Feld Entertainment to resume Monster Energy Supercross. You can only see it on TV
Feld Entertainment announced this week that it is resuming Monster Energy Supercross racing May 31. It’s the first announced show since March when the company laid off 1,464 people.
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, will resume racing at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City and continue through June 21.
The final seven, made-for-TV races, will be broadcast on NBC networks without fans in attendance. The Utah Sports Commission coordinated the return of Monster Energy Supercross to Utah, the company said in a press release.
“Like all forms of sports, the Monster Energy Supercross Championship was abruptly halted in early March after completing 10 rounds of the 17-round championship. The last race was held on March 7 at Daytona International Speedway,” the company said.
“The sports industry in the United States, like virtually all industries, is being severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Monster Energy Supercross fuels an entire industry and is the primary source of income for thousands, including competitors. With no events, the industry is in severe economic peril. It’s important to the economic infrastructure to get back to work,” the company said.
Feld consolidated its headquarters in the Palmetto-Ellenton area in 2013. In addition to Supercross, its live touring family entertainment shows include Monster Jam, Disney on Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, Jurassic World Live Tour, and DreamWorks Trolls The Live Experience. Feld has presented entertainment in more than 75 countries.
It came as a shock in March when Feld called a company-wide meeting and laid off most of its staff.
“I don’t fault Feld because it is a great company, but we were told that our jobs were secure and that we would be able to work from home with company laptops,” Jamie Meade, who worked in ticket sales, told the Bradenton Herald in March.
Instead of being furloughed, he was terminated, like many others. “Something must have happened at the 11th hour.” he said.
Jessica Kostenchuk was with Feld Entertainment for 15 years and was a a senior buyer in procurement and sourcing, when she got her termination letter on March 20.
“Our letters clearly state that our positions were eliminated for restructuring. Individuals with as many as 10-30 years were provided five weeks severance,” Kostenchuk wrote in an email to the Herald. “We knew that there would be layoffs but never thought 90 percent of the company.”
At the time that Feld Entertaiment made its layoffs, the 1,464 was among the largest number reported to the Florida WARN list. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act helps ensure advance notice in cases of qualified plant closings and mass layoffs. The U.S. Department of Labor has compliance assistance materials to help workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under the provisions of WARN.
Working at Feld Entertainment was apparently a dream for many, making the layoffs even more bitter.
“I made amazing, lifelong friends at Feld. People who I consider family, who literally watched me grow up from the age of 23. Most of my co-workers were at my wedding! We became the best of friends. We threw wedding and baby showers for each other, attended family funerals, lifted each other up when we were at our lowest. It’s sad that this was our ending but our own individual shows will go on,” Kostenchuk said.
.jpg "21-FS4T1783 (1).jpg")
The size of the Feld layoffs has since been eclipsed by OS Restaurant Services, which on April 28 reported 7,293 layoffs at Outback, 4,538 layoffs at Carrababa’s, and 3,216 layoffs at Bonefish. Under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ partial reopening orders, Florida restaurant dining rooms began reopening again on May 4.
Stephen C. Yaros, senior vice president of Feld Entertainment Global Communications, said that Feld bought back approximately 10 people on a temporary basis to work with its current staff in assisting with the final 7 races in Salt Lake City.
“Due to the continuing restrictions on the gathering of larger groups as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we do not have any conclusive plans to resume touring of any of our shows at the moment,” Yaros said.
The TV schedule for Monster Energy Supercross (times shown are for eastern time zone):
Round 11 (East) - Sunday, May 31, 3-4 p.m. on NBCSN, then 4-6 p.m. on NBC.
Round 12 (East) - Wednesday, June 3, 10 p.m.- 1 a.m. on NBCSN.
Round 13 (East) - Sunday, June 7, 5-8 p.m. on NBCSN.
Round 14 (West) - Wednesday, June 10, 7-10 p.m. NBCSN.
Round 15 (West) - Sunday, June 14, 7-10 p.m. NBCSN.
Round 16 (East) - Wednesday, June 17, 7-10 p.m. NBCSN.
Round 17 (East/West) - Sunday, June 21, 3-4:30 p.m. NBCSN, then 4:30-6 p.m. on NBC.
TV schedule is subject to change.
