LOS ANGELES (October 6, 2022) – MX Sports Pro Racing and Feld Motor Sports, Inc., have announced further details pertaining to the formation of The SuperMotocross World ChampionshipTM for 2023 and beyond. Introduced during an exclusive press event at the landmark Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was the SuperMotocross World Championship qualification method, points structure, race format, distribution of the sport’s largest purse–$10 million–and the series’ media rights partner for the next five years. The 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship schedule was also unveiled, where an 11 round summer campaign of the prestigious series will serve as the centerpiece of the SuperMotocross World Championship 31-race calendar alongside the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
The overseeing entity of the SuperMotocross World Championship, the SuperMotocross League, will unify the unique elements of the two seasons—athletes, race teams, sponsors, organizers, and most importantly the fans—and combine the best of both forms of racing: the profound technical skill and precision needed to excel in Supercross, and the sheer speed and endurance required for success in Pro Motocross. This new form of racing is defined by what will become the world’s most challenging track—designed to test athletes both physically and mentally. Race teams and manufacturers will be faced with the new challenge of finding the right balance in their bike and suspension set ups, one that is best suited for combined stadium and outdoor track elements. As a result, fans’ perceptions will be challenged when they watch the world’s best racers compete on a track requiring a new, combined skillset to win.
“This has been two-and-a-half years in the making,” said Kenneth Feld, Chair and CEO, Feld Entertainment, Inc. “Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing initially came together to preserve a 2020 racing season during the pandemic and soon realized we’re stronger together. We asked ourselves, ‘How can we better the sport?’ And from that emerged the concept for the SuperMotocross World Championship. We’re dedicated to retaining the history of each respective championship and will continue to crown individual champions for both disciplines, but we’ll now come together to crown an ultimate champion.”
The 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship series will begin with 17 rounds of Supercross in January, followed by 11 rounds of Pro Motocross starting in May, and will conclude with two SuperMotocross playoff rounds, and the SuperMotocross World Championship Final. The first of two playoff rounds will take place on Saturday, September 9, followed by the second playoff on Saturday, September 23–both cities and venues to be announced shortly. The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will take place on Saturday, October 14, in Southern California at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum–long credited as the birthplace of Supercross.
“When we came together to find a way through the pandemic two-and-a-half years ago, we were privileged to take advantage of resources to determine ways in which we could improve the sport. The number one piece we were missing was a playoff,” said Carrie Coombs-Russell, CEO, MX Sports Pro Racing. “We went to our strategic partners with the concept of a playoff and then the excitement began. We’ve worked diligently to come up with a program that can be successful, both on the track and off, and now we’re here, with the SuperMotocross World Championship. Additionally, MX Sports Pro Racing is looking forward to embarking on the second half-century of Pro Motocross, which is where this sport’s historic journey began all the way back in 1972. The energy and atmosphere around next summer will be electric.”
The 52nd season of Pro Motocross will once again see the world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series visit the most storied venues in all of motocross. The season will kick off with the Fox Raceway National in Southern California on May 27 and will traverse the country with visits to 10 different states over the course of the summer with the Hangtown Motocross Classic (Northern California), Thunder Valley National (Colorado), High Point National (Pennsylvania), RedBud National (Michigan), Southwick National (Massachusetts), Spring Creek National (Minnesota), Washougal National (Washington), Unadilla National (New York), and Budds Creek National (Maryland), before concluding on August 26 in Indiana with the Ironman National.
The points structure for Monster Energy AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross will remain the same throughout their respective seasons. Following the end of the Pro Motocross season, the top 20 athletes in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points will automatically qualify to compete at each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship.
Leading into the playoffs, the points will be reset in both classes. The top 20 athletes will be seeded into the playoffs using one event’s worth of Supercross points – 26 for the regular season points leader, 23 for second, 21 for third, 19 for fourth, then single point denominations to the 20th seed, making performance during the regular season crucial for playoff position.
SuperMotocross World ChampionshipPlayoff 1 will retain the original point structure for the top 22 positions (26-1), while SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 will pay out double points (56-2). The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will pay triple the points (78-3), setting the stage for a wide-open, three-race showdown guaranteed to provide championship drama all the way to the end.
The top 20 racers in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points will be automatically seeded into the three SuperMotocross World Championship events. Gate position for the top 20 will be determined by qualifying at each event, while riders seeded 21st through 30th will compete for the final two gate positions at each round in a Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) race.
Racers placed in 21st to 30th in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points will still be playoff eligible and will race for the right to compete at each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship, vying for the 21st and 22nd starting positions. Additionally, any racer outside the top 30 in combined points who won a Supercross Main Event or a Pro Motocross Overall will also be given a chance to qualify for the 21st and 22nd positions at each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship. Racers entering the playoffs outside the top 20 will begin the playoffs with zero points.
The SuperMotocross World Championship playoff races and final will operate under a two-moto format for both the 450cc class and 250cc class. Each moto will be 20 minutes, plus one lap, in which Olympic Scoring will determine an overall finishing position for which SuperMotocross Championship points will be awarded. The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will also feature a SuperMotocross Amateur All-Star Race, with a single 10-minute plus one lap moto showcase featuring the world’s most high-profile amateur talent.
As announced this summer, the SuperMotocross World Championship series will boast the sport’s largest purse payout of $10 million over the course of the full season. A sum of $1.1 million will be added to the existing prize money already available in each respective championship. The SuperMotocross World Championship playoffs and final will have $5.5 million up for grabs, with a guaranteed $1 million going to the 450cc champion and $500,000 for the 250cc champion. Purse payout will continue to be provided to the top 40 racers in both Supercross and Pro Motocross and will be provided to the top 30 racers in the SuperMotocross World Championship.
“The SuperMotocross World Championship puts riders in a position to have to perform in both disciplines. I cannot wait to see how they’re able to take advantage of their strengths over the course of the season and how it will come together for the playoff,” said Ricky Carmichael, a five-time Supercross Champion and 10-time Pro Motocross Champion. “Above all, I’m really excited for the unity of Supercross and Pro Motocross and seeing what Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing are doing to help foster the growth of the sport. One vision, one goal. I can’t think of a sport where the playoff format doesn’t work and doesn’t provide excitement. Everyone is going to benefit from this, from the manufacturers to the riders and, most importantly, the fans.”
A new, groundbreaking five-year partnership with NBC Sports will see the sport showcased on an unprecedented level for the next several seasons in tandem with one of motorsports’ most established and highly regarded media groups. NBC Sports boasts a decade of experience in bringing the world’s premier off-road motorcycle racing championships to race fans across the country and will usher in a new era for Supercross and Pro Motocross through this unified league. All 31 rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship will be streamed live domestically on Peacock, while broadcast coverage will be shared between NBC Television Network, USA Network, and CNBC. The full calendar of 31 events in a single season will establish a record for the sport with an exclusive broadcast partner, signifying another historic achievement for the SuperMotocross World Championship. Internationally, streaming will be available through the new SuperMotocross Video Pass and will be available to fans in more than 140 countries around the world. Visit Peacock (Domestic) and SuperMotocross.tv (International) for additional details.
“With our wide array of live and original motorsports offerings, Peacock is a natural home for Supercross and Pro Motocross races,” said Rick Cordella, Chief Commercial Officer, Peacock. “We’re looking forward to providing fans with an easily-accessible destination to find every race all season long, including the exciting finish with the newly-formed SuperMotocross World Championship.”
On-sale information for tickets to the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship will be announced at a later date by MX Sports Pro Racing. Tickets for the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will go on presale on Tuesday, October 11, followed by a public on-sale on Tuesday, October 18. Details for tickets to the two playoff rounds and final of the 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship will be announced in the near future.
For information about the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
- Facebook: @americanmotocross
- Instagram: @promotocross
- Twitter: @ProMotocross
- YouTube: AmericanMotocross
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AMA Pro Motocross Championship
The AMA Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
More information can be found at www.ProMotocross.com.
MX Sports Pro Racing:
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world’s most prestigious motocross series – the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The industry leader in off road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators.
Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.
Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide.
For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
Feld Motor Sports:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
NBC Sports:
NBC Sports connects people to the moments that matter most and serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company presents premier content across linear platforms NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel, as well numerous digital sites, including Peacock. It also consists of NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology within its three groups: Youth & Recreational Sports, Golf, and Betting & Gaming. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, Big Ten Conference, NASCAR, INDYCAR, PGA TOUR, Notre Dame, The R&A, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, MLB, Tour de France, Roland-Garros, and many more.
Peacock:
Peacock’s expansive programming features live sports coverage including Sunday Night Football, Premier League, MLB Sunday Leadoff, NASCAR, INDYCAR, Notre Dame Football, golf, Olympic sports, horse racing, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel which streams Peacock Original Brother from Another and staples like The Dan Patrick Show and Pro Football Talk Live. Click here to learn more and to sign up.
