MotoGP - More MotoGP advertising appearances soon? Marc Marquez: Only if Liberty pays him right!

Since Monday afternoon, it's been clear: Liberty Media will take over MotoGP . The European Commission has given the green light , and the deal is expected to be finalized by July 3 at the latest, meaning it's expected to be finalized as early as next week. This will mark the beginning of a new era for the motorcycle world championship, as the goal of the Liberty takeover is clear: to increase MotoGP's global recognition and generate more profits in the future.

It's well known that Liberty Media knows how to do this. "This is a great thing for our World Championship, because Liberty has already done great things in other sports like Formula 1," MotoGP superstar Marc Marquez acknowledged on Thursday's media briefing ahead of the upcoming Dutch TT in Assen (June 27-29).

Since Liberty Media acquired the Formula 1 rights in the fall of 2016, the premier four-wheeled class has experienced tremendous growth. Through documentaries such as the now world-famous Netflix series 'Drive to Survive,' collaborations with other brands, and a significantly increased presence on social media, millions of new fans have been gained. The same is now expected to happen with MotoGP. "Every sport has its own path," Marquez warns, noting that F1's winning formula can't simply be projected onto the motorcycle world championship, but the Ducati rider is optimistic: "You have to understand what your goals are and what your fans want. They're great at that."

Whether Liberty Media will also find a winning formula for MotoGP remains to be seen. However, it is already clear that the riders will face some changes. After all, its protagonists are, of course, essential to raising the racing series' global profile. But are the MotoGP stars even willing to do more advertising for their own sport in the future? After all, this will inevitably involve more working hours.

When asked about this during his media briefing, Marquez was clear about it. "No," he answered succinctly. Especially as an absolute superstar of the Motorcycle World Championship, he didn't want to offer his services to Liberty Media just like that. Rather, he needed to get a corresponding return. "Everyone has their price," said the 32-year-old from Cervera with a grin, before quickly becoming serious again: "I'm a MotoGP rider [by profession, ed.]. I already have my obligations with the team that I have to fulfill."

A clear stance from the World Championship leader, but what do his rivals think about it? Well, they took a much more relaxed view of the matter on Thursday. "I'll wait and see how it actually turns out and then judge," announced Marco Bezzecchi , for example, and Alex Marquez agreed: "I didn't study marketing. I don't know what will change. They'll do what they think is best for our sport."

In any case, it should be in every driver's interest to become more well-known in the future. "Formula 1 drivers are all like superstars now," recognized Fabio Di Giannantonio , adding: "They want to reach more people. For us, that might mean more events. But it would be cool if more kids and fans would cheer and watch us in the future. I would love to see 'full stadiums' at every track." Maverick Vinales agreed: "It would be great if kids were more involved in our sport. But for that, they have to understand the values ​​of MotoGP. We have to show people our passion and our lives; that could be great for both drivers and spectators."

What do you think about Liberty's entry into MotoGP? Do you see it as an opportunity or a risk? Share your opinion in the comments!