Dorna Sports undergoes radical name change under new MotoGP ownership
Dorna Sports has been renamed ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season
MotoGP’s commercial rights holder Dorna Sports will be renamed as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group as of the 2026 season under new owner Liberty Media.
Dorna has been MotoGP’s commercial rights holder since the 1992 season, seeing the championship through its biggest period of growth across the 21st Century.
In 2024, Formula 1 owner Liberty Media bought Dorna and all of its properties for €4.2 billion, though the existing regime helmed by Carmelo Ezpeleta has remained in place.
Ahead of the 2026 season, under the most significant change in MotoGP’s structure since Liberty took ownership, the Dorna Sports brand has been officially renamed.
From now, Dorna will be known as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, which CEO Ezpeleta says is “a statement of intent”.
A full statement from Ezpeleta read: “The company name change is much more than a new identity - it is a statement of intent.
“MotoGP has grown far beyond just a championship; it has become a global entertainment property followed passionately around the world.
“As MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, we are building on years of continuous growth to accelerate innovation and global expansion, while always preserving the spirit and values that define our sport.”
What Dorna’s rebrand means for MotoGP and its other championships
Almost two years into Liberty’s ownership, there has been little overall change to the management structure.
The most significant change was chief commercial officer Dan Rossomondo leaving his role late last year, having originally marked one of MotoGP SEG’s biggest personnel additions in some time.
MotoGP SEG, now formally Dorna, still had control over things like Moto2, Moto3 and World Superbikes.
That will still continue, though World Superbikes coming under the MotoGP SEG banner does pose the fear that the production-based series loses even more of its identity.
A press release from MotoGP SEG added: “The transition aligns with long-term strategic initiatives designed to strengthen MotoGP’s reach across continents, broaden its appeal to younger and more diverse audiences, and elevate the fan experience on-and-off the track.
“The group will continue to lead the commercial, sporting, and fan engagement development of MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3, the Road to MotoGP programmes, the World Superbike Championship, and the newly created Harley Davidson Bagger World Cup - strengthening its role across every level of elite motorcycle sport.”
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