At the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas back in April, Dorna Sports and MotoGP™ welcomed Dan Rossomondo as its new Chief Commercial Officer. Having embedded himself into the sport for a few weeks, the American takes stock of what he’s seen and also looks at what lies ahead in an interview with Spanish publication El Periodico.
New opportunities
Rossomondo left his role with the NBA (National Basketball Association) to embark on a new adventure with “a global sport, which combines technological innovation with the skill, athleticism and skill of the riders.” Rossomondo describes the riders as “the heroes of our show and the sport is very spectacular”, while also stating that MotoGP™ is “perfectly positioned to cultivate its fan base while attracting new audiences, with incredible scope to push the boundaries and seize new opportunities.”
A sharply defined mission
With the firm belief that MotoGP™ is “already the most spectacular sport there is,” Rossomondo was very clear about his mission since arriving: “To attract all kinds of people, from big companies, investors, media and fans to show them what a beast our sport is as a spectacle.
“I'm interested in the business, the show, the fans and also the interaction with them,” continued Rossomondo. Dorna’s new CCO goes on to say, “It is impossible to generate more emotion than MotoGP generates.”
Riders are the key
Rossomondo also chats to El Periodico about the relationship between the stars of the World Championship and the fans: “They are the centre of our project,” comments Rossomondo, before saying that the “riders have to understand that they are the stars” and their potential to “attract more fans.”
Rossomondo adds, “They are our heroes and they must believe the role they have, which is very, very important. We want to move forward together, hand in hand.”
The Marc Marquez effect
The Repsol Honda Team rider is the biggest star we currently have in MotoGP™, and Rossomondo recognises the eight-time World Champion as the rider who can help lead change the most.
“There are several riders who can play that role, but the one who best represents the values and spirits of MotoGP is Marc,” says Rossomondo, who also describes the #93 as the “best ambassador” in the World Championship. “Marc can help us to make MotoGP rise like a rocket” added Rossomondo, who confirms he’s spoken to Marc Marquez about what plans are in place.
Le Mans’ record crowd = the way forward
“We must make every weekend like Le Mans” were Rossomondo’s words after the 1000th Grand Prix saw a staggering 278,805 fans attend the French GP. The new CCO admits MotoGP™ are already working with a “group of our people to help them in everything they need” to try and make every GP similar to 2023 at Le Mans in terms of crowd numbers.
The future is bright for MotoGP™, there is no doubt about that. If you have a subscription, you can head over to El Periodico to read the full interview with Rossomondo by clicking the link in the first paragraph.