Liberty Media’s purchase of MotoGP – what does that mean for Women racing Motorsport? The American Media company’s successful bid for acquiring ownership rights held by Dorna Sports for €4.2 billion has set new precedent for the evolvement of Grand Prix racing which includes the feeder Series of Moto2, Moto3, MotoE, the SBK World Championship and the Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship.
Most certainly, Liberty Media’s overarching success of achieving growth post acquisition of Formula One in 2016 blazes unique trail of replicating similar strategy for MotoGP whose market audience would extend to fans, followers, partners, and shareholders in the USA.
As outlined by Liberty Media press release: “‘the acquisition will be approximately 86% of Dorna, with Dorna management retaining approximately 14% of their equity in the business. The acquisition is subject to the receipt of clearances and approvals by competition and foreign investment law authorities in various jurisdictions”‘.
While completion of acquisition is expected by the end of 2024, the mandate of Liberty Media amplifies the strategy of expanding MotoGP’s fanbase to wider global audience, which from the founding year in 1949 has focused on Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Notwithstanding the logistical aspects of increasing the number of MotoGP Rounds in the USA (currently one) – the up-surge of fan engagement has been evident with F1 hosting 4 Rounds in America in 2023, along with extended Media coverage of driver stories as well as racing.
The smarts of Liberty Media has paid dividends with ten-fold increase in viewer watch-time: pre-during and post race highlights, including back-end stories created by the promoter as well as Teams and Brands. Hardly a no-brainer then, that MotoGP rider’s would gain additional traction among mainstream audience as the racing remains of the highest calibre across the present 21 Rounds.
So, how will such changes in operations affect Women racing within MotoGP Rounds – as is the case for Maria Herrera competing in Moto E, along with SBK World Championship which will run the new Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, Rounds 1 – 6, 2024?
Directly, Maria would receive the flow-on impact of Liberty Media’s over-haul of MotoGP Media coverage, given MotoE races within same venue as the Grand Prix Rounds. Indirectly, the Spanish rider, who remains the sole female to race in MotoE would leverage her profile to attract new fans, followers, and viewer’s – especially if MotoE Rounds are extended to race in the USA.
With approval pending on final acquisition – jury remains out on whether Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship would gain additional promotion, exposure, and Media coverage similar to F1 Academy which has been included within Formula One programme for 2024.
Questions remain: how will SBK World Championship including programme for World WCR assimilate with Liberty Media’s straight-up strategy to achieve growth of market audience for MotoGP? And, if such actioning is possible – the time-frame would undoubtedly, take a while.
Header photo: Maria Herrera competing in FIM Enel MotoE World Championship Image: MH6
Words: Sharon Cox.
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