Monster Jam

Monster Jam is a Monster Truck series promoted by USHRA and is owned by FELD Motorsports. The series was started in 1992 and is the longest running series to date. It is unique because a majority of the trucks that compete with Monster Jam are owned by the same company that owns Monster Jam, FELD. The series has had many tours, including a European tour, a Canadian tour, an Australian tour, an arena tour (Thunder Nationals), a freestyle-only tour (Freestyle Mania), and two summer tours (Path of Destruction and Summer Heat.) Six video games and one mobile app have been released by Monster Jam. Between 1997 and 2002, a points series was featured on the circuit. In 2015, the points set up was reintroduced in two new tours, #MoreMonsterJam and the Fox Sports 1 Championship series. Every year since 2000, a World Finals has taken place at the end of March.

History
1992-Monster Jam is owned by Pace Motorsports 1992-Monster Jam is started under the name "Monster Wars"

1992-Thunder Nationals is started

1997-Monster Jam is started

1997-"Inside Monster Jam" is broadcast on ESPN 2

1998-Pace gains the naming rights to Grave Digger

1998-Monster Jam is broadcast on TNN's Motor Madness

1999-Pace gains the naming rights to Bulldozer

2000-SFX gains the naming rights to Monster Jam

2000-A contract is started with SFX where SFX can run trucks based off of popular WWE wrestlers

2000-First World Finals takes place

2001-Contract with WWE ends

2002-Clear Channel gains the naming rights to Monster Jam

2003-First show out of North America takes place in Paris, France

2003-Monster Jam begins to be broadcast on Speed

2005-First show on the European tour takes place

2006-Live Nation gains the naming rights to Monster Jam

2009-FELD Motorsports gains the naming rights to Monster Jam

2009-Advance Auto Parts becomes the title sponsor

2010-Freestyle Mania is introduced

2012-Path of Destruction tour starts

2014-Advance Auto Parts drops out as sponsor & title sponsor

2014-Monster Jam begins to be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2

2014-#MoreMonsterJam is introduced in December

2015-The Fox Sports 1 Championship Series is started

2017-Monster Jam celebrates their 25th Anniversary

Motor Madness Points Series
1999-Dennis Anderson (Grave Digger)

Racing Champions
1999-Brian Wolmack (Bear Foot)

2000-Tom Meents (Goldberg)

2001-Tom Meents (Goldberg)

2002-Tom Meents (Team Meents)

2003-Brian Barthel (Wolverine)

2004-Dennis Anderson (Grave Digger)

2005-Debra Miceli (Madusa)

2006-Dennis Anderson (Grave Digger)

2007-John Seasock (Batman)

2008-John Seasock (Batman)

2009-Tom Meents (Maximum Destruction)

2010-Dennis Anderson (Grave Digger)

2011-Tom Meents (Maximum Destruction)

2012-Tom Meents (Maximum Destruction)

2013-Adam Anderson (Grave Digger the Legend)

2014-Adam Anderson (Grave Digger the Legend)

2015-Todd LeDuc (Metal Mulisha)

2016-Morgan Kane (Grave Digger)

2017-Ryan Anderson (Son-Uva Digger)

Freestyle Champions
1999-No freestyle

2000-Dennis Anderson (Grave Digger)

2001-Tom Meents (Goldberg)

2002-Tom Meents: Team Meents

2003-Jim Koehler (Avenger)

2004 (3-Way Tie)-Tom Meents (Maximum Destruction), Lupe Soza (El Toro Loco), & Debra Miceli (MADUSA)

2005-Jimmy Creten (Bounty Hunter)

2006-Tom Meents (Maximum Destruction)

2007-Pablo Huffaker (Captain's Curse)

2008-Adam Anderson (Taz)

2009-Damon Bradshaw (Air Force Afterburner)

2010-Charlie Pauken (Monster Mutt)

2011-Jim Koehler (Avenger)

2012-Cam McQueen (Northern Nightmare)

2013-Tom Meents (Maximum Destruction)

2014-Todd LeDuc (Metal Mulisha)

2015-Mikey Vaters (Overkill Evolution)

2016 -Adam Anderson (Grave Digger)

2017-Lee O'Donnell (VP Racing Fuels' The Mad Scientist)

Controversy
In the recent years, Monster Jam has become the target of much controversy in the monster truck industry.

Monster Jam has received much criticism for recent stadium and arena tracks, due to the lack of crush cars as well as, in general, uninteresting obstacles. However, the controversy accelerated even more recent years after FELD, despite claiming otherwise, was showing signs of ignoring fans complaints to tracks.

Monster Jam has also been criticized for censorship. In 2017, FELD censored guns from several trucks, including Gunslinger, changing it to Slinger, as well as altering Metal Mulisha and Soldier Fortune to remove the guns. Fans have heavily criticized this act of censorship as cowardly and unnecessary.

However, Monster Jam has done more than just censor trucks, in 2017, evidence spawned that FELD executives monitor social media comments and remove any that are in the slightest bit negative, even if they do not breach terms of use. Many fans began reporting removal of critical comments from social media accounts, which diminishes evidence that FELD listens to fans, like they continually claim to.

Due to the rapidly growing controversy in the sport, many fans have consequently left Monster Jam in favor of Monster Truck Throwdown, a monster league that debuted in 2012, and is gaining popularity. In the not too distant future, Monster Truck Throwdown could be a serious threat to Monster Jam unless proper changes are made to accommodate fans.