Jordan Rumors Interest All

[DRU2]

Jordan Rumors Interest All
by dean adams
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
 
Nicky Hayden and Michael Jordan hung out together at Fontana back in April
image by tim huntington
Question: Which team is embroiled in the most rumors regarding their 2005 riders/manufacturer/sponsors?

Answer: The Michael Jordan "Jumpman" team.

Well-placed rumors flare up every few days regarding the Jordan team's 2005 plans. Rumors such as: Jason Pridmore will run a Jordan Suzuki Superbike in 2005, Eric Bostrom and Nicky Hayden will ride Jordan Honda Superbikes in AMA next season; or as many as three riders--including Pascal Picotte--will ride Jordan Ducatis in '05.

Muzzy, Mathers & Hayden In Jordan Colors?
 
One of the most intriguing rumors in the past month is Jordan forming a Superbike team around Gary Mathers, Rob Muzzy and Nicky Hayden on yet-to-be-decided machinery.

Mathers, one of the most successful team managers in Superbike history, retired from Honda several years ago. Muzzy, perhaps the most successful Superbike tuner and crewchief in the history of the sport, is currently running his own drag racing team, while Hayden is in the final year of his Honda MotoGP contract.

Reached for comment yesterday, Mathers stated that he had been contacted by the Jordan camp and had some discussions with them, but he wasn't confident that anything would come from it. "It's intriguing," Mathers said. "You could pretty easily assemble a top-level team right now, and you can get the top shelf parts to build a competitive bike."

Jordan's team is currently run out of the Gemini complex in Wisconsin.

"It's like when they formed the rock band "Asia" back in 1981," said one wag about the Jordan/Mathers/Muzzy/Hayden rumor. "It'd be a supergroup."

 
Jordan has stated that he wants to win in the Superbike class in 2005, which will definitely require a serious overhaul of his current support-class team. He seems to be talking to nearly every manufacturer currently in AMA racing and could be conceivably using Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki or Kawasaki machinery next season.

All of the manufacturers are willing to do a deal with Jordan on some level; but to do so they will want something in return and Jordan does not seem willing to use his image to directly sell their bikes in return for a Superbike team--it is currently estimated that Jordan makes over 35 million dollars a year in endorsements. Will his agents allow him to trade his endorsing of a motorcycle brand in exchange for a 4-5 million dollar Superbike program? Time will tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  

 

[Clay]

Wow...that would be WAY cool!  But Nicky back in the US on essentially a privateer bike (though a very well funded one)?  Ehhhhh, I don't think so!  Mathers running the team?  WOW!  

The only rumor I heard was Pascal and Pridmore to possibly ride for the team.  Either way, it sounds like Jordan might be serious about this thing.  If he does this on the grand size that rumor suggests...that could be REALLY good for our sport!

[Ridgeway]

Agreed.  He definitely seemed pretty enthused in the interview he gave to 2-wheel-tuesday.

I'd love to see Pridmore and Pascal get a chance at something like this too.

It seems to me that one of the major advantages is that if Jordan finds a way to market the team such that it is a profitable venture, it would pave the way for other non-factory teams to increase their level of competition.

With the marketing power that he could bring to the sport, it seems that he could really help motorcycle road racing gain mainstream popularity, which would quickly be followed by increased sponsorships etc.

Love it or hate it, NASCAR has paved the way for motorsports marketing.  I can't help but think that many of the same people that follow NASCAR racing would be drawn into MC racing if there was better TV exposure etc.  If watching 40 identical cars make left turns for 3 hours is entertaining, how can they not like watching MC racers battle around Laguna Seca?

[Stinger562]

 If watching 40 identical cars make left turns for 3 hours is entertaining, how can they not like watching MC racers battle around Laguna Seca?

No shit! I've been wondering about that for years!!

[Nate R]

The gemini complex??? LOL. It's one 10,000 Sq Ft building.


Well, things do indeed seem to change weekly.

No one at Gemini even seems to know whats going on next year, or even what bikes we'll be riding. No help on this one.  :-/

The stuff I do know about, I can't talk about. :(

[Protein Filled]

I heard some good rumors too, but I can't talk about it either...

 ;D  ;D

I'll just give a hint:

Both of the new riders last name ends on the same letter

 ;D

And I believe there is no way Nicky would ever come back to AMA superbike after running MotoGP for the last 2 years.

[Jeff]

So what becomes of Montez?

[Nate R]

Who knows?

Jason Pridmore was given some money to finish out the year, and painted his bike same as Tez's. (Well, at least he called looking for the paint codes, so I think it's the same scheme)


I'd heard we were going with one manufacturer for next year, but we have parts from another that we  got.

Dunno what will happen with Tez.

I'm more interested in what's happening to the five 04 racebikes....... If we don't stick with Yamahas. We still have all the stock stuff.

Hmm, Xmas bonus!?  ;D

[Super_KC124]

Gary Mathers? Didn't he play the Beaver on TV?

[Chef]

Gary Mathers? Didn't he play the Beaver on TV?

you know,.....  it would take you, Kev!!!

SHAME!!!

[Chef]

I WILL HAVE TO ADD, THO....

If, infact, Micheal Jordan, IS totally set on winning in the AMA, and possibly (WSB/GP)...
 :o ;D

lets just say, I thought it was a dream come true meeting him and having a corona in the same room, on the track at the same time he 1st tries it, and gets a knee down....

MIKE WILL TOTALLY REHAB our sport, and YES, I can see a totally revamped sponsorship sittuation, and FAN BASE!!!

THAT will be a real dream come true...  and it seems to be happening!!!   ;D

Tho, I think we will still NEED to CHEERLEAD for OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER in order to help ourselves get where we want to be... (that's just an extra 3 cent)


GO MIKE JORDAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smoke]

OK.
Its good that Mike likes to ride, its good that he likes racing, good for TEz and his current team and the people that work around the situation.  Its good that he wants to win and build a winning team. Its good he gives his funds to do for others.

What good is all of this for the average racer? How is all that  he wants to do( win) good for the average person?   Don't get me wrong. He will/may bring other sponcers but to the average guy that does not mean much.  Why not sponcer a CSS class and pay back to 10th?  Speed screen did it. I don't know how far back they paid.  But my point is do something that could help everyone in the sport not a few.  don't just have a great team and gear for sell. Cause I may or may not be a fan for the rider and will not buy gear just becasue its got a Jordan label.

No I'm not hateing. I just want him to do something thats for everyone.