Feb 28th, 2007
NO DIRT
So by now I assume you’ve heard that DIRT will no longer be in the X-Games. This came as a surprise to me for sure. Call me crazy, but I assumed that Park/Street and Dirt were the most popular events to watch in the BMX side of things. I don’t really know the reasoning for ditching Dirt (probably bad ratings), but It’s sort of a let down. Partly because it was my favorite thing to watch, but also because it can’t be a sign of good things to come. They may kill Vert next year, who knows. And I’m also confused after the press release.
It states:
“After 12 successful years as an X Games event, BMX Dirt will not be in this year’s lineup”.
If it was successful, surely they wouldn’t cancel it. Who knows.
Let me know what you guys think in the comments.
I was completely let down when I heard this as well. I really don’t know what else to say after that. I guess they need more people to risk death and 30 foot doubles just aren’t extreme enough. It’s a low down dirty shame.
It’s cause TJ went to MTV!
Yes this a bad sign for bmx in the x games…first flatland,now dirt…
They were just pissed becaue Bohan kept winning!! Ha… Yah, it’s very week and came to me as a huge surprise. Personally, Dirt was my favorite event at the X-Games and from an outside perspective, felt like it was very well received, but who knows, they always make shit look good on TV. Hopefully this will lead to more events like Elevation.
I am disappointed to! Taking away the BMX heritage. BMX started in the dirt. But I also agree with Harrison it can only lead to bigger and better dirt events like Elevation and soon… The Red Bull EMPIRE of Dirt.
i always wanted to see c doyle win it, dang.
Very very disappointed, bmx dirt has such a major back bone in bmx its like stripping a culture of everything they once stood for. I thought there was even talks of the X-Games doing more downhill events after the sucess of Elevation and other events… maybe I was mistaken. One can only hope that others will fill this spot, without trails and dirt bmx will slowly loose all style thats applied and we’ll just be the next MX generation huckers.
ITS COS THEY PEDAL INBETWEEN JUMPS
The reason they cancelled dirt was because every dirt trick is now done on the street course. I’m sure they thought creating the dirt course every year was a nightmare as well.
In the next 5 years the X games will either be filled with all motorized sports like FMX, supermoto, rally cars, etc or it will be finished all together. ESPN will slowly phase BMX out just like it did of it’s coverage of the NBL in the 90’s. It’s truly a sad day.
Do you really watch the x games?
Not necesarily, but when the event is in your town, you tend to go.
I’ll watch it on tv if i come across it though.
its because everyone sitting in the massive stadium its held in has to strain their eyes and lean a bit closer to see those dudes over in the corner riding the kids bikes, trying to be all fmx like and then im like wheres the fricken motor guy? like just get a mans bike already! whatevers, my moms just bought me a rally-race car and im sending it into the foam y’know… killer, gnar, keep your fucking x games.
…that sucks, but hell they had auto racing in the
X-Games last year. The spirit of the X-Games should be
about the youth and explore the spirit of the young.
Now a 60 year old, overweight, chain smoker could win
an X-Games gold medal…
…anyway get rid of Dirt???? I mean Vert and Street are very cool, but hey sort of spin off of skateboard environments— BMX dirt seems to be the purest form of BMX and the heart of the sport—but hey I am an outsider.
X-Games??? no comment.
keep riding keep digging
hats of the the BMXers of the world—-the most creative bike riders in the world
cheers
so
Most definitely a shame….but look on the bright side….maybe they’ll bring back the kayak bungee jumping!
X-Games are dead to me anyway! All of the real shit is going out the window as the new trends come in. ESPN is doing with the x-sports that started the revolution what mtv did with the music (and cartoons) that got it started.
Rollerblading got phased out (which was awesome despite what anyone says) and bmx follows for all of the reasons people have listed.
This pisses me off way deeper than I can write on here, but to hell with all of the mainstream channels bringing us what we want.
Hopefully some cool channel will come up with all of this digital cable and 300 million channels that airs all of the stuff we miss.
no real $$$ in bmx. its a small scene and everybody and their cousins is hooked up.
even tho the x dirt is some distinguished athleteship…
FMX has desensitied(sp?) the general public, espcially when you consider the BMX trails are tucked in the corner of massive MX jumps. I think it would all be related to the success and physical scale of FMX.
But surely that must make half the dirt riders out there happy? The Xgames suck dont they afterall? Will be funny to see how the haters react to this ha.
The X-Games gets terrible ratings. The X-Games have ALWAYS gotten terrible ratings (at least so sayeth my friend the TV executive). From a business standpoint replacing dirt (which attracts people willing to spend maybe $1000 - $1500 with Supermotard (a new Suzuki DR-z 400SM’ll run you right at six grand) and Rally (a new Subaru WRX STi or Misubishi Evo 8/9 will run you in the low $30k) makes more sense for ad sales. Demographically these sports appeal to the same age group (18 - 35 year old males, give or take) but financially euro motorsports tend to attract people with more money. (and, by the way, you DO have to be a good athelete to be a competitive driver or motorcycle racer)
Also big air looks better on TV.
for those who watched xgames on tv last year should know that they only played like a total of 15 minutes on a 2 hour program
we didnt even get to see all the runs xgames is garbage in general
i remember back in my day when it was in san francisco it was free to get in
its all about the money when it comes to stuff televised
and i wish doyle could have won the xgames but well never know
im really surprised because dirt is where youd see double backflips triple whips and 720s which is what x games viewers want to see.
x games used to be a cool scene but now its just too crazy and its all about money which is definately not even close to what our sport is all about.
it’s fucking whack period
http://www.negsrc.com
X gaymes Runs are too short. No aritime for riding, it’s all slo-mo and commentating anyway. 3, maybe 4 jumps?
Elevaion is an entire downhill run. Bueno!
its gay how they take out dirt which is proper bmx, and leave in stupid circus stuff like the megaramp…
what the fuck is that all about?