2024-04-02 18:24:54
What was suspected for a long time is now a done deal: After Formula 1, Liberty Media is also adding MotoGP to its racing portfolio. KTM sports director Pit Beirer sees the deal as positive and a unique opportunity.
Yesterday, Easter Monday, it was openly communicated what had been growing for a long time – Dorna Sports SL in Madrid, which is responsible for organizing and marketing the Motorcycle Road World Championships, is getting a new majority owner. As reported yesterday, the American Liberty Media Group will take over 86 percent of the company’s shares.
MotoGP will thus be incorporated into a globally organized sports marketing power. After Formula 1, the world’s most important motorcycle racing platform is moving under the Liberty Media umbrella.
The takeover will create new opportunities for the Road World Championship, particularly on the marketing side. The new ownership structure will not change anything in the operational business for the time being. As confirmed from the USA, the Dorna headquarters will remain in Madrid. CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta will also remain in office.
A day following the significant release, KTM Motorsport Director Pit Beirer spoke to SPEEDWEEK regarding the news. «This is very good news for us. When we finally found out regarding it yesterday, we were really happy. For us – and for sport. If you look at what Liberty Media has done and continues to do for Formula 1 in terms of sporting marketing, then we see this as a unique opportunity to take MotoGP to the next level.”
Pit Beirer continues on the manufacturers’ hopes: “You just have to see what huge leverage Liberty Media has at its disposal. Their network and their possibilities, for example in realizing even more comprehensive TV reporting, are enormous. It is a special opportunity for our great sport to take another step forward with this constellation. In the end, everyone should benefit from even more intensive marketing: athletes, manufacturers and of course the fans.”
When asked to what extent the manufacturers were involved in the business, the motorsport director says: “Of course it was no surprise to find out regarding it. But we weren’t involved in the details.”
Beirer emphasizes that the focus on marketing MotoGP is particularly important, because there is currently no need for operational action: “It is simply exceptionally good what Carmelo Ezpelata has achieved with his team over so many years. “In the day-to-day business of MotoGP, things are going top-notch with Dorna’s experience.”
Pit Beirer also sees the role of boss Ezpeleta as outstanding: “It is really remarkable, Carmelo Ezpeleta is a very strong leader with great visions for the sport and, above all, he is right in the middle of the action. He cares. Ezepelata is omnipresent at every GP; he personally sits on the safety commission every Friday. Operationally, Dorna is very well positioned, they have created something great and with the help of the new structure it should be possible to present this stage even better.”
Even if there is still a long way to go before the final implementation of the share takeover, including all legal instances, the involvement of the Formula 1 marketers in the MotoGP world is happening with full approval from Mattighofen.
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