The American media conglomerate Liberty Media, owner of Formula 1 since the beginning of 2017, has now also taken over MotoGP. The company will acquire 86 percent of the shares and will pay approximately four billion euros for this. At the time, it paid around eight million euros for Formula 1.
The MotoGP is the most important class in motorsport. The Spanish company Dorna Sports SL retains the remaining 14 percent of the shares. Dorna owns the commercial and broadcast rights of MotoGP, but also of Moto2 and Moto3, Superbike, MotoE and the Women’s World Cup.
This contains inserted content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
“We are pleased to add MotoGP to our portfolio of leading live sports and entertainment,” said CEO Greg Maffei. “Ezpeleta and his team have created a great spectacle and we want to bring that to a wider audience.”
The contract of Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of motorsport at Dorna Sports, is still ongoing. “This is a milestone for our sport,” Ezpeleta said. “This deal is a testament to the value and growth potential of MotoGP. Liberty Media has an incredible track record. We couldn’t wish for a better partner.”
Speed fans are already dreaming of an F1 race and a MotoGP on the same day on the same track, but the deal will not be fully completed until the end of this year at the earliest. The European Commission, among others, must give its approval and it is not entirely certain that that will happen. In 2006, the EU was still obstructive when CVC Capital wanted to control both Formula 1 and MotoGP. The committee then feared a monopoly, whereby broadcasting rights for both sports would have to be purchased together. CVC Capital then sold its shares in MotoGP for 500 million euros.