The historic Los Angeles Coliseum, home to the 1932 Olympics and the original Super Bowl Of Motocross played host to MX Sports Pro Racing and Feld Motor Sports as they announced the SuperMotocross World Championship schedule for 2023 and beyond. Details on the qualification method, points structure, race format, distribution of the sport’s largest purse–$10 million–and the TV package with NBC for the next five years was also presented. 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.
“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” explained Carrie Coombs-Russell, CEO, MX Sports Pro Racing. “The number one piece we were missing was a playoff. 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 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.
“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 new “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.
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.
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,” concludes 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.”
