Supercross is built on passion—the riders, the teams, and most importantly, the fans who spend hours waiting for just a few seconds with their heroes. But what happens when that moment falls short?
Jaxon, a young fan, waited five hours to meet Haiden Deegan, only to walk away without so much as a glance from his favorite rider. Meanwhile, other riders like Aaron Plessinger, Chase Sexton, and Ken Roczen took time to engage, making their fans feel valued.
We get it—riders have packed schedules, media obligations, and their own personal pressures. But fans are the heartbeat of the sport. Without them, Supercross and Motocross wouldn’t be what it is today. A simple “hey, bud!” or a fist bump could turn a long wait into a lifelong memory.
This isn’t about calling out Deegan—it’s about raising a conversation. Should riders be more mindful of fan interactions? Could event organizers structure signings better to ensure quality moments? As the sport grows, so should the way we handle the relationship between riders and the people who support them.
What do you think? Should fan engagement be a bigger priority, or is this just part of the game?
Cody James post –
When we asked Jaxon what rider he wanted to see most, he answered, “DangerBoy Deegan.”
So, we made that happen for him. Cody stood in line for FIVE hours for this moment for Jax. I’m not exaggerating—5 hours!! To be clear, Haiden was NOT signing for 5 hours straight. He was only out for 25 minutes. So, there were MANY people who waited hours and didn’t even get a chance at an autograph. Therefore, for 25 minutes of his time, there is no reason to not look at the fans that made it to his table.
For. This. Moment.
For Jaxon to walk up to Haiden and not even be acknowledged.
For not even a hi.
For not even a glance his way.
For everything Jaxon THOUGHT Haiden was in his head, to be questioned.
All the other Yamaha Team riders at that same very table at least spoke to him, asked how old he was or what kind of bike he rides, etc.
Even AP, Sexton, and Roczen offered photo opps, and I think they just know they were there as role models and acted as such.
As we walked away from Haiden’s table, I was stunned that the moment my son waited for was less than desirable. Yeah, we could have spoken up first. However, he was in the middle of a conversation when we approached. I’ve taught my kid to not interrupt, so maybe he was waiting for a moment for both of them to take a pause. Jaxon also said, “why didn’t he even look at me?” And then he finished with “I don’t think Deegan is my favorite anymore” 
And he stood by that statement, as we watched the race, he never once chanted his name like he always does.
So, we used it as a learning opportunity for our boys. A simple hi or even a small head nod of acknowledgment goes a LONG WAY to make others feel welcomed and appreciated.
