By Erika Decker. Photo courtesy of American Motorcyclist Association.

ever in the 84 year history of the American Motorcyclist Association have changes been made that rival what we have seen in 2008. In March, the sale of the bulk of the AMA’s Pro Racing properties to the Daytona Motorsports Group was announced. More recently came the release of a redesigned AMA logo, website and magazine.
     AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman has been at the helm for approximately a year and we went straight to the source recently to get some background on him, as well as the new direction for the organization.

PM: Tell us about your career with the AMA.
RD: I worked in the early ‘90s at the Motorcycle Industry Council and left there in 1994 to join the AMA as their Washington, D.C. representative. In 1998 I left the AMA to return to my home state of New York to work in state government. In November 2006 I returned to the AMA after a nationwide search for a new President/CEO. I joined as AMA President and transitioned into the CEO position in April 2007.

PM: When did you start riding motorcycles?
RD: I started riding in the late ‘80s and have been riding about 20 years.

PM: What’s the longest motorcycle ride you’ve been on?
RD: I rode from Ohio to Americade last year, but I’m more of an around town rider.

PM: What motorcycles are parked in your garage?
RD: I’m currently riding a KTM 450EXC and a Honda Gold Wing.

PM: At Daytona you sat in the press room with Roger Edmondson and announced the sale of all available Pro Racing series to the Daytona Motorsports Group. What made you believe the AMA would be better off separated from Pro Racing?
RD: The AMA has never been appropriately resourced to manage and grow Pro Racing. The AMA is a membership organization and being involved in Pro Racing has resulted in significant controversy. The AMA should never be mired in controversy. It’s my belief that the AMA exists to help promote and further motorcycling. The controversy over the AMA’s management of Pro Racing weakened the bright future for motorcycling and it was our decision to focus on our strengths, which is to build a stronger voice to advocate for the future of motorcycling.

PM: How difficult was it to get the AMA board of directors to agree to the selling the six Pro Racing series?
RD: At the end of the day, it wasn’t a hard sell because it is very obvious once you look at all the facts. Pro Racing exists in an increasingly crowded and competitive marketplace. The AMA was not adequately resourced to compete with the series we expected from Daytona Superbike, ESPN X-Games, NBC and others. The marketplace was becoming flooded and the AMA wasn’t resourced to compete with these established sports entertainment companies. The goal was not to sell to just anybody but to find a home that would ensure a bright future for motorcycle racing in the USA. The goal was to set Pro Racing free so racing could flourish.

PM: Where is the line drawn between the Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG) and AMA management—whether it is visible outside of the organization or not?  
RD: DMG will have ownership of AMA Pro Racing, except Supercross and Arenacross because those rights are owned by Live Nation. DMG purchased Pro Racing from the AMA and will license the use of the name “AMA Pro Racing.” They will continue to use the name as long as it is of mutual benefit to the AMA and DMG. It is my hope the AMA continues to foster a fruitful partnership with DMG long into the future. DMG’s focus will be to continue to grow AMA Pro Racing and the AMA’s focus will be to continue to grow our membership. There is a lot of synergy here and each will benefit from the growth of the other. There is a visible line, but we believe people will continue to enjoy AMA Pro Racing a great deal more because it will be a stronger product in the near future.

PM: You’ve stated that “the AMA will be able to focus its resources on its core mission to be a member advocacy organization” because of the sale to DMG. What does this mean for an average AMA member who is not a racer?
RD: It will mean something to all AMA members, whether or not they’re racers. The AMA needs to exist to help promote and protect the future of motorcycling. Member advocacy is more than lobbying in Washington, it is advocating to ensure that motorcycling has a future. Our focus is to protect against adverse government policy and regulation, and to ensure that motorcycling is viewed positively by society as a whole. Our goal is to promote a brighter future across the board that will benefit everyone. The larger the AMA is, the stronger the voice and the more effective we can be at ensuring this positive future.

PM: Will Pro Racing rules continue to require entrants hold AMA membership?
RD: Part of the arrangement with DMG is to ensure that there is a tie in between the AMA and AMA Pro Racing. The nice thing about the relationship is that DMG will have its own racing membership that automatically grants AMA membership. There is a subtle difference, but it will make a difference in the way people view their AMA membership.

PM: Will the AMA act as an advisory or consultant to DMG management for the Pro Racing series for any period of time?
RD: The AMA will work closely with DMG. The AMA is finalizing the agreement currently. The DMG has already taken over operational responsibility for the Superbike series. The AMA hopes to continue the partnership with DMG and although we’re happy to assist them in any way we can, we don’t want to get in their way of doing what they do best.

PM: What will the relationship be that an amateur or pro racer has with the AMA now that DMG holds the rights to the series?
RD: Amateur racing will largely remain the same. The sale will enable the AMA to shift its focus and resources to amateur racing. Amateur racing will continue to be a core part of AMA membership.

PM: Now that the AMA’s full focus is on member advocacy, what benefits will we see soon?
RD: The primary thing that the AMA continues to do is improve their communications efforts. A redesigned AMA magazine has just been released. It is much different than the previous publication because it focuses on people and membership. Member benefits will continue to improve and expand.

PM: What is the AMA’s interest in the Pro Racing series now that the AMA no longer directly manages it?
RD: Pro Racing champions will still be awarded an AMA #1 plate. Our primary interest in Pro Racing is that we want motorcycle racing to grow. We want it to become more of a mainstream sport and increase in popularity. We will promote the AMA Pro Racing brand by continuing to tell our members and the world about the excitement found in professional racing—the personalities, the teams, the show. This is good for motorcycling as a whole. The positives associated with the AMA Pro Racing brand will translate to a strong positive impression of the AMA brand. If racing improves, then everyone wins. Bottom line, I’m looking forward to the future for racing and motorcycling in general.