6 replies to this topic

[No Jive]

Just thought I would put a question out to everyone.

How do the other countries raise funds for the TDN?

I am from the USA. It is a grass roots thing here, but there are people who are trying to raise the stakes a little bit. Just loking for some ideas.

[PERCE]

Simple answer is, we don't. As far as I know the ACU fund the UK team, as to what is provided financially I've no idea.

[rabie]

stupidly (or not ) we pay for it (and for enduro the ISDE and MX the MXDN) out of each sports relevenat budget

each sport's budget comes from a central pot which is an allocation of all the licence fees from all riders (and thankfully trials is a big sport and circa 90% of riders maybe 95% are ACU members)

thus for smallish sports that cost a lot of money (like enduro and the ISDE; two teams, 10 riders, 6 days often a long way overseas)

in MX we do a retail deal with a shirt company to sell team shirts, but i don't think that makes very much money (compared to the costs). enduro do lots of extra fund-raising things because is is so expensive (like £20K --> circa $40K)

[PA.]

The Australian Team is funded by Motorcycling Australia and Australian Institute of Sport. Our budget is enough to send a Mens team and a single Team Manager who also is the team Minder. Over the past few years a number of people have attended the TdN and minded or helped out as they could, all from their own pocket.

[biffsgasgas]

Wow that is interesting.
As No Jive said we have no one organization like that over here.
MX is its own enterprise over here and they have money comming out of their ears.
Enduro is large as well with plenty of personal endorsements at the pro level.
In trials here in the states if you can scrape up enough money to go ride and come back then its a go. No organizations other than possible help from a dealer. Most riders work in some way for one of the hand full of dealers out here.

Whats your thought Jive? Hit up AMA? I am not sure if now is the best time.... hahahah

--Biff

[ZIPPY]

Hey Biff,

I don't think it ever was a good time to hit up the AMA for money for trials. They don't do a whole lot specifically for Trials. Just look in the Dec. (I think) issue of the AMA mag. Had a big write up about different bikes for kids (all were MX or trail bikes). When a member wrote in for the letters in the next issue wondering why the electric Oset was not mentioned, the response was that they were unable to include the Oset and other trials specific models made by GasGas, Beta and Sherco due to the limited amount of space available in the magazine. Just think if the popularity of MX and Trials were reversed then the coverage would also be reversed. Kinda sad that the organization that is meant to assist all motorcyclist is snubbing one specific group of motorcyclist.

You may think the preceding does not really belong in this thread, but it provides an insight into how low the interest in Trials is in the US.

As has been mentioned before about the state of funding for trials in the US, it is basically all done by the importers, dealers and private money. And it should be mentioned there is only a few importers for the US and the majority of the dealers are just a guy at the trials events that is trying to give a good deal on parts for the local riders so that they can all keep riding for less money.

[rabie]

i would guess the FIM system is set up that each FMN (eg ACU, AMA, etc) funds their efforts at the respect team competitions. how they do it is not specified.

as a watcher of the US MX scene from afar I'm well aware of how they've self funded the team effort by sourcing their own sponsors (did well this year but previously it was event organisers chipping in) ....

i know the our antipodean cousins have however been able to persuade their respective governemnt's for some help (elite sport or something they call in in NZ)