Jeff Crutcher & RRCZ KTM: Value Driven

From the general motocross and supercross enthusiast perspective, the allure of the factory team setups at the major races is a huge draw.  Everyone wants to see the latest and greatest team livery on the bikes, watch the mechanics make a complicated task look easy, and have a chance to see their heroes on and off the bike.  

From a marketing perspective, the allure of the factory team is definitely there - but there is also plenty of opportunity for a race team to ‘change the game’ and become more impactful to a broader audience.  When walking around the pits at these high level races, it’s the same thing every week and every year; these teams have the same tents, the same on-site activations, and the same general plan to provide exposure of their sponsors.  Jeff Crutcher, team principal for the Cycle Zone KTM Team, has made it his mission to stand out from other race teams by providing more ‘value’ to his sponsors through outside the box initiatives and ideas.  His approach and ideas deliver more than what a company logo on the shroud of race bikes and social media tags provide to team sponsors and partners. 

The concept of ‘providing value’ isn’t new in the motocross industry, but what Jeff and his team have done in the past few years is take that concept to new heights.  Jeff works in concert with team sponsors to the point where his team becomes more than just a sponsored entity of a brand.  He asks them questions on what their company goals are, what major initiatives or ideas they have planned, and most importantly, how he and his team can help achieve those goals and make those ideas come to fruition.  These conversations elevate Jeff and his team to ‘partner’ status in the eyes of nearly all the brands he works with because he not only works to create custom packages for his sponsors, but he delivers above and beyond the initially created package. 

One example of this would be the relationship Jeff has with ETS Racing Fuels.  ETS offers a premium product that’s used by a number of high profile race teams, including all the factory Austrian outfits (KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas).  These teams receive ETS fuels in exchange for branding on the gas tanks of all team bikes, branding on team apparel, and branding on team infrastructure (team tents, semis, etc.).  Jeff utilizes many of the same approaches other teams use in terms of general branding but has also created a feature on the Cycle Zone KTM social media platform called ‘The ETS Racing Fuels Report’.  This report provides the team’s 12k social media followers an update on where the Cycle Zone KTM riders placed in qualifying and racing for both Arenacross and Supercross.  This initiative is a brilliant way to bring unique exposure to a partner that goes above and beyond putting a 1”x1” logo on the gas tank of a bike and the jersey of a rider.  Unique ideas like this are commonplace with the Cycle Zone KTM program, all with the end goal of providing more value to their partners.

This approach is seen in other aspects of the team as well.  Jeff aims to have the most interactive and engaging pit at every Arenacross race his outfit attends.  When fans walk by the pit of a factory team at a Supercross race, it’s often all business and there can sometimes be little to no engagement from team members.  When fans walk by the pit of the Cycle Zone KTM team, it feels like a party.  Jeff and his riders hang out with fans throughout the night and answer questions, show off products from team partners that are out on display, and more.  Even the branding in the team pit and on the bikes stands out.  QR codes are visible where fans can whip out their phones and scan and be directed to whatever the brand wants promoted.  This creates an impactful experience for the fan who stops by the pit and brings more value to team partners compared to what other current teams are doing.

Jeff and the Cycle Zone KTM team may seem like a small operation compared to some of the factory level outfits - and, in reality, they very much are.  But despite being a smaller outfit, the Cycle Zone KTM crew are seen as tremendous assets by all of their partners because of all of the work they do that goes above and beyond.  Bringing unique exposure and awareness to partners adds up and is a large reason why Jeff’s program has grown so much in just three years.  

Give the Cycle Zone KTM crew a follow on social media, @rrczktm, and be on the lookout for them as they gear up to take on the 250SX East Coast!

Written by: Jackson Halsmer