Opinion: Why We Need More BMX Nationals

By White Lotus Sports on October 2, 2025 • ( 0 )

Last week, we published an opinion piece on why USA BMX should focus on creating larger local series instead of nationals. This week, we’re taking the opposite perspective and talking about why we need more BMX nationals.

Why We Need More BMX Nationals.

BMX racing does thrive on its grassroots foundation, but limiting the national series in favor of only larger local events risks capping the sport’s potential. Local racing is the entry point, yes—but nationals are what keep riders striving, inspired, and connected to a broader community beyond their home track. Without a robust national calendar, riders lack the frequent opportunities to test themselves against the very best, and the sport risks becoming insular. More nationals, not fewer, ensure that BMX retains its energy, prestige, and forward momentum.

Accessibility is often cited as a reason to reduce nationals, but adding more of them across the country actually increases accessibility. Right now, many families have to travel great distances to attend just one or two national events per year. By expanding the schedule and placing races in underrepresented regions, USA BMX can bring high-level racing closer to riders who might otherwise be excluded. More nationals, distributed widely, lessen the burden of cross-country travel and open the door for more riders to experience the thrill of national competition.

Financial strain is real, but the answer isn’t fewer nationals—it’s smarter distribution and more local support around nationals themselves. A healthy national calendar draws sponsors, vendors, and media coverage that trickles back into the grassroots. Nationals aren’t just about entry fees; they are economic engines that boost tracks, cities, and the sport as a whole. Families may spend money to attend, but the growth in visibility, opportunity, and sponsorship helps sustain BMX at every level. Cutting nationals would shrink that ecosystem rather than strengthening it.

Local tracks absolutely deserve investment, but they also benefit from being part of the national circuit. Hosting a national event puts a spotlight on a track, raises revenue dramatically, and gives volunteers and communities a tangible sense of pride. Tracks that host nationals often see lasting improvements—new infrastructure, better facilities, and more riders who join after seeing the spectacle. Expanding the calendar allows more tracks to share in these benefits, instead of concentrating the opportunity among a select few.

As for prestige, making nationals “rarer” doesn’t automatically make them more meaningful—it just makes them harder to access. The prestige of nationals comes from the level of competition, the diversity of riders, and the stories they generate, not from artificial scarcity. More nationals mean more opportunities for breakthrough performances, more rivalries, and more memories. Rather than watering down their value, expanding the calendar gives the sport more highlight moments throughout the year.

From a rider development standpoint, nothing replaces the pressure and intensity of national-level racing. Competing at the highest level teaches lessons that even the most competitive local series cannot replicate—handling gate nerves, adapting to unfamiliar tracks, and racing against deeper, more diverse fields. More nationals give riders repeated chances to hone these skills. Limiting nationals risks creating a generation of racers who only face elite competition occasionally, leaving them underprepared when the stakes are highest—such as when they qualify for the World Championships.

Finally, BMX is about community, but it’s also about growth. Local racing provides the foundation, but nationals provide the vision—the chance to see the sport at its fullest scale and to connect across regions. More nationals don’t weaken community bonds; they strengthen them by linking local scenes into a national network. If the goal is to make BMX sustainable for generations, the answer isn’t shrinking its biggest stage. The answer is expanding it, giving more riders, families, and communities the chance to belong to something bigger than their local track.