Positive feedback on Liberty Media, because the “best motorsport on the planet” must be better marketed – But you can’t copy everything from Formula 1
The announced majority takeover of MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports by Liberty Media has met with a thoroughly positive response from those involved in the paddock. Liberty CEO Greg Maffei has announced that they do not want to fundamentally change the sport, but rather focus on promotion and marketing in order to attract new fans and make MotoGP more popular worldwide
“It’s difficult to say what they can improve,” muses World Champion Francesco Bagnaia. “We already have a great show, but we need to become more popular. The big difference is that car manufacturers are bigger than motorcycle manufacturers.”
“But I think Liberty Media has great ideas to improve our situation. They know what they need to do. They have taken Formula 1 to heights we have never seen before. I think it’s a great opportunity for MotoGP.”
The premier class on four wheels has been booming worldwide for several years now. Most races are completely sold out and the circuits are reporting record spectator numbers. In MotoGP, not all races are sold out. After the pandemic, there was a dip at some tracks.
“Everyone is talking about this Netflix thing,” says Jack Miller about the documentary series “Drive to Survive”. Dorna tried a similar project with the MotoGP documentary “Unlimited”, but with limited success. The series did not have a decisive effect.
“But anything that puts money into our sport and promotes our sport is good,” says Miller. “We are the best motorsport on the planet. If you can show that to a wider audience, then that’s good.”
“We’ll see what happens. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It will certainly take time. But if new people look at it, then it can be helpful.” In principle, the riders are hoping for better advertising for MotoGP with Liberty.
“Ultimately, we are a show,” says Aleix Espargaro and agrees with Miller: “We are one of the best shows in the world. But we are not as famous as we should be. But you can’t copy everything from Formula 1 because we are different. But it looks promising.”
Luca Marini, for example, is surprised that Formula 1 is currently booming: “In recent years, Formula 1 has grown strongly, although its show is much worse than in MotoGP. That’s why I think we have great potential. We have to use that.”
With “Drive to Survive”, Liberty Media has managed to present the personalities of the Formula 1 drivers to a broader and, above all, new audience. This is an aspect that the MotoGP riders are also hoping for from the US media company in the future
“The aim must be,” believes Marc Marquez, “to reach the younger generation and push big names. Just as it was in the past with Valentino, Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Stoner, for example.”
“It will be a question of investment to make the big names better known and improve the show. That will come in the future.” The presentation of the sport as a whole is another aspect that could be improved.
Miguel Oliveira believes that the fans should be better informed about how difficult it is to ride a current MotoGP bike: “I mean, when you are in this sport, you understand what it means. Then you understand that it’s not as easy as it looks on TV.”
“We need to do something about that in MotoGP as well. I think the people who come and see us live understand that it’s difficult. But not from home. I think it looks far too easy from home these days.”
The takeover of 86 percent of Dorna should be formally completed by the end of 2024 at the latest. This means that nothing will change in the short term as a result of Liberty
