MotoGP to buy WSBK?

LINK



Hard to determine the verity of a crash.net article; however, the confusing discussions we've had about the fine line between CRT and WSBK made it likely that some kind of business deal would have to be struck in order to make GP and WSBK work together. Though IMS have made SBKs fun, they have also overseen the collapse of the global SBK industry which once sustained professional racing in national series around the globe. They have spent their days fighting with Dorna and trying to stay a step ahead of the AMA. Dorna on the other hand, have been fighting a losing battle with the MSMA regarding the on track product, and their CRT solution is a serious encroachment upon WSBK turf.



I wonder how the European courts will feel about this. They stopped CVC from owning MotoGP and F1. I wonder if the courts will stop Dorna/Bridgepoint from owning WSBK and MotoGP.

They could unify the World Championships & make one grassroots championship, it could open up the rule book totally in terms of entry.

Might be a good way for motorcycleing to survive these harsh times.

mylexicon said:

LINK



Hard to determine the verity of a crash.net article; however, the confusing discussions we've had about the fine line between CRT and WSBK made it likely that some kind of business deal would have to be struck in order to make GP and WSBK work together. Though IMS have made SBKs fun, they have also overseen the collapse of the global SBK industry which once sustained professional racing in national series around the globe. They have spent their days fighting with Dorna and trying to stay a step ahead of the AMA. Dorna on the other hand, have been fighting a losing battle with the MSMA regarding the on track product, and their CRT solution is a serious encroachment upon WSBK turf.



I wonder how the European courts will feel about this. They stopped CVC from owning MotoGP and F1. I wonder if the courts will stop Dorna/Bridgepoint from owning WSBK and MotoGP.

Click to expand...

It may be naive of me, but I believe it would be preferable if what emerges is something that primarily benefits (retains and increases) the fans of the sport and not just accomodates the business interests. I'm going to agree with Goatboy and hope this will lead to improved racing events with larger grids. Maybe we'll see classes within a championship class with points for pure protypes, hyped proddy engines in protoype frames and proddy racers - aka SBK's. Longer term at the end of the day without a fan following the financial interests behind MotoGP or whatever it will be called cannot win either.

They would buy and kill it, then expand their schedule

povol said:

They would buy and kill it, then expand their schedule

Click to expand...

As long as "killing it" is just making it part of something bigger and better - that would not be so bad. What happens to the national SBK's would be interesting - would some survive as breeding grounds for future "World-Class" riders.

The two championships are indistinguishable to the average person, I can not think of anything better than one championship that was closer to road bikes (and hence cheaper for the manufacturers as they can overlap some development with road bikes).



I think it is ridiculous that next year we have two championships with bikes that look the same, with the same size engine and the manufacturers are willing to spend money millions on both. MotoGP may get them much, much more exposure but it also is insanely expensive compared to SBK. The two championships also dilute sponsorship and cause weak grids in both (21 and 17 is rubbish and looks stupid on the grid, especially when you can have 24 F1 cars). Perfect examples are BMW not wanting to go into MotoGP and Ducati not having a factory team in superbike.



While I think it would be the best thing for the sport to have one world championship (like it was the best thing for CART and Indycar to merge), I don't think it would ever happen as there is probable more short term money in having two.

If you can't beat them, buy them.



If that were to happen, kiss a semi-functional racing series goodbye.

I'm still trying to decide what this announcement means.



On one hand, it would certainly allow for a single unified series (I hope it never happens), on the other hand, this may be Bridgepoint and the MSMA working together to regain control of MotoGP.



If you dig really hard, you will find snippets of info about the contract between WSBK and the FIM/MSMA. I wish my work computer hadn't crashed and burned b/c I had a bunch of good links on it, but IIRC the displacement, horsepower ratings of the bikes, and a bunch of other small stuff was part of the contractual negotiations. Furthermore, there were certain stipulations of the balance of power. For instance, in GP tech regs must be unanimously approved. Some such arrangement for WSBK is in the contract between IMS and the FIM.



If the goal is simply to get a hold of WSBK so the old contract can be nullified, they may not have any plans to merge the series. Depending upon how they determine displacement and other such regulations, the MSMA may be most interested in reducing the displacement of the bikes which IMS may not allow them to do.



Anyway, my prediction right now is that the MSMA and Bridgepoint are working together to get control of WSBK so they can renegotiate the contract that is currently causing so much strain between SBK and GP. I also think Dorna is working really hard on set of tire regulations that will rekindle the tire war in both WSBK and MotoGP.