Monster Energy Supercross Returns to Tampa Bay; Raymond James Stadium
Series Visits Raymond James Stadium on February 11, 2023
LOS ANGELES (October 6, 2022) – Feld Motor Sports, Inc., and MX Sports Pro Racing announced further details pertaining to the formation of The SuperMotocross World ChampionshipTM for 2023 and beyond. Introduced during an exclusive press event at the landmark Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was the SuperMotocross World Championship qualification method, points structure, race format, distribution of the sport’s largest prize–$10 million–and the series’ media rights partner for the next five years. The 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship 31 race schedule, which features the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, was also revealed today.
Tampa's Raymond James Stadium will host round six of the upcoming Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship on February 11, 2023. Raymond James Stadium is no stranger to elite supercross racing having hosted premier programming 11 other times since 1987 (Raymond James Stadium / Tampa Stadium).
The overseeing entity of the SuperMotocross World Championship, the 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 tracks—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 setups, one that is best suited for the 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.
“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 the 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.”
“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. The number one piece we were missing was a playoff,” said Carrie Coombs-Russell, CEO, MX Sports Pro Racing. “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. As purveyors of amateur motocross as well as professional motocross, we owe it to our aspiring athletes to provide amateur hopefuls with a proper path to the professional level and SMX unifies that process.”
The 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship series will feature 17 rounds of Supercross, 11 rounds of Pro Motocross, two rounds of SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs, and then the SuperMotocross World Championship Final. The first of two playoff rounds will take place on Saturday, September 9, followed by the second playoff on Saturday, September 23–both cities and venues to be announced shortly. The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will take place on Saturday, October 14, in Southern California at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – long credited as the birthplace of Supercross.
The first of three Triple Crown events during the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season will take place at Round 4 on Saturday, January 28, from Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, followed by Rounds 7 and 12 on Saturday, February 25, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and Saturday, April 8, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The first of two 250SX Class East/West Showdown races will be held on Saturday, April 22, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Round 14), followed by the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown on Saturday, May 13, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah (Round 17).
The Western Regional 250SX Class Championship will begin at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on Saturday, January 7 and will feature a total of nine events before concluding on Saturday, May 13 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship will start at Round 5 in Houston, Texas on Saturday, February 4 at NRG Stadium. The Regional Championship will run a total of 10 events inclusive of the two East/West Showdown races that feature the best athletes from both 250SX Class Regional Championships. The final round will take place on Saturday, May 13 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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.
SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 1 will retain the original point structure for the top 22 positions (26-1), while SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 will pay out double points (56-2). The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will pay triple the points (78-3), setting the stage for a wide-open, three-race showdown guaranteed to provide championship drama all the way to the end.
The top 20 racers in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points will be automatically seeded into the three SuperMotocross World Championship events. Gate position for the top 20 will be determined by qualifying at each event, while racers seeded 21st through 30th will compete for the final two gate positions at each round in a Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) race.
Racers placed in 21st to 30th in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points will still be playoff eligible and will race for the right to compete at each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship, vying for the 21st and 22nd starting positions. Additionally, any racer outside the top 30 in combined points who won a Supercross Main Event or a Pro Motocross Overall will also be given a chance to qualify for the 21st and 22nd positions at each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship. Racers entering the playoffs outside the top 20 will begin the playoffs with zero points.
The SuperMotocross World Championship playoff races and final will operate under a two-moto format for both the 450cc class and 250cc class. Each moto will be 20 minutes, plus one lap, in which Olympic Scoring will determine an overall finishing position for which SuperMotocross Championship points will be awarded. The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will also feature a SuperMotocross Amateur All-Star Race, with a single 10-minute plus one lap moto showcase featuring the world’s most high-profile amateur talent.
As announced this summer, the SuperMotocross World Championship series will boast the sport’s largest payout of $10 million over the course of the full season. $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 playoffs,” said 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.”
A new, groundbreaking five-year partnership with NBC Sports will see the sport showcased on an unprecedented level for the next several seasons in tandem with one of motorsports’ most established and highly regarded media groups. NBC Sports boasts a decade of experience in bringing the world’s premier off-road motorcycle racing championships to race fans across the country and will usher in a new era for Supercross and Pro Motocross through this unified league. All 31 rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship will be streamed live domestically on Peacock, while broadcast coverage will be shared between NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. The full calendar of 31 events in a single season will establish a record for the sport with an exclusive broadcast partner, signifying another historic achievement for the SuperMotocross World Championship. Internationally, streaming will be available through the new SuperMotocross Video Pass and will be available to fans in more than 140 countries around the world. Visit Peacock (Domestic) and SuperMotocross.tv (International) for additional details.
“With our wide array of live and original motorsports offerings, Peacock is a natural home for Supercross and Pro Motocross races,” said Rick Cordella, Chief Commercial Officer, Peacock. “We’re looking forward to providing fans with an easily-accessible destination to find every race all season long, including the exciting finish with the newly-formed SuperMotocross World Championship.”
All 17 rounds of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season go on pre-sale, Tuesday, October 11, followed by public on-sale Tuesday, October 18. On-sale information for the 11-round Pro Motocross Championship will be announced by MX Sports Pro Racing at a later date, while SuperMotocross World Championship playoff rounds, and final will also go on sale at a later date. To purchase tickets and stay up to date on the latest news and highlights, visit SuperMotocross.com, SupercrossLIVE.com or ProMotocross.com.