It’s a 3 + 3 year deal. All in all it’s for six years unless we aren’t achieving targets set by both myself and MA.
We are half way through the 2012 ASX series with IEG at the helm. How would you evaluate the performance of your company over the first two rounds?
I have a new team working diligently and passionately in the background. I will continue to state that the events are as much a rehearsal as they are actual. Everyone one of my crew should be proud of where we are at after two rounds considering the time we have had to plan and prepare.
There were quite a few negative comments about track size, poor seating arrangements and the lack of viewing areas at Phillip Island. Why weren’t potential issues like this dealt with before the start of the round and will these issues be rectified for the remaining rounds?
With regards to the round that we ran in conjunction with Moto GP, I can strongly state that the enormity of it was underestimated by both parties and we will ensure that never happens again if we are to run at Moto GP. In saying that, I feel we did our riders, championship and sponsors proud in front of the biggest international audience our sport has ever competed in front of. The track definitely provided close and entertaining racing. As for the final two rounds, fans will witness two of the biggest tracks ever raced on in Australia.
The track layouts at Dubbo and Phillip Island have both differed significantly to those posted online. Why has this occurred?
Philip Island was a safety and size issue. Once we started building we found that the track was getting to close the fence, so we had to change it. The Dubbo circuit didn’t differ much, however, the dragon back was taken out on the day of competition because it was deemed dangerous, not by riders or IEG, but by MA. We will work closer with MA for next year to eradicate these issues and if we are to compete at Moto GP we will build a new track and/or extend the existing track.
Australian Supercross has plenty of fans that can’t get to events or live in other countries. Why isn’t there any live streaming or free-to-air coverage of these events?
Free-to-air television is expensive and can harm potential crowds, but it is something we will consider it in the future. As for live streaming, it is also something we will look into. For now, we want the crowds track-side to build the profile and value of the sport. We are excited to be airing TWO hours of TV for national racing. This hasn’t been achieved in a long time. That coupled with reasonable prize money and contingencies makes it a good return for riders, fans and sponsors.
Getting Chad Reed on board to race three of the four rounds has had an extremely positive impact on the series. What is Chad like to work with?
Working with Chad is awesome, he is the most consummate professional. He demands the respect of his time as much as any high profile athlete, but he gives a lot more than expected. He identifies how important his fans are and that was evident at Philip Island. I witnessed firsthand his commitment to his fans, as he stayed back the longest to ensure his fans where looked after. He is a champions champion!
While it’s great that Chad is racing here this year, what are you doing to bring more top US-based riders in the future?
I think it’s important that we encourage fans to get behind our Australian champions. Jay Marmont proved that he is an awesome rider at the first two rounds and he has also proven it in previous years by winning rounds of Supercross. Don’t ever underestimate the talent we have here. It’s great to have Chad and Gavin to add to the excitement, but we don’t need to overcrowd the gates with international riders. A few are important to add international value and worth, but we need to ensure that we provide opportunities for are nations best riders.
After the success of Phillip Island, are we likely to see more of these combined events in the future? What about live music or other entertainment?
I would like to work with several groups to ensure we continue to grow the value of Supercross. I would consider Bathurst, Sydney 500, F1, Clipsal and various other events as worthy platforms to showcase the best action-sport on two wheels. I would also consider some music festivals.
The schedule seemed a lot tighter at Phillip Island than Dubbo. All going to plan, will families with young children be happy with the schedule at Toowoomba and Newcastle?
Yes, we have tightened the program to provide a more flowing action packed night of entertainment.
Based on what you have achieved this year, what major changes and improvements can fans expect to see in 2013?
The day’s event need to be fuller, from show rides, profiling platforms to showcase our riders without their helmets on, maybe even Rally X.