Interview: Carmelo Ezpeleta – The Boss!
| October 10, 2012
Bridgepoint’s announcement last week that it had given the job of managing the World Superbike Championship to current MotoGP rights holder Dorna brings to a head the 25-year fight for supremacy between MotoGP and World Superbikes.
Just over 25 years ago the FIM created a “Superbike Production World Championship,” intended to work alongside Grand Prix racing. Just a few years later the FIM also sold the commercial rights to the GPs to a Spanish sports promotion company called Dorna.
The new GP contract specified that the series was for prototype motorcycles – previously there had been no such definition, so creating a split in motorcycle racing that has continued until the recent announcement. With two commercial rights holders competing for attention, TV time and sponsorship income, motorcycle racing seemed to have an embarrassment of riches.
For the complete interview with Carmelo Ezpeleta, click on the following link:
http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121009#pg79