Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AMA Pro Racing has agreed to turn promotion of the official AMA Supercross Series over to a Chicago-based concert promotor with no known national motorcycle motorsports experience, Jam Productions.

The deal, which takes effect in 2003, ends 27 years of AMA Supercross promoted by Clear Channel Motor Sports, previously known as SFX Motor Sports and PACE Motor Sports.

Clear Channel Motorsports will continue to promote its own Supercross Series without AMA sanction, and will compete against the new AMA Series.

According to sources close to Clear Channel, the company already has contracts with stadiums that host the existing Supercross Series, through 2004. A Supercross to be held January 4, 2003 is already contracted at Anaheim Stadium, for example.

PACE Motorsports first promoted an AMA National in 1967, 34 years ago, and first promoted an AMA Supercross in 1974. PACE Motor Sports became a division of SFX known as SFX Motor Sports, when SFX purchased PACE, and in turn was purchased by Clear Channel.

In recent years the Supercross Series has grown exponentially, with PACE/SFX/Clear Channel executives giving credit to the company’s effective promotions while AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth has dismissed the firm’s role in building the series.

Hollingsworth’s view of the company has taken on what seems to be an increasingly personal dimension recently, and he has been barely able to contain his disdain in discussions with third parties mentioning SFX/Clear Channel.

The ability of Jam Productions to effectively compete against Clear Channel in Supercross is unknown.

It’s also unknown where the factory Supercross teams will run, although an AMA Trustee who oversees his company’s racing programs said last week that he will send his team to the series with the best promotion, venues and exposure, regardless of sanction.

AMA Pro Racing Chairman Mark Tuttle, a retired Harley-Davidson employee, has stated that the AMA Pro Racing Board of Directors voted to make the change from Clear Channel to Jam Productions “without dissension”; since Honda Vice President Ray Blank is on the Pro Racing Board, that implies American Honda support for the radical change.

Hollingsworth has claimed to have manufacturer support for the move, and is confident that the manufacturers will go with the AMA to the new series. Any agreement involving manufacturer representatives and AMA officials made prior to the new deal being made could raise anti-trust questions.


In a letter sent to stadiums and other facilities and dated November 5, Hollingsworth wrote:

Dear Facility Manager;

This letter is to notify you that AMA Pro Racing, sanctioning body for the AMA EA Sports Supercross series, has entered in an agreement with JamSports, a division of Chicago-based Jam Productions, for the exclusive promotion of AMA Supercross events for the 2003-2009 seasons.

Since 1997, event promotion for AMA Supercross has been managed by PACE/SFX/Clear Channel Entertainment under a long-term commercial development agreement with AMA Pro Racing. That agreement expires at the end of the upcoming 2002 season. AMA Supercross events previously held at your facility and those scheduled for the 2002 season, if any, were organized under this agreement.

AMA Pro Racing hereby authorizes JamSports and/or Jam Productions to negotiate with your facility, on an exclusive basis, regarding the organization and production of future AMA Supercross events.

AMA Pro Racing represents more than 75 years of racing history as the premiere sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Our veious Championships enjoy support from major manufacturers including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, KTM, Husqvarna, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Buell and others. The stars of motorcycle sport are made by winning AMA Championships–we look forward to making more history at your facility.

Should you have any questions regarding this matter please contact me at 614-856-1900.

Best regards,

Scott Hollingsworth
Chief Executive Officer
AMA Pro Racing