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There is a constant tension in professional motorsports between factory teams and the client teams that depend on the special parts and technical support that come down the pipe from the factory. If factory teams have too much advantage, private teams are unable to compete for wins and podiums, and therefore unable to find sponsorship because only the shop on the corner wants to sponsor a team that cannot offer reasonable hope of victory.
But those who would take away the advantages of factory teams must proceed cautiously. If rule makers strip the factory teams of what they call "technical challenge" (another way of saying technical advantage), the biggest and best teams may just pull out, leaving the series promoter with a lackluster show and no one capable of paying the wages of the top stars who will then look abroad for gainful employment (maybe not a bad thing since there is not a single American rider on the World Superbike grid for 2008).
It is a balancing act. The current situation in AMA Superbike is probably not sustainable. Two or three more years of Suzuki domination would not improve TV audience figures or fill the grandstands. Somehow, by being smarter or braver or both, the Yoshimura Suzuki team has humiliated Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki in the premier class.
Sometimes
dynasties come along in sport and these are usually not such good times for racing promoters. It would seem obvious that any new promoter is going to want to do some tweaking to the regulations in an attempt to bring the field back together. Honda and Yamaha have competitive Superbike packages elsewhere, so catching up to Suzuki, or at least getting a lot closer, shouldn't be too big a problem. And, from what we hear from Regis Laconi, the new Kawasaki should be more competitive too.
But if this year's AMA Superbike season is like the last three (Suzuki has won 43 of the last 49 races -- that is 88%, more like an NBA free throw shooting average than a professional motorsports winning percentage) the new promoter is going to have a difficult time amortizing his investment.
The difference between sport and art is predictability. Theatergoers expect King Lear to go down for the count at the end of scene iii of act V, and if that doesn't happen people want their money back. But in a sporting event theatrical-type predictability is a promoters' nightmare.
But factory teams don't understand that. That is why Bernie Ecclestone has always said that manufacturers should never make the rules, "because the factories know nothing about the business of motorsport."
But those who would take away the advantages of factory teams must proceed cautiously. If rule makers strip the factory teams of what they call "technical challenge" (another way of saying technical advantage), the biggest and best teams may just pull out, leaving the series promoter with a lackluster show and no one capable of paying the wages of the top stars who will then look abroad for gainful employment (maybe not a bad thing since there is not a single American rider on the World Superbike grid for 2008).
It is a balancing act. The current situation in AMA Superbike is probably not sustainable. Two or three more years of Suzuki domination would not improve TV audience figures or fill the grandstands. Somehow, by being smarter or braver or both, the Yoshimura Suzuki team has humiliated Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki in the premier class.
Sometimes
But if this year's AMA Superbike season is like the last three (Suzuki has won 43 of the last 49 races -- that is 88%, more like an NBA free throw shooting average than a professional motorsports winning percentage) the new promoter is going to have a difficult time amortizing his investment.
The difference between sport and art is predictability. Theatergoers expect King Lear to go down for the count at the end of scene iii of act V, and if that doesn't happen people want their money back. But in a sporting event theatrical-type predictability is a promoters' nightmare.
But factory teams don't understand that. That is why Bernie Ecclestone has always said that manufacturers should never make the rules, "because the factories know nothing about the business of motorsport."
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