Liberty Media Given Nod In MotoGP Acquisition Pursuit By European Commission
Liberty is set to acquire 84 per cent of MotoGP with Dorna retaining 16 per cent in a deal valued around the 4.3 billion euro mark.
The European Commission gave Liberty Media, the group that owns Formula One, the nod in their bid to acquire MotoGP on Monday.
Liberty is set to acquire 84 per cent of MotoGP with Dorna retaining 16 per cent in a deal valued at around the 4.3 billion euro mark, following the unconditional approval of the European body.
Liberty agreed to buy the motorcycle event from Dorna Sports in April 2024, but the Commission opened an investigation to determine if the merger held up against the integrity of competition rules.
Dorna chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta, who will continue to run MotoGP alongside his team as they have since 1998, said, 'MotoGP is one of the most thrilling sports on earth, and we look forward to accelerating the sport's growth and expanding its reach to even more fans around the world."
'Liberty is the best possible partner for our sport and the entire MotoGP community, and we are excited to create even greater value for our fans, commercial partners and everyone competing," he said.
'The deal is now expected to close no later than July 3, 2025, opening the door to a new era for the sport," the MotoGP website read.
The Commission had been concerned that the transaction could lead to an increase in licensing prices for broadcasting rights to motorsport events. It also examined Liberty Media's relationship with its parent company, Liberty Global, a leading cable operator in several European countries.
The Commission announced it was satisfied that, in the European national markets it investigated, the companies are not close competitors for the licensing of broadcasting rights for sports content on Monday.
The statement indicated there was insufficient evidence that Mr. John Malone, Liberty Media's largest shareholder, could exert decisive influence over Liberty Global.
Liberty took over F1 in the year 2017, and has implemented an expansion strategy since, with a penchant for spectacle.
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