Hunter Lawrence, AMA Pro Motocross 450 Champion, foreshadowed problems with World Supercross (WSX) in a recent Vital MX interview. Speaking about SuperMotocross, Lawrence said, "No one really asked for this series. It was kind of a little—like a save to try and stop everyone from going to WSX, but the wheels seem to kind of be falling off that one..."
The FIM World Supercross Championship cancelled the British GP that was due to take place around two weeks from now, on October 10. The reason given for pulling the Birmingham event, which is one of the headline events of the championship, is that WSX needs to take "short-term operational measures". Reading through the corporate speak would suggest that WSX is in a bad place, financially speaking.
Apart from the fact that the British GP was pulled on such short notice, we know that SX Global, the company behind the series, is openly seeking significant new investment, while looking for new ownership and partners. Couple this with the fact that we've heard reports that teams are still waiting to get paid, and it's difficult not to hear alarm bells ringing.
According to the organization, there is a deal on the table that's progressing well; however, it needs more time to come to fruition. Unfortunately, the British GP got caught in the middle of SX Global's due diligence on the deal. The WSX has said that it understands it has built a "passionate and important following" in the UK; however, fans will surely be let down by the event being cancelled on such short notice.
Ticketmaster should have notified all affected ticket holders by the end of the day, and refunds will automatically be processed within two to three weeks.
A statement from the organization said, "We remain confident in the future of the Championship". There has been no announcement regarding whether the British GP would be rescheduled, and it has not made any indication that any of the remaining four rounds will be cancelled. The next event after the British GP should be in Buenos Aires, Argentina; however, the date is still TBD.
