Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A line of text from the 2002 AMA Pro Racing license package–not included in our post detailing a new furor over rider merchandising rights–restricts what the organization will do with rider images, Vice President Commercial Development John Farris, Jr. said in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com.

In his e-mail, Farris, wrote, “Your website post from 11/5…is inaccurate and misleading as you selected only a portion of the language included in the 2002 AMA Pro Racing License application. The last sentence of the portion of the section and the portion of the paragraph you selected for posting states; ‘The design of such merchandise shall focus on the respective AMA U.S. Championship Series.’

“This is a critically important distinction that is very defining and limiting in the scope of any AMA Pro Racing series merchandising efforts.

“A clarification of this would be beneficial to your readers.

“John C. Farris, Jr.
“Vice-President Commercial Development
“AMA Pro Racing”

Agents representing several riders competing in AMA Pro events have claimed that the new language would allow AMA Pro Racing to assign image and name rights without riders getting any money from what are potentially lucrative deals.

Despite Farris’ assurances, there is no guarantee that merchandise designs AMA Pro Racing officials consider to be “focus(ing) on the respective AMA U.S. Championship Series” would not unfairly exploit–without compensation–a rider’s name or image, or the image and graphics of racebikes owned and fielded by his or her team.