Motorcycle Forums

In 5 short months

Yamaha have gone from saying " we don't need a title sponsor at the moment but when we do we'll make sure we do the right deal for us " to " MotoGP needs a wider global appeal to attract sponsors ". I say, " Does it really Mr Jarvis? I thought Valentino Rossi had pretty much single handedly raised the profile of MotoGP for the last 10yrs to it's current level...?" I find it interesting that Yamaha can't immediately attract new sponsorship but Ducati can, is this a coincidence?

Agreed

I think that its unfair but good for them that spain gets 4, Look at the great racing from bsb this weekend 37 riders on the little indy circuit, Amazing. Brands, donnington and silverstone are great circuits so why do we only get 1 on the calendar? At least Wsbk put donnington back on and look what hapeened, Yep full grid, loads of fans and a great races. Just let the teams have more engines and race more everywhere. Done

fair point

..but what is the plan?

Formula One has achieved greater global spread but has always gone where the money is - Ecclestone sells the rights to have a GP to the circuits.  This is all well and good, but requires a high demand among countries that can pay for the product.  What is the demand for motogp outside of its core countries?

Motogp has always been more of a niche product than F1 and may never be able to ape such a global spread.  By way of consolation, remember that the F1 situation has disadvantages - the paddock goes where the money is, not where the best circuits, the history or even the paying spectators are.

Lastly. I would remind Yamaha that they only put 4 bikes on the grid - would not a greater depth of field enhance the show, making the series more marketable?  If a shortage of sponsorship is the issue behind this, how would increasing travelling costs help?

In summary a relatively complex situation!

I think.

Yamaha should look at another car sponsor something like SEAT or even getting a energy drink sponsor like Tech 3 not Monster but Rockstar which Lorenzo gets sponsored by.

Sensible really...

So the problem is the sport is niche and currently is hosted in bike 'converted' markets such as IT/ES/US. And who is to blame for this - DORNA!

Its hardly difficult to see the problem and what needs to be done...
The need is for expansion into new markets where there is an exisiting bike culture - example Indonesia with its 6million sales for Hon/Yam and currently influencing the Honda MotoGP branding (one heart).

The example is F1 which has predicted growing (economies) markets for its product and followed an agressive process of courting said territories to establish F1 as the premier motorsport product many years in advance of the product being delivered. They create a demand which they can satify through the sale of TV rights into the region (low cost sale for what 2/3 years before ramping up costs once they have a hoooked audience). Further, once they have the customer demand they are able to influence the deisgn of the circuits and facilities to ensure the tracks provide the spectacle required to sustain public appeal.

MotoGP needs to step up to the mark and play the long game not this shortsighted crap.
It f*cking pissed me off to read this kind of bollocks from the teams and Dorna, thinking only as far as thier nose and not investing in the development of thier 10/5/3year strategies to fully develop thier popular product, effectively manage the TV rights and exposure, and market thier who opportunity to businesses, public and territories.

Dorna in its piss poor management has allowed VR to become the face of MotoGP because its easy for them - they havent had to do jackshit - and now with the clock counting down in VR's career, the economic crisis and declining grid they are pissing about with rules and running almost 50% of the season in 3 nations.

Frag you Dorna and shame on you for allowing this great sport to be eternally percieved as the poor mans racing and as racing for 'thugs'. They havent worked on the MGP brand or changed the perception that it carried in the 70's - its still blokes in leather crashing and getting hurt.