Liberty Media has obtained “unconditional approval” from the European Fee to finish its acquisition of Dorna Sports activities, the industrial rights holder of MotoGP.
Receipt of the European Fee’s approval is the ultimate situation to the transaction, which is now anticipated to shut no later than July 3.
In accordance with the discharge, the acquisition allows Liberty Media to “speed up MotoGP’s worldwide enchantment and produce charming racing to a wider international viewers”.
The primary MotoGP season was held in 1949 with six rounds staged throughout Europe and has grown to comprise 22 races throughout 18 nations for 2025, which is broadcast to tons of of hundreds of thousands internationally.
Liberty Media will “leverage its experience in growing sports activities and leisure property to additional develop MotoGP’s fan-base and develop the game commercially”.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna since 1998, will proceed to run the enterprise which is headquartered in Madrid.
“Right this moment’s approval from the European Fee marks the ultimate situation to closing Liberty’s acquisition of MotoGP,” stated Derek Chang, Liberty Media President and CEO. “We’re thrilled to formally start Liberty’s partnership with Carmelo and his wonderful administration workforce.
“MotoGP is a extremely enticing premium sports activities asset with unimaginable racing, a passionate fan-base and a robust money move profile. We consider the game and model have vital progress potential, which we are going to look to appreciate by deepening the reference to the core fan base and increasing to a wider international viewers.”
“We’re very glad that the European Fee has accredited the transaction,” added Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP rights holder Dorna. “This is a crucial milestone confirming the even brighter future that lies forward for MotoGP,” stated . “MotoGP is likely one of the most thrilling sports activities on earth, and we stay up for accelerating the game’s progress and increasing its attain to much more followers around the globe.
“Liberty is the absolute best accomplice for our sport and the whole MotoGP neighborhood, and we’re excited to create even better worth for our followers, industrial companions and everybody competing.”
Liberty Media will purchase 84% of Dorna with Dorna administration retaining 16% of the enterprise. The transaction displays an enterprise worth for Dorna of €4.3 billion and an fairness worth of €3.7 billion with the present debt stability at Dorna anticipated to stay in place after closing.
The acquisition value for Liberty Media’s 84% stake can be paid in money, together with money readily available at Components One Group and Components 1 and proceeds from $1 billion of dedicated time period mortgage financing at Components 1. Components 1’s professional forma web leverage following the acquisition is anticipated to be below 3.5x, which might completely scale back the margin on F1’s Time period Mortgage B to 1.75%. Promptly after the transaction closes, Components One Group expects to attract from Dorna money and dedicated time period mortgage proceeds, bringing professional forma leverage at Dorna to only under 5.5x.
Following the transaction shut, members of Liberty Media’s board of administrators and administration workforce, together with Chase Carey, director of Liberty Media and former CEO of Components 1, and Sean Bratches, former Managing Director of Industrial Operations at Components 1, will be a part of Carmelo Ezpeleta and Enrique Aldama, the Chief Working and Monetary Officer of Dorna, on Dorna’s board of administrators, which is accountable for oversight of the enterprise and its strategic path.
Liberty Media has obtained the mandatory regulatory approvals in all different jurisdictions to shut the acquisition. Following the acquisition, Liberty Media’s Components One Group monitoring inventory can be comprised of its subsidiaries Components 1, MotoGP and Quint, in addition to sure minority investments.
If Liberty can do for MotoGP what it has accomplished for F1, then long-time followers of the game had higher begin searching for an alternate.
