Liberty Media has recently acquired an 84% stake in Dorna, the rights holder of MotoGP, after receiving approval from the European Commission, marking a significant shift for the championship. Dan Rossomondo, MotoGP’s chief commercial officer, believes this new ownership will increase the sport’s global reach without compromising its core identity.
Since the acquisition closed nearly a month ago, changes have accelerated within Dorna, especially in the commercial and marketing departments—areas that Liberty Media views as essential to MotoGP’s growth in its early stages. Rossomondo, who joined MotoGP’s commercial team over two years ago from the NBA, is leading these efforts.
Maintaining MotoGP’s Unique Character While Growing Internationally
Liberty Media’s acquisition prompted scrutiny from Brussels, which delayed progress until the antitrust investigation concluded. With the process finalized, attention has turned to how MotoGP will evolve under Liberty’s guidance, particularly in comparison to Formula 1. Rossomondo stresses that while both sports share certain commercial patterns, the same strategies used in F1 are unlikely to fit MotoGP’s distinct culture.
Liberty and I both understand that the same strategy doesn’t necessarily work twice. It has to be unique to our sport. We have a set of characteristics that are different from theirs [F1],
Rossomondo explained in an interview with Blackbook Motorsport.
The people at Liberty are very smart; they know they have something unique and don’t want to ruin it. I believe they’re going to spend a lot of time understanding the business and who we are. I don’t think they’re going to try to overly commercialise the sport. They recognise certain patterns across both properties that might make sense and that we could take advantage of, but they can’t be the same.
Leveraging Liberty Media’s Experience Without Overcommercializing
Despite respecting MotoGP’s individuality, Rossomondo acknowledges that Liberty’s expertise, especially from an F1 perspective, will provide valuable tools to expand the championship and enhance its appeal to new audiences. This approach aims to drive up interest from sponsors and increase overall revenue without diluting the nature of the sport.
We need to focus on non-endemic partnerships. We’re doing very well, but we have to get brands to say: ‘I want to use MotoGP to market my product.’ [Liberty] can help us open doors and provide strong case studies based on what they’ve done with other properties, but we are the ones who really have to do the work,
Rossomondo emphasised.
The Path Toward Global Expansion and Audience Growth
Drawing inspiration from Formula 1’s recent global expansion, Rossomondo expresses enthusiasm about growing MotoGP’s presence outside of Europe. The championship already visits countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, with plans to race in Brazil next year, reflecting a strategic push to increase international viewership.
We’re always looking to expand our presence outside of Europe, but we also have to feed the beast,
he added.
But when we arrive in Europe, the perception is different. Would we like to have more markets to compete in? Absolutely. But we also need to make sure we’re getting the most out of the circuits we already have.
Future Outlook: Balancing Growth with Core Strengths
As Liberty Media seeks to broaden MotoGP’s footprint globally, the challenge will lie in balancing growth opportunities with preserving the sport’s unique atmosphere and fan base. Rossomondo’s commercial team plans to maximize existing venues while carefully exploring new markets, ensuring that expansion strengthens the sport’s long-term appeal.
By focusing on strategic partnerships and leveraging Liberty’s experience in sports marketing, MotoGP is aiming to deepen its global impact thoughtfully, avoiding a forced commercial approach while attracting new sponsors and fans worldwide.
