Dorna Sports

Dorna Sports, S.L. is the commercial

rights holder for the motorcycling sport of
MotoGP.
 Dorna Sports, S.L.

Type Sociedad Limitada

Industry Sports management

Founded 27 May 1998

in Madrid, Spain
Headquarters Madrid, Spain

Area served Worldwide

Key people Carmelo Ezpeleta,

CEO
Enrique Aldama,
COO/CFO
Products MotoGP, World
Superbikes
Owner Bridgepoint Capital
CPP Investment
Board
Website www.dorna.com

Established in 1988 as an international

sports management and marketing
company, it is headquartered in Madrid,
with branch offices and/or subsidiaries in
Barcelona, Amsterdam, London and Rome.
Set up by Banco Banesto as Dorna
promoción del deporte, the company was
sold to CVC Madrid in 1998 as the
operation developed internationally and
was renamed Dorna Sports. Private equity
group Bridgepoint has been the majority
shareholder of Dorna since 2006.[1]

Rights holdings
Since 1992 Dorna has been the exclusive
holder of all commercial and television
rights relating to the MotoGP World
Championship, from 2001 has also held
the commercial and television rights for
the Supercross GP World Championship
and since 2013 the Superbike World
Championship.[2] The company also
participates in the management and
marketing of other motorsports properties,
including: the Spanish Road Racing
Championship (CEV), the British Superbike
Championship (BSB) and the Trials World
Championships (Indoor and Outdoor).
MotoGP …

Dorna recognised, with support from

manufacturers, that a change was needed
in the sport. The costs of developing
specialist two-stroke engines, which
created non-commercial end products,
was not sustainable. Hence, in its efforts
to bring about the change from 500 cc
racing to MotoGP four-stroke racing, Dorna
has obtained the world championship
organization rights from the FIM’s
(Fédération Internationale de
Motocyclisme) which is the world
governing sole body of motorcycling with
authority to organise motorcycle world
championships.

Scheduling with Formula One …

A gentlemen’s agreement has allegedly

existed for some time between Dorna CEO
Carmelo Ezpeleta and Bernie Ecclestone,
CEO of Formula One rights holder FOM, to
do what is necessary to avoid a direct TV
conflict between F1 and MotoGP. At
schedule-making time there is
consultation between the two sides, but, in
general, when F1 makes a change creating
a conflict with a MotoGP date, MotoGP
responds by changing dates.
Ownership

Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna Sports CEO

Set up by Banco Banesto as Dorna

promocion del deporte, the company was
sold to CVC Madrid in 1998 as the
operation developed internationally and
was renamed Dorna Sports. The purchase
was closely supervised by American Hardy
McLain, cost $80 million (approximately),
half of which was needed to pay off Dorna
debt. McLain, one of the founders of CVC
and formerly an executive of Citibank (CVC
was spun out of Citibank in 1981), was
present at several motorcycle Grand Prix
events in 1998 but, confident in the ability
of Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, has left
the running of the company to the
Spaniard, as well as the almost completely
Spanish Dorna executive leadership.[3]

Sale to management …

In November 2005 CVC Capital Partners

announced it was to acquire the 25% and
48% shares of Bambino and Bayerische
Landesbank in Formula1 commercial
rights holder SLEC and acquired the
shares of JP Morgan Chase in December
2005. This deal was given approval by the
European Commission on 21 March 2006
subject to the sale of Dorna Sports.[4]

By divesting Dorna, the Commission

concluded that CVC’s Formula One
transaction would not cause competition
concerns. Competition commissioner
Neelie Kroes, said: “When the two most
popular motor sport events in the EU,
Formula One and Moto GP, come in the
hands of one owner, there is a risk of price
increases for the TV rights to these events
and a reduction in consumer choice. I am
satisfied that the commitments given by
CVC will eliminate this risk.” [5] Its final 71%
stake in Dorna was sold by CVC for
£400million on 28 March, selling the
holding to Dorna Sports management.

Questionable practices …

In 2005, with the growth of the Internet,

Dorna began the controversial practice of
charging for Press Credentials for online
publications. The "fee" varied from 100
euros to 1000 euros. Most newsworthy
publications turned their back on this
flagrant exploitation by the event
promoter.

References
1. Ltd., Crash Media Group. "MotoGP and
World Superbikes brought together -
MotoGP News" . Retrieved 29 August 2016.
2. Sam Tremayne (2 October 2012). "Dorna to
organise both World Superbikes and
MotoGP from 2013" . autosport.com.
Haymarket Media Group. Retrieved
20 March 2015.
3. "Archived copy" . Archived from the
original on 2006-05-27. Retrieved
2006-06-26.
4. "Money" . Retrieved 29 August 2016.
 5. http://ventureeconomics.com/evcj/protect
ed/mthlyfeatures/1145454166779.html

External links
Official website

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Dorna_Sports&oldid=1016587246"

Last edited 12 days ago by Tom.Reding

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