Moto GP races through EU Barcelona
The roaring sounds of MotoGP filled the halls of EU Barcelona in late April as Pau Serracanta, Director of Dorna Sports S.L., enlightened a group of 20-25 Sports Management students on the sports and marketing phenomena that is MotoGP. Dorna provides the total package of marketing and logistics for the MotoGP Championships, an 18-event showcase of the world’s most sophisticated road-racing motorcycles in three different classes, 125cc, 250cc and 500cc. MotoGP, begun in 1949, rivals Formula One in terms of spectacle and audience on an international level with more than 320 million viewers per race and is a worldwide showcase for manufacturers like Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Ducati and others, as well as for tire companies like Bridgestone and Michelin.
Serracanta has headed Dorna for 10 years and has seen the popularity of MotoGP grow tremendously as it approaches its 60th anniversary. World-famous talent like Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi, and most recently Casey Stoner have added greatly to the spectacle of international motorcycle racing in recent years, but the roots of motorcycle culture throughout Europe and the Far East run deeper.
The circuit in Montmeló hosts the second of Spain’s three MotoGP races on June 8 and is set to welcome a flood of spectators from all around the world for the 4-day event which culminates on Sunday with the 125, 250 and 500 championship races and an expected crowd of well over 120,000.
Serracanta explained to students Dorna’s long-term contract with FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) for the rights to MotoGP and its involvement in almost every aspect of the championship, including sponsoring, corporate hospitality, licensing, TV production, PR & media services, marketing, advertising, promotional and corporate activities, merchandising, overseas transport, talent development, rider safety, timing systems and other areas. Headquartered in Sant Just Desvern, just outside Barcelona, Dorna employs an international team of 150 people while maintaining smaller offices in Madrid, Tokyo and London.
The visit to EU was organized by a 6 person team from Professor Agnieszka Szymczak’s Event Management class, headed by 3rd year student Johan Hjerpe and including Stanley Wainaina, Mike Caravalho, Michelle Heinrichsohn, Alan Anandon and Karim Mattar.
Serracanta has headed Dorna for 10 years and has seen the popularity of MotoGP grow tremendously as it approaches its 60th anniversary. World-famous talent like Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi, and most recently Casey Stoner have added greatly to the spectacle of international motorcycle racing in recent years, but the roots of motorcycle culture throughout Europe and the Far East run deeper.
The circuit in Montmeló hosts the second of Spain’s three MotoGP races on June 8 and is set to welcome a flood of spectators from all around the world for the 4-day event which culminates on Sunday with the 125, 250 and 500 championship races and an expected crowd of well over 120,000.
Serracanta explained to students Dorna’s long-term contract with FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) for the rights to MotoGP and its involvement in almost every aspect of the championship, including sponsoring, corporate hospitality, licensing, TV production, PR & media services, marketing, advertising, promotional and corporate activities, merchandising, overseas transport, talent development, rider safety, timing systems and other areas. Headquartered in Sant Just Desvern, just outside Barcelona, Dorna employs an international team of 150 people while maintaining smaller offices in Madrid, Tokyo and London.
The visit to EU was organized by a 6 person team from Professor Agnieszka Szymczak’s Event Management class, headed by 3rd year student Johan Hjerpe and including Stanley Wainaina, Mike Caravalho, Michelle Heinrichsohn, Alan Anandon and Karim Mattar.
