FIM Extends MotoGP Rights Contract With Dorna Until 2060

By David Emmett |

The FIM and Dorna have announced that Dorna is to keep the rights to run the MotoGP series until 2060. In a press release, Dorna says that the length of the agreement - another 36 years - allows them to continue to build the long-term future for the sport.

Although 36 years is a very long time, it is not entirely unprecedented. The FIM has always worked with long-term contracts with Dorna, an important factor in being able to create a stable infrastructure and a stable environment around motorcycling's premier class. Although the length of the previous was never made officially published, the agreement has been incrementally extended over the years, the latest date being 2043.

The agreement does not just cover MotoGP, but all of the championships run by Dorna. That includes WorldSBK, the FIM Junior Championship, MotoE and the WCR Women's Championship.

The press release appears below:

The FIM and Dorna Sports announce long-term renewal of their agreement, securing the rights to MotoGP™ and all Dorna-run FIM World Championships

Thursday, 05 September 2024

MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) are delighted to announce an extension of their long-term agreement securing the promotion rights for all Dorna-run FIM World Championships until 2060. The continuation of this successful partnership guarantees unparalleled value, continuity, and opportunity for MotoGP™ in a rapidly evolving global sporting landscape.

Dorna first secured the promotion rights of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship in 1992. Together, the partnership has expanded the success and popularity of the sport for fans around the world and continues to do so, with MotoGP™ enjoying an impressive trajectory of global growth over recent seasons.

Working in tandem with the teams’ association (IRTA) and the manufacturers association (MSMA), the partnership between the FIM and Dorna underpins an enviable ecosystem within MotoGP™, built on an unrivalled level of consensus that puts the sport first.

In addition to its successes in driving the global growth of MotoGP™, the partnership has also expanded the popularity and reach of motorcycle racing around the world – from grassroots to the highest levels of professional competition. FIM World Championships considered under this agreement, including the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship since 2015, the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship since 2019, the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship since 2019 and the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship since 2023, can now look forward to many more years of success thanks to this extension.

Jorge Viegas, President of the FIM: "This is an incredibly important moment and one that provides long term clarity and security regarding the pinnacle of motorcycle sport. This is not only important for all those directly involved in MotoGP™, but also for the wider motorcycle racing community that reaps the benefits from the global status, value and presence of this leading series.

"The ongoing and ever closer collaboration between the FIM, Dorna Sports and the other key stakeholders is something that has been built over many years, the trust and co-operation that now exists alongside this long-term agreement offer great foundations for the future development of MotoGP™ plus all the related championships. On behalf of the FIM, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude for the work that Dorna Sports has done since 1992 and look forward with great confidence to combining our efforts to ensure the continued growth and success of MotoGP™ for many more years to come."

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports: "We’re very proud to announce this agreement with the FIM. It is fantastic news for the sport, and our fans around the world, that this partnership is guaranteed to continue. We have built something truly special and will continue to grow the sport even further, working together.

"Being able to come to such a long-term agreement adds incredible value for MotoGP. In the sports and entertainment landscape of today, the level of consensus we enjoy in MotoGP is something we’re privileged to be part of, and it lays fantastic foundations for our sport to continue its trajectory of growth. We want to thank the FIM for their support and we look forward to making MotoGP even bigger and better than ever as we continue our partnership."

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Comments

the spanish mafia story continues.  

so whoever wants to take the contract on will have to buy the incumbents out at a monstrous figure.  

The Spanish don't believe in 'cricket old boy'.  

It seems strange that there’s no requirement for the FIM to open this up to competitive tender. As this covers the racing interests of around 120 countries, you’d think there’d probably be organisations in at least a few of these who’d like a crack at running the show and might be viable alternatives. I wonder how this deal would stand up to an anti-competition challenge. The length of the deal is breathtaking; I’ve been involved in some very large contracts over the years, but I have never come across anything of this length. You can’t help but wonder…..

Yes it stinks.  a family run show.  nepotism.  someone should report this because there's no clear merit to it.  Try and buy the contract off them though and see what it costs!  

But report it to who? As I understand it, the FIA (and therefore FIM) is a membership group that is not subject to the kind of mandatory procurement rules that apply to public sector bodies or charities receiving the majority of income from the public sector. However, a graze of both the FIA and FIM sites show they do go to tender on occasion, including for promoters of series, but in the 15 minutes I was prepared to give to this, I didn't find anything to suggest they tendered this contract. Not that this in itself is particularly unusual in the contracts world - it's quite common to have an extension clause subject to both parties being happy to extend.

What surprises me though is the length of the contract and extraordinary decision to extend so soon. The base contract still has 17 years to run. I could understand an extension being agreed at the 5 years left mark or thereabouts, but not an entire generation early! Many of the riders who will be competing in the extension period haven't even been born yet. The CEO for 2060 is probably in kindergarten or primary school even as I write (sorry Carmeleto but I don't think you're going to make it that far!). From a professional perspective I would have been fascinated to have sat in on the board meetings where that extension was was agreed. 

 

well the registered home of the FIM is in France still so it falls in the EU and if they have a mergers and monopolies commission it would be them.  But I'm not prepared to waste any time checking it out.