AMA Supercross soaring in popularity
Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 3:43PM
TV, attendance numbers rival, even top, more traditional racing fare
April 5, 2017
It’s loud. It’s fast. It’s dirty.
And it’s more popular than you might imagine.
stopped at Ford Field in Detroit on March 25 and put on a show before more than 46,000 fans. That’s about 15,000 more fans than turned out for the Verizon IndyCar Series’ Sunday show at nearby Belle Isle last summer.
The figures weren’t unusual for the 17-race series -- actually, it was one of the slower nights. Atlanta and Indianapolis stops each topped 60,000 fans, while the series drew 57,800 in Dallas and 54,200 in Phoenix.
“The live event has seen consistent and steady growth over the years,” said Dave Prater, senior director of operations, 2 Wheel, at Feld Entertainment, the series’ owner. “I believe the mainstream media is starting to take notice.”
As for ratings, the series’ March 18 show from Indianapolis attracted a season-high 813,000 viewers on FOX.
“We were definitely happy with those television numbers, but I don’t think we were surprised,” Prater said. “We believe Supercross should be drawing those type of numbers. It’s just a matter of exposing the sport to more people. Once you’ve witnessed it live or on television, we’re confident you’ll be a fan.”
Reader Comments