Ductalk

Bridgepoint, the venture capital organization has today announced that it has brought MotoGP and World Superbike, the two motorcycle racing series it owns, under a single umbrella organization. The reorganization will see Dorna Sports become the parent organization for both series, though Infront will operate as an independent entity and continue to organize World Superbike under its own banner. Infront has also been named as "marketing advisor and global advisor" for both MotoGP and WSBK.

The implications of this announcement are huge, but not immediately clear. The logic behind the move is impeccable: the two series are spending too much of their time competing against each other instead of working together to promote the sport of motorcycle racing. By combining their marketing efforts, the hope is that both series will be made stronger.

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Brussels - The European Commission cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Infront Sports and Media AG of Switzerland by private equity Bridgepoint Capital Group Limited of the United Kingdom. The Commission concluded that the transaction will not raise competition concerns due to the limited overlaps between the parties' activities and to the fact that sufficient alternative sources of supply will continue to be available to the merged entity's customers in all markets concerned.

Both Bridgepoint and Infront are active in the organisation of motorbike racing events (MotoGP for Bridgepoint and Superbike for Infront). The Commission examined the competitive effects of the proposed acquisition in particular in the markets for motor sport regulators (namely FIM, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, which is the regulator for both MotoGP and Superbike), teams and manufacturers, circuit owners and local promoters, advertisers and TV broadcasters.

The Commission found that the proposed transaction would give rise to certain horizontal overlaps and conglomerate relations between the parties. However, the Commission's investigation revealed that the overlaps were limited and that customers will be able to source from alternative suppliers in all markets concerned. Moreover, the Commission found that the proposed transaction would not give the merged entity the possibility to engage in tying and/or bundling against teams and manufacturers, circuit owners and local promoters, advertisers and TV broadcasters because of the existing dynamics in each of the relevant markets.

The Commission therefore concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA1) or any substantial part of it.

The transaction was notified to the Commission on 15 November 2011.