European Commission approves Liberty Media's acquisition of MotoGP

This Monday, June 23, the European Commission set a deadline to deliver its verdict on the purchase of the MotoGP by Liberty Media. Early this afternoon, Liberty Media received the institution's unconditional approval to finalize its acquisition of MotoGP commercial rights holder Dorna Sports. The transaction will be finalized no later than July 3, 2025.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna's CEO since 1998, will continue to lead MotoGP with his management team. This will therefore be a collaboration between the two parties.

“We are delighted to officially begin Liberty’s partnership with Carmelo and his excellent management team, said Derek Chang, President and CEO of Liberty Media. MotoGP is a highly attractive, premium sporting asset. With incredible racing, a passionate fan base, and a strong cash flow profile, we believe the sport and brand have significant growth potential.

The mission of the American company will now be to develop the sport, similar to what was done for the Formula 1 a few years ago. Its main mission will be to expand the sport's existing fan base, to make it more attractive on the world stage.

MotoGP has already been growing for some time, coveting new markets, such as South America and Asia, with new Grand Prix races on those continents. But the sport is also increasingly popular in countries where it was already established, as evidenced by the attendance records broken each year by many events. This was notably the case at Le Mans and Mugello recently.

"We are very pleased that the European Commission has approved the transaction, adds Carmelo Ezpeleta. This is an important milestone that confirms the even brighter future of MotoGP. MotoGP is one of the most exciting sports in the world, and we look forward to accelerating the growth of the sport and bringing it to a wider audience. Liberty is the best possible partner for our sport and the entire MotoGP community.”

Liberty Media will therefore acquire 84% of Dorna Sports, the holder of the MotoGP rights, with MotoGP management retaining 16% of the company.

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