FIM / CCE

[FormulaUSA]

AURORA, Ill. and MADRID, Spain (December 28, 2001) - Clear Channel Entertainment's motor sports division and Dorna Off-Road announced today they have signed an agreement to jointly produce the FIM Supercross World Championship, beginning with the 2002-03 season.

The agreement between Clear Channel Entertainment and Dorna combines the resources of the recognized North American and international leaders in the promotion and production of motorcycle racing to position the FIM Supercross World Championship as the preeminent motorcycle racing series in the world, by creating one circuit comprised of events around the world.   The FIM, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, is the only recognized body to govern motorcycling events at the international level.

In addition to staging the FIM Supercross World Championship, for which it holds the rights from the FIM, the Dorna group holds the commercial, media and TV rights to produce the FIM Road Racing World Championship, Grand Prix "Moto GP", the FIM Motocross World Championship and the Motocross Des Nations.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO and managing director of Dorna, said,  "Clear Channel Entertainment's Supercross has long been recognized as the premier supercross series.  The synergy of the resources between Clear Channel Entertainment and Dorna provide the strongest base possible to now expand the tradition and success of Clear Channel Entertainment's Supercross program to the international level.  Dorna is very pleased to have this opportunity to work with the Clear Channel Entertainment team to help bring supercross to the global marketplace and to the next level."

Charlie Mancuso, president of Clear Channel Entertainment's motor sports division, said, "This is a great day for supercross fans, racers, venues and the entire motorcycle industry.  We have produced supercross racing events for 27 years and always dreamed of elevating our Supercross Series from a domestic championship to one that is worldwide.  Realizing that dream could not have been possible without partners like the FIM and Dorna. We are excited to take supercross to the next level by promoting the FIM Supercross World Championship.  In particular we want to acknowledge the support of the FIM, which for nearly a century has been recognized as the world's foremost motorcycle sanctioning body, and whose affiliation will help immensely to continue to grow the sport."
 
The FIM will commemorate its 100th anniversary in 2004.  Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it has sanctioned international and World Championship motorcycle events since 1904.  Each year, the FIM sanctions more than 1,000 motorcycle events around the world in over 90 different classifications of motorcycle competition.  The FIM structure includes over 80 affiliated national federations representing an equal number of individual countries, including the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in the United States.

The 2002-03 FIM Supercross World Championship calendar will shortly be announced by the FIM.  


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About Dorna:
Dorna is an international sports management group established in 1988 and focused on major international motorsports events. Headquartered from in Madrid, Spain, with branch offices in Barcelona, London and Tokyo, the company is controlled by CVC Capital Partners, an independent private equity provider, with a 75% participation.  The management controls the remaining 25%.   The Dorna group holds the rights to Moto GP since 1992.  This is the company's leading activity, with 16 events across the five continents each year.  In 2001, over five billion viewers in 208 countries watched the TV broadcasts.  Since 2001, Dorna's experience in motorsport was extended over the FIM Motocross World Championship, the Motocross Des Nations, and the FIM Supercross World Championship.  Its TV images reached 112 countries in 2001.   Dorna also markets 'Ad-Time' a rotating advertising system, in South America, Japan and Europe.  The system in actively used in basketball, volleyball and soccer ((events)).

To fulfill the extreme requirements of such a competitive environment, Dorna counts on a multinational team of professionals with knowledge and expertise in advertising, sports, TV, media, technology and law. Currently 150 full-time employees and approximately 300 additional part-time contracted professionals during racing peaks make up Dorna's workforce.

[Eric Kelcher]

hmm?
two questions does that mean that FUSA is not going to sanction the Supercross in 2003 or is FUSA going to be FIM sanctioned?

[JFlack]

Frankly I applaud this.  The AMA has had their head shoved so far up their as$ for so long and has screwed up Roadracing so bad they deserve all they get.  

The AMA - JamSports thing is little better than a stick in the eye of every AMA member and it's great that this announcement followed so close on the heels of the AMA/Jam Sports announcement.  I hope the AMA folks are crapping their pants now.

CCE has proven itself to be the best promoter and organizer for motorcycle events in the US (both from a competition and business perspective) and we can only hope that they follow suit on the roadracing side of the coin.  If we can only get the manufacturers to drop the AMA in support of F-USA we'll be all set.

It's about time that they finally got the classes organised along the lines of the rest of the world and see what they can do to get FIM sanctioning for their events in the roadracing arena (especially 125 & 250GP).  The AMA has done nothing with these two great classes and there's a perfect opportunity for CCE to step in and fill the void for 2003.  It would also be great to see something along the lines of WSB in F-USA.

Maybe the ticket is 125, 250, Supersport and Superbike run under F-USA on a serious national schedule with lots of TV just the way they do the FIM GP & WSB stuff.  Who knows....?

I personally hope the DORNA/CCE relationship continues to expand... it can only help the sport in the US at this point.

Jonathan
USGPRU / CCS #25
GP125