The future of the World Supercross Championship has become even more uncertain following the resignation of SX Global CEO Adam Bailey. The series’ primary social media accounts were suddenly rebranded late in the evening, stripping them of the ‘WSXchampionship’ branding.
This week, it became apparent that Bailey had recently resigned from his position as CEO of the series, but no formal statement has been issued to confirm his impending departure. WSX teams were only recently informed of Bailey’s decision to leave the Gold Coast-based business this month.
The rebranding of the series’ Facebook and Instagram accounts to ‘S-X Open Supercross’ has caught even the most experienced stakeholders of the championship off guard. Bailey and his longtime former business partner Ryan Sanderson, who left SX Global early last year, had a significant impact on the sport, operating the AUS-X Open International Supercross in Australia and the S-X Open in New Zealand as an FIM Oceania series before launching the FIM-affiliated WSX championship in December 2021.
The social media accounts in question were previously used for the regional S-X Open Supercross Championship. It is unclear if Bailey intends to reestablish localized international events within Australia, the last of which took place at Marvel Stadium in 2019. When contacted by MotoOnline in Australia, Bailey was unable to provide any comment on the matter of WSX.
A two-event WSX ‘pilot’ season was held in 2022 with rounds in Cardiff and Melbourne, but multiple cancellations led to the 2023 season hosting just three rounds across Birmingham in the United Kingdom, Abu Dhabi, and Australia. There has been little communication from WSX organizers throughout 2024.
Bailey had been a partner in the SX Global business with European-based investors Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori following the exit of initial investor Mubadala Capital in 2023. However, it is understood that Bailey will soon be leaving the business altogether. High-profile, polarizing founding CEO Tony Cochrane was effectively replaced by Bailey in late 2022.
When contacted by MotoOnline for further clarification, SX Global chief operating officer Stephen Rogers provided limited information, indicating that plans are still in place for the WSX championship to continue, with a 2024 schedule to be released. No comment was made on Bailey’s position within SX Global.
