TORQ MOTO - MATT BATES - Event maker, Rider, Opportunist?

Arenacross UK head honcho Matt Bates joins us on the sofa talking candidly about all things Motocross. We caught up with Matt at round seven of the current Arenacross UK tour before for the tour reaches its climax at Wembley on February 24th.

With the Birmingham AX track still being built in the background we discuss how Matt got into motocross even though he lived in the urban sprawl of central London and how a successful first few years saw him land a ride on Team Green before moving up to the pro ranks. A transition he now admits to being harder than he gave it credit for and how ultimately one crash too many found him facing inner demons that cut his pro racing career short and steered him into MX race team management. After a several years of fronting up Team Green UK and then Suzuki GB’s off-road program Matt explains how one day at Foxhill made him realise he wanted to go in the different direction of event management, and the rest as they say, is history. Since then, Matt and his team have laid on a host of different events within the motorcycle industry and plenty more outside of it working with big name brands such as Red Bull and recognised national events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Naturally also on the agenda of discussion is the ten years of running and promoting Arenacross. How it started and his contempt for a former Supercross promoter, where it’s currently at and how it sits with riders, fans, and the industry. Matt also discusses where he sees it going, especially with the growing interest in electric dirt bikes and how it will affect the sport and his vision on future off road motorcycling events. All interesting stuff with no holds barred from a man who tries to stay off social media for that very reason!

All roads led to Wembley on February 24th for the final round of the Arenacross UK tour, there will be great racing, double points and titles crowned, grab your tickets now – https://bolesworth.com/arenacross/