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For the latest #ThinkingForward interview with sporting leaders, we spoke with BSB supremo Stuart Higgs on the eve of the new season, examining what fans are looking for in post-pandemic motorsport and why superbike racing retains its profound appeal.
“Television gives you dimension, but there’s no substitute for standing with a wire fence pressing against your chest as you watch someone zooming through a corner at 160 miles per hour, the front wheel dancing, the rear wheel struggling for grip, the racer wrestling the bar. It’s the spectacle that moves people,” mused Stuart Higgs as he reflected on the timeless appeal of racing British Superbike, one of the world’s premier domestic motorcycle series. This year BSB has a record entry of 33 bikes or 11 rows on the grid and the narrative for the season is a ‘champions clash’, with reigning champion Tarran Mackenzie, against two-time champion Josh Brookes and returning champion from 2018 Leon Haslam. Former superbike world champion Tom Sykes was also on the course starting on Easter weekend at Silverstone.
BSB is all about a relatable young rider who aspires to hit the big time, mixing it with established heroes. It was always unexpected until last weekend and for that reason has enjoyed a strong following, being promoted across the British circuit by MSV business Jonathan Palmer. What has changed, especially since the pandemic, is that fans desperate for the experience are increasingly treating the BSB rounds like mini-festivals, attending weekends, rather than one-day excursions. It’s not at the level of the overcrowded campsite at Silverstone for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, but it has a similar feel.
“Where previously only one person came for a day, it has now turned into a family-type festival destination event,” said Higgs. “We now have over 5,000 people on site. And such festivals feel like a fun way of life. And with traveling outside the UK still going to be a bit of a hassle, I think people enjoy spending their leisure time in England; it’s very friendly, good value for money and they can see good sports spectacle.
“I think (the key) is accessibility. It’s a nice balance. In some other motorsports, there is a huge gap between fans and competitors; access is maintained at a very premium level. But we’ve tried to strike a balance between a good level of racing and the right level of access that makes it feel like a good value proposition. This is a high-level motorsport with a large audience. And there’s a sense of prestige, it’s a shining show.”
If it’s not damaged, don’t repair it, but sports must adapt to changing times. There are no female drivers at BSB this year, but there have been several in the past and with pioneering female BSB team owner Faye Ho actively promoting young female riders through the junior categories, this is a priority and will definitely not be for long. before the female racers competed in front of BSB. In other respects, Higgs and his team have trained their eyes on two main concerns for the future.
“Sports-wise, we’re basically a production-derived series,” he said. “So the hardware used in the championship is determined by the manufacturer’s trends, so we have to be reactive to the technological evolution that will come downstream. Obviously, energy and energy consumption is a massive consideration. Tokenism should be avoided as they are very expensive. If it goes the wrong way the cost is very expensive. If the last two years have proved anything, you always have to be prepared for the unexpected and the series has gone through two years of incredible disruption.
“Then from a public point of view, there’s a lot of distraction now; everyone is competing to spend people’s Saturdays and Sundays, whether it’s retail destinations, theme parks, short-haul flights, gaming and esports. There is purity in what we offer; outdoor speed spectacle that provides re-entertainment for a broad demographic from children to adults. That’s what we have to continue to maintain, make it more accessible. ‘Real people doing real sports’. I think that’s still the biggest USP of what we have to offer.”
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