Monster Jam Tours Support Diversity on the Track

All fans aged two or over must purchase a ticket.

Trucks roar and crash, and crowds enjoy it immensely. It’s controlled chaos that the drivers revel in.

The show consists of two truck races, a two-wheel skills challenge and freestyle competitions where audience members cast votes on which drivers should win each event.

Track Design

Monster Jam has come a long way since its humble roots as sideshows at mud-bog events, tractor pulls and motocross races. Today it reaches more than 30 countries through multiple tours with multiple tours on any given tour day – and while many may not consider a sports league supporting diversity on its track [source: Feld]. However, Feld Entertainment claims this goal as part of their mission statement in reaching new audiences and growing the sport [source: Feld].

Monster Jam’s arena and stadium tracks are custom designed for each venue, drawing upon over four decades of experience to craft an arena/stadium track that maximizes racing action while creating fan engagement.

Monster Jam drivers are carefully vetted before being chosen to pilot certain trucks, with Brianna Mahon (2015 Rookie of the Year winner who drives Whiplash) serving as an example of how this organization accepts female drivers despite skewed gender imbalance in other motorsports such as Formula 1. Monster Jam’s inclusive culture makes this possible and vice versa; unlike most other forms of motorsport where men tend to dominate due to strength or endurance advantages, Monster Jam promotes gender-blind racing.

Freestyle Exhibitions

Experience thrilling family fun as world-class athletes compete in high-flying, freestyle and racing exhibitions. Witness drivers like Grave Digger, Megalodon and El Toro Loco push themselves beyond their limits with breathtaking Freestyle, Skills, Donuts and Racing competitions.

Freestyle driving allows each driver a set time and place on an arena floor or stadium dirt to demonstrate their creativity and daring. They may crush cars, destroy buses and vans or perform other impressive stunts on display.

At the conclusion of each freestyle run, a score is given to each truck and the one receiving the most crowd cheering is declared the winner of competition. This method was utilized early in Monster Jam and led to some debate as it allowed trucks that were more popular with their audience to win freestyle more frequently than other competing trucks.

Fans can view the show from safety barriers, though ear protection is advised due to high noise levels. Most events also feature a Pit Party where fans can meet drivers and observe these massive vehicles up close.

Racing

Monster Jam racing pits competing trucks against one another on an obstacle-laden track. Winners move forward until a final round determines who becomes champion.

Tubular steel spaceframe chassis support the colorful fiberglass bodies on each truck. Most teams utilize PEI (Dan Patrick’s) or Carrol Racing Design (CRD) chassis. Each driver is protected in their own custom roll cage with an on/off switch enabling them to control engine operations at any time.

Since its debut, Monster Jam events have generated speculations of scripted events; this perception has only been strengthened by using professional wrestler-esque names for trucks and drivers in each show.

Monster Jam racing not only offers thrilling races on an oval track, but fans can also see trucks compete in freestyle exhibitions and the Monster Jam World Finals to cap off winter season. TicketSmarter provides a wide range of Monster Jam tickets at various price points to fit every family budget and experience level – check event details to determine if there’s a Pit Party and arrive early to witness heart-pounding entertainment!

Safety

Monster Jam trucks are designed to protect the driver at all times. A five-point harness keeps him secure while an ignition interruption feature allows personnel to remotely shut off an engine if necessary.

Safety measures also extend to individual components of the truck, such as connecting each wheel to its axle with braided steel cable to keep them securely fastened to chassis in case they come off. Front and rear lockers ensure power remains evenly distributed to all four wheels if one breaks, providing added peace of mind for drivers.

Monster Jam is a family-friendly event designed to draw children’s interest in truck culture into full fandom, while taking safety seriously at each venue through evacuation plans and other needs specific to that location. Monster Jam employees monitor racing and freestyle events, choreograph entry into its hot pits (where two trucks enter and leave every round), attend to broken vehicles on- and off-track as well as ensure safety for drivers.

Von Miller-Broncos Salary Negotiations at a Standstill

Von Miller (Broncos)
By Jeffrey Beall (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Von Miller and the Denver Broncos are currently embroiled in contract discussions that seem to be at a standstill. The Super Bowl MVP is not practicing with the team this week. If the contract negotiations continue to stall, he may not attend the Broncos’ summer minicamp or training camp.

The two sides are far apart. Yahoo! Sports reported that two sources have said Denver is offering around $18 million per season, or around $90 million over five seasons, and Miller is seeking around $22 million per season, or $110 million for five years.

The Broncos have taken a tough stance in contract negotiations with other players, including the following:

• Derek Wolfe
• Malik Jackson
• Brock Osweiler
• Danny Trevathan
• Ryan Clady
• Russell Okung
• Colin Kaepernick.

The team did not extend the contracts of Osweiler, Jackson, and Trevathan for various reasons.

General Manager John Elway and Director of Football Administration Mike Sullivan have been trying to limit the amount the team pays for players. Elway considers Miller a vital member of the team. Sullivan has been figuring out “salary slots” where each player falls. He also did that for free agent negotiations with other players. Sullivan has been leading the negotiations with Miller.

The Broncos are not considering Miller’s open market value because he currently has a franchise tag that they are using to keep him for this season and possibly the next. The Broncos used an exclusive rights tag for Miller that only allows him to negotiate with that team.

The Broncos estimate that they could keep Miller for two seasons for $32 million. That means the $18 million per season the Broncos have offered Miller is more than they would otherwise have paid. The offer would also make Miller the second-highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.

Unlike other players on the Broncos who recently negotiated their contracts, Miller has a successful and proven track record. Miller argues that he is the most versatile pass rusher in the NFL and possibly the most important member of the defense that won the Super Bowl. In five seasons, Miller has had 60 sacks (71 according to Pro Football Focus), four Pro Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP, and defensive rookie of the year.

Since he played his first five years under the new labor agreement, Miller earned less than $6 million per year. He was suspended in 2013 for using drugs but was released in 2015 after passing every test for two years. He recovered from a 2013 ACL injury and had two strong seasons.

Derek Wolfe, a defensive end, signed a four-year, $36.7 million contract with the Broncos less than two months before becoming a free agent. He could have earned much more in free agency. Some people believe that encouraged Denver to seek discounts for all of its players.

If you would like to see the Broncos or another NFL team play this summer, you can reserve tickets now for preseason games from buyTickets.com. You can also view schedules for regular season games and order tickets in advance.