Canal+ wins MotoGP rights race
September 11, 2018
By Colin Mann
Canal+ is set to put its new alliance with the FIM MotoGP World Championship – the pinnacle of motorcycle racing – into gear having acquired all broadcasting rights for MotoGP for multiple seasons, with all three categories being broadcast on the Canal+ channels and services.
Two Grands Prix will also be co-broadcast live each season by C8, Canal+ Group’s free-to-air channel. The French Grand Prix, a national event attracting more than 200,000 spectators annually at the legendary Le Mans circuit, will be one of the key live rounds co-broadcast by Canal+.
With two French riders exciting home crowds next year, the FIM MotoGP World Championship is set to benefit in France from the partnership with Canal+ with its professionalism and experience in motorsport broadcasting. This agreement confirms the dynamic variety of Canal+’s motorsport offering, with the media already broadcasting the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Formula 2 and GP3, as well as the IndyCar Series, Formula E and the French Rally Championship.
“The arrival of MotoGP World Championship from 2019 is excellent news for our subscribers,” commented Thierry Cheleman, Canal+ Group’s Sports Director. “The world championship is a gripping series with exciting racing filled with many twists and turns. It is exactly what we want to offer: the biggest stars of the sport, including French riders, going head to head every weekend, exclusively on our channels. Canal+’s know-how in motorsport has already been internationally recognised. We are particularly pleased to deploy it on this spectacular competition in order to sublimate it.”
“Dorna is delighted to join forces with Canal+ for multiple seasons,” declared Manel Arroyo, Dorna Sports Managing Director. “We are particularly excited about the quality and broadcast experience that they will bring to the Championship, as well as synergy with the Vivendi Group. Together we will spread MotoGP to all corners of France and with two French riders lining up on the MotoGP grid next year, it is an important moment to welcome Canal+ to the MotoGP family. We look forward to working closely together on a promising future.”