problem. Especially when you consider that the vast majority of BMX companies today (and over the entire history of BMX) are small and rarely profitable.

Consider this: When a bike company gives away one frame, it has to sell at least 10 to cover the cost of that one freebie. To make a profit on that one freebie, it then has to sell even more frames. The typical small-to-medium-size BMX company may sell 100 to 500 frames per year. If that company sponsors 10 riders (the size of your average Factory team) with free frames (one to two per year) it then has to sell 100 to 200 just to cover the cost of those frames. Say nothing of actually making a profit.

Every sponsored rider has to make sure that when he or she gets a frame or a bike or a helmet, he or she works hard to help that sponsor sell as much of its stuff as possible. That means promoting the brand 24/7. Thanking and mentioning your sponsors whenever possible. Telling your friends how great the product is. Working with your local bike shop(s) to get them to carry the brand. Promoting the brand to the local kids. Wearing branded T’s. Basically, it’s your job to help make the brand “cool” and desirable. Racing is part of that, of course, but building a strong brand image takes much more than just a few wins that.

Ultimately, it’s the company’s responsibility to build the brand and meet market demands. But every sponsored rider or team is part of the company’s plan. Sponsorship is a pretty big responsibility.

Dale Holmes: Stay focused on your goal. If you train hard, do your part, and respect others, sponsors will find you.

Toby Henderson: Please remember BMX Racing is TINY compared to Golf, Motocross, Baseball etc. Be reasonable when you request what you need from the company. BMX Companies simply cannot afford big deals. Lastly if I catch you selling something me or the company GAVE YOU it is cause for immediate expulsion.

Pete Dylewski: Sponsorship is not needed to race BMX and riders should worry more about results at a younger age, than being sponsored. Sponsorship comes to riders who deserve it.

Gus Lanzilotta: Unlike baseball or football, having a team in BMX is probably one of the toughest teams to put together, There are so many elements that need to come together at one time.

You need to find sponsors that believe in what you are doing and are willing to help/support your riders who promote their company. Receiving a factory sponsorship from a team is more then you getting to be the cool guy or a free ride, the responsibilities you have are real. If all you do is show up, ride your bike and leave don’t expect to be a part of that team next season. As a team member you and your family have some responsibilities to the team.

Watch BMXNOW.COM on Monday, September 12 for a companion story:
25 Things you can do to be a great Brand Ambassador.

The discussion on this article is underway on VintageBMX.com. Come join in with your opinions and experiences.

“This Space For Rent” T-Shirt (pictured above) for sale on Zazzle.com

Sam and Dom Dub’ in Derby City

It was a blazin hot weekend of Elite BMX Racing in Louisville Friday and Saturday, as 36 Elite Men and 18 Elite Women grabbed center stage at the hot-onfire Derby City BMX facility.

The Junior Women added some spice to the program with lead-changing-action between Shelby Stacy and weekend-first-timer, Felicia Stancil. Felicia ultimately took aces in every lap, but Shelby, Audrey Zuloaga and fellow “rookie” Shay Glynn kept the heat on.

Junior Men had some sizzle on Friday night, but four DNS-no-starts kept it to more of a low-grade conflict versus all out war. Maliek Byndloss copy-pasted his Friday first into the Saturday results page. Tyler Whitfield mounted some challenge on Friday, but he was ampin’ with the Ams on Saturday, so only a foursome in the gate.

The 34th-and-final NBL Grand Nationals is running alongside the UCI/ABA Pro Elite Program, and had its first two rounds on Saturday, as the Elites were weaved into the program to keep the excitement at full wick.

Sunday’s “AA Pro” (or whatever you call it in the former NBL) Racing was ho-hum, with a lot of boat ridin and non-racing for the fans. Don’t get us started on that topic, as the Internet doesn’t have enough ether. But suffice it to say we feel pretty strongly that if your workday is a sum total of 160 seconds…you know what…another time.

Day two racing started on time at 8AM, and ran completely in-the-dry til the 12 Cruiser main, when a steady sprinkle started up, and lasted until a few minutes after the final main crossed the line. Some asserted that it was the BMX Gods crying as the final passing of the NBL era was at hand.

Lots of good racing in the am ranks, which we will report tomorrow once the tires hit the driveway at HQ.

Photo Galleries (Includes Elite and Amateurs)

Friday Gallery

Saturday Gallery

Sunday Gallery

More words on the 2011 NBL Grands Tuesday Morn (traveling today)…Meanwhile here are some results for ya’

Saturday UCI Results

Junior Women
FELICIA STANCIL – Speed Bicycles
SHAY GLYNN – Profile Racing
AUDREY ZULOAGA

Junior Men
MALIEK BYNDLOSS – Ssquared/Troy Lee Designs
DAKOTA CODY
HEATH HART

Elite Women
DOMINIQUE DANIELS – Grand Canyon University/DFR
BROOKE CRAIN – Haro
AMANDA GEVING – MCS

Elite Men
SAM WILLOUGHBY – Factory Redline
NIC LONG – Haro
BARRY NOBLES – SE Bikes

Editorial: The Fight For BMX Racing’s Identity

We all know the adage “Be careful what you wish for…you might get it,” and nowhere does it apply more profoundly than in BMX Racing of the modern era.

Our sport has struggled with an identity crisis, almost from day one–with some of the earliest perceptions being that BMX was done with motors on bicycles (due to the improper pronunciation as “Bicycle MOTORcross”).

Jump a couple hundred calendar pages, and you’re in the early 2000s. What was previously known as “BMX Freestyle” had, by this time, decided it was too labor intensive to use the extra word, and claimed de-facto ownership of the term “BMX” by using it far and wide, to mean dirt, vert, park, street and flatland. Yes, period.

Um…EXCUSE us! We’re right over here (waving arms, as if stranded on a desert island, with a helicopter in view). I guess they couldn’t hear us.

Today, talk to any mom, dad or hip uncle at the soccer pitch, ice cream social or church car wash, and tell them your kid races BMX, and you will inevitably hear “oh, wow…he does all those flips and tricks?” You just KNEW they were going to say that, didn’t you? Even though you were careful to say “RACES” BMX.

This weekend marks the first of many steps leading up to the 2012 London Olympics–the “Test Event.” This is an honest-to-goodness UCI BMX Supercross World Cup event, big time Olympic qualifying points, and even more big time than all that: network coverage on NBC. BMX News reported this back on July 25, but in case you missed it, this is real-deal NBC, not the only-seen-in-a-handful-of-homes Universal Sports. This means that BMX Supercross will be on the same media stage as last week’s Dew Tour event in Portland, which is awesome, and something we have been longing for in this sport.

See what I just did there? I said “BMX Supercross,” not “BMX Racing.” And in that statement, lies the point of this editorial.

To those of us way up in it, BMX Racing and BMX Supercross are…shall we say…fraternal twins. Possessed of similar DNA, but not identical either. What Maris, Connor, Arielle, Mariana and the rest of our best are doing this weekend is BMX Racing–and yet it isn’t. So, how do we convey that to a TV audience? Is anyone in charge of conveying it? Is it even important it BE conveyed?

To really answer that last question, we have to look at the long-debated topic of “growing the sport.” Now, that is a topic much too thick for this discussion, but let’s pull one of the low-hanging fruit off that very-broad topic and do a bit of role-play (which would be fully realized by about the fourth post of any Vintage thread, so we are just fast-forwarding reality here);

“We need BMX Racing on Television.”

OK…why?

“So it can grow the sport.”

“How will it grow the sport?”

“People will see it, get stoked on it, and want to do it”

Ah-HA! You’ve finally said it (well, I said it for you, but you WOULD have said it). The reason we want media coverage for the sport is so it might grow the sport, and that is accomplished by people seeing BMX Racing and wanting to do it.

If that is true, we have to ask, in follow up to that: Can showing BMX Supercross to a few million people on NBC help with growing the sport? Yes, if people understand there is a disconnect between what they are seeing, and what they or their kids will be doing when they go down to the local track…that is, if they even KNOW there is such a thing as a local track.

The bottom line to all this is that this is a “test event” for us too. BMX racing is squandering a massive opportunity to further its cause if the producers of the NBC Olympic coverage are not properly schooled on the differences between “classic” BMX Racing and the BMX Supercross they will be showing.

BMX Racing needs few two-minute “vignettes” that can go into their coverage to show the world how these superheroes got started in the sport. It wasn’t on a 30-foot-high starting ramp, it was on a modest dirt track in Happy Valley or Las Vegas, San Diego, Bakersfield or any number of other local tracks where, tomorrow, your son or daughter could start an Olympic dream of their own–in BMX Racing.

If this is not done, and we just let the audience figure it out for themselves, we will have missed the golden opportunity for another four years– by which time, it is highly likely that BMX Freestyle (now known most simply as “BMX”), will grow into our Olympic and media sandbox like creeping charlie invades my lawn.

But that’s tomorrow’s problem. Today’s problem is to create proper messaging to prevent BMX Racing from losing its identity yet-again, to BMX Supercross.

We have wished for BMX Racing to be on network television. And now we are going to see that wish realized. What will come next, as we look back on this granted wish, in a couple years?

—Mike Carruth, August 17, 2011

Join the discussion: We are talking about this topic on VintageBMX.com. Click here to have your opinions heard

BMXers Jump in to Help Joplin Kids

Over the past two years, East Moline BMX local, Nick Ziegler has been following a passion: to get BMX bikes under kids who can’t afford them.

The idea sprang out of a promotion he ran on VintageBMX.com for Standard Bykes in the summer of 2009. The promotion was entitled “BUILD YOUR DREAM FRAME,” and members were challenged to sketch out their ultimate frame design, and the ONE entry chosen would be built by Standard’s custom shop, and presented to the lucky winner.

There was one restriction for the contest: it was open only to VBMX Site Supporters (a $35 annual donation). In a recent interview with “News,” Nick said: ” I had people emailing and posting they wanted to do the contest and wanted to win the bike because the couldn’t afford to buy one. So after some discussion with friends, we decided to put some old bikes together and give them to people who could not afford them…then we tweaked the program to be “kids only,” and formally started the ‘The Midwest BMX Donation Program’.”

Today, the group is a fully-functioning nonprofit, which has donated nearly 60 bikes to kids all over the country, and has attracted support from BMX industry players like SE Bikes, DK, Porkchop BMX, Odyssey, local shop BikeOne in Moline (IL) and, of course, hometown hero Rick Moliterno at Standard.

When Joplin, MO suffered a direct-hit from an EF-5 tornado on May 22, Nick and his crew knew they had to get involved in helping the community’s kids get some normalcy back into their daily lives.

“Bikes bring smiles to faces young and old, so we held a bike drive. NEW department-store-bought boys and girls bikes, sizes 12-20 inch. Choosing this format, over our normal method of building bikes from parts would allow more people to get involved, as these bikes could be had from Walmart for $39-70 each. It would also allow us to get the bikes to Joplin in time for the kids there to enjoy them this summer.”

But Nick and his team ran into resistance from an unlikely source: the very agencies on the ground in Joplin helping in the relief efforts.

“I called the Red Cross, and they turned down the bike donations. They wanted financial donations instead. I called the United Way, and was met with the same thing. I contacted Joplin Chamber of Commerce, and they told me to look at restorejoplin.org for someone who would take my bikes. I didnt think it would be so hard to give away 14 brand-new bikes, but it was.”

Nick was becoming discouraged, then a surprise phone call re-ignited the excitement

“I got an email saying 4state Trucks was going to swing by, pick up the bikes, and give them out to families in Joplin for us (Editor’s note: 4State is based in Joplin). And who should show up, but the original (CMT) “Trick My Truck” cast; the “Chrome Shop Mafia!” There are only two of the original guys left–the others moved on, but these “Real McCoys” stayed on, to work for the American trucker. We had alot of fun during their visit, talking bikes and trucks and, of course, about the situation in Joplin and how bad it was down there. Then, they loaded up the bikes, and hit the road.

We didn’t think we were going to get the bikes to Joplin, but in the long run it all happened for the best. Since I work in the trucking industry, it was a honor to meet and work with these guys…and it was all-the-better that they were from Joplin, and could bring some two-wheeled happiness to their town.”

As a final question, News asked Nick “Who do you hope these bikes will help?”

“The bikes will hopefully go boys and girls who lost everything and need a smile and something to cheer them up. It may not be money, or a new house, but it is something that should help things get back to normal. It is such a bad story down in Joplin– they need more help. If I knew I could get another 14 bikes I would do another bike drive to get them some..”

Then, Nick adds: “OK, who is in and wants to gather up some more bikes?”

If there is something you want to do to help Nick and his program, contact him using the information below:

NICK ZIEGLER
MIDWEST BMX DONATION PROGRAM
1620 20TH AVE
MOLINE IL 61265
A100DORK3@YAHOO.COM
563-508-0908

Postscript:
Nick asked if we could acknowledge the team behind the Midwest BMX Donation Program. It would be our pleasure.

Jeff Ziegler- Master Tech
Ron Anderson- Master Tech
Kristen Ziegler- Photography & PR

Editor’s note: And, of course, Nick Ziegler- Founder

 

T-Hoff’s “Project Freewheel” Gets Traction

Back on February 28, BMX News posted a Podcast with Napa Valley Crush rider, Tony Hoffman. It was a compelling interview, with Tony talking about his road back to BMX racing after years of following the wrong path, using drugs and ultimately resorting to a life of crime to fuel his habit. A multi-year stint in a California prison and, while there, epiphany of faith, helped Tony turn his life around 180 degrees.

He came back to BMX racing literally within hours of leaving prison walls, and he has been on his bike nonstop ever since. His experience over the past several years puts him in a unique position to help young people stay on the right track. To hear Tony tell it, it isn’t just young people that could use that help on occasion, and he’s there for them.

Shortly after our interview was recorded (and shortly before it was posted), Tony launched “Project Freewheel” (which has now evolved into Freewheel Ministries), to use BMX racing as a means to give his “flock” (for lack of a better word) a positive outlet to direct their energy and attention.

Above is a photo from yesterday’s meeting of the group. Only the second official outing, Tony and his volunteers drew 60 kids out to the Fresno BMX track for an afternoon of riding, and learning the important lessons Tony is speaking on.

BMX News promised a follow-up on Tony’s Progress as part of the February interview, and we will be doing just that this weekend in Nashville. But as an appetizer, we wanted to let you know about Tony’s awesome program, and how he has taken his passion for BMX racing, and channeled it into doing something that helps the sport, his members, and society, as a whole.

If you haven’t caught Tony’s interview, listen now:

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Corben Sharrah Honored By “USA Today”

After his World Cup win in Pietermaritzburg last weekend, Corben Sharrah has attracted the eyes and honors of the sports editors at USA Today. In yesterday’s edition, the paper, which has a daily audience of 1.7 million readers, named Corben their “USA TODAY Olympic Athlete of the Week.”

Honors like this are a great way to spread the word about our sport, and we feel BMX racers are long-overdue for recognition in the mainstream media.

We’re sure Corben’s sponsor, GT Bicycles, is stoked about this as well, though they were not mentioned in the article (Sharrah was in South Africa as part of the USA Cycling “funded” team, and therefore, wore the “USA” jersey pictured above, instead of the Factory GT threads you see at the nationals).

We are anxious to see if Corben starts up a winning streak when he is back in GT colors this weekend at the USA Cycling National Championship in Chula Vista, CA. BMX News will be on the ground with updates, tweets and photos throughout the weekend.

See the full USA Today Article

Frejus eZine and Photo Gallery

BMX News Euro correspondent, Carl Lein has been busy since Maris crossed the finish line on Saturday. First, he processed and edited 144 images into an image gallery (link below). He also artfully assembled one of his “eZines” as a deeper-dive into the developments in France.

Carl’s stuff is always awesome, and we know you’ll have as much stoke about checking it out as we did.

Download the eZine (requires Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader)

Then, check out the image gallery

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