As CEO and Chairman of the Board at La Jolla Group, Toby Bost oversees the Metal Mulisha, O’Neill, Lost, and Rusty brands. When he lost one of his friends and best Metal Mulisha riders to an FMX accident earlier this year, he helped take the lead to establish the Lusk Legacy Foundation and signed on as a founding member of the Board of Directors for the new American Freestyle Motocross Association.
Full FuelTV Article here.
We caught up with Bost after the 1st Annual AFMXA Awards and amateur contest to find out more about his involvement with the AFMXA, his vision for the future of FMX, and the legacy he’d like to leave in honor of the life – and death – of Jeremy Lusk.
Obviously the Metal Mulisha is heavily behind the AFMXA, with you and Brian Deegan on the Board and Ronnie Faisst as the official spokesperson. Why was it important to you personally to take the lead as a Board member with AFMXA?
We all have a vested interest in the growth and evolution of freestyle motocross. Given the sport’s increased popularity, additional support was needed to keep it moving forward: i.e. structure and guidelines for organized events, corporate backing, better safety policies and procedures in place, attention to emerging talent. As CEO of a company leading the industry, it was important for me to be a part of the Association to help implement these things and support the future of the sport.
Is the AFMXA something that had been in the works previously, or did it fully spring from the death of Jeremy Lusk and the establishment of the Lusk Legacy Foundation?
Through Jeremy’s untimely death, we realized how little organization there was in the sport. We knew we could collectively make a difference in the areas of safety and education, and want to build a legacy that Jeremy and the sport can rest on.
What do you personally hope will be Lusk’s legacy in terms of the future of FMX?
The Lusk Legacy Foundation (LLF): a non-profit established to protect and support athletes and their families in the event of severe injury and/or death. It offers a support system that comes to the aid of riders that go through life changing experiences as a result of the sport. We can’t prevent accidents from happening, of course, but through the work of the AFMXA and the LLF we can cut down on the number of them and be prepared to respond in an appropriate manner when required.
Obviously there’s a lot of could’ve/would’ve/should’ve talk we could get into about Lusk’s death or any of the major accidents we’ve seen in FMX, but going forward, what do you see as the must-have goals to secure a future for the sport and the safety of the riders?
Short term: the goals are focused on better preparation in the event of an accident. This includes CPR/first aid training, medical consultation via a 1-800 number, and med evac insurance for all professional riders that join the AFMXA. Longer term: tackling the larger challenges that the sport faces. These may include standard equipment guidelines, race course standards, safety precautions at all events, and more stringent medical response requirements.
What was the thinking behind starting with an amateur event on November 7?
Freestyle moto is missing an amateur platform that nurtures and develops talent. To further advance the sport, it’s necessary to provide a safe environment where young international talent can compete. Through these competitions, we hope to develop professional athletes that move through an organized ranking system before going pro.
Now that the Dew Tour has essentially dropped FMX competition, do you see an opening for the AFMXA to bring its own pro events series?
I’m not going to rule out a pro event series. The AFMXA is dedicated to being “the voice of the riders,” so we will work with the athletes and sponsors to create the best possible scenario for everyone. There are definitely a lot of exciting possibilities down the road.
For the sake of shifting gears a bit…What’s on the horizon for Metal Mulisha? What are you personally looking forward to, in terms of the brand, riders, events, etc?
The Metal Mulisha is continuing to grow as a lifestyle brand. We have an authentic and extremely passionate audience that we want to continue to communicate with at the highest possible level via great products and content. There are so many things to be excited about going into 2010 – between freestyle moto, offroad trucks and MMA, the possibilities are endless. Look for a head-turning MM marketing campaign in 2010 that may be coming to a major city near you.
For more on the AFMXA, see our previous interviews with official spokesperson Ronnie Faisst, 2009 Lusk Legacy Rider of the Year Blake “Bilko” Williams, and founding member Nate Adams, and our complete list of winners from the 2009 AFMXA Awards.
