Crisis in MotoGP grandstands

The number of attendees at Portimao and Jerez was weak, but the massive success of the people at Le Mans has somehow forgotten them. However, the crash that occurred at Mugello last weekend confirmed that the crisis is a reality: interest in MotoGP is at a low point, at least among those who go to the circuits to watch races live.

The numbers speak clearly. This is the 2019/2022 comparison of the number of spectators at Jerez, Le Mans and Mugello.

The audience comparison

Spectators race day 2019/2022
Total viewers weekend 2019/2022
GP Spain
75,000 / 58,000
151,000 / 123,000
French GP
104,000 / 110,000
206,000 / 225,000
Italian GP
83,000 / 43,600
139,000 / 74,000

In Portugal, the first European GP of the season, attendance was also weak, and expectations for Sunday in Montmeló seemed to be on the same line.

The questions automatically arise: What’s going on? … What’s behind the drop in spectators on the circuits? … Is the start of the European season an extraordinary case or will it be the dynamics of the 2022 World Cup?

Questions that are definitely being asked of Dorna as well. There they will have more data and more information to assess the situation, but what seems clear is that MotoGP is completely “hangover” 2020.

The World Championship, like many other activities, was impacted by the shock wave of the year that changed everything. Although we lived in a state of exclusion – without an audience – all the energy was focused on continuing to navigate, but upon returning to normalcy, the effects of collateral came out. To these, inevitably, we must add certain circumstances and own sins.

Circumstances and own fault

In examining the possible reasons for the loss of spectators on the circuits, the argument of Valentino Rossi’s departure immediately jumped. There is no doubt that in the failure in Italy his absence was one of the reasons. In Rossi’s absence, the hills with the yellow line disappeared, the flares of the same color and the tifosi tide that blocked access to the circuit early Sunday.

Also add the “loss” of Marc Márquez -the all-winner-, and MotoGP was suddenly orphaned by references. Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Dovizioso, Marc Márquez… The franchise drivers of this sport, those before 2020 dragged spectators to the circuits, are no longer here. And there are currently no cache to summon fans. The exception, and in this case, the one that really proves the rule, is the French GP, where Fabio Quartararo and, to a lesser extent, Johann Zarco, produced a knock-on effect and thrilled the public.

Obviously there were other non -sporting factors that also had an important influence, such as the price of tickets to Le Mans and Mugello, the holding of the Portuguese GP a week before the Spanish GP in Jerez, etc.

In Italy, the cheapest ticket to access the circuit on the weekend is 150 euros, almost double that in France. In other words, for a family with two children to attend the GP it is worth, just for the tickets, 600 euros!

That on Friday in France there were more viewers than on Sunday in Italy is food for thought. In this sense, the Le Mans organizer is an example. The activities and events within the perimeter of the circuit throughout the weekend were consistent … The straight grandstands on Friday after practice were filled until 9pm with an audience “given” the exhibitions of motorcycles of old races piloted by pilots at the time, jumping on dirt bikes using ramps explicitly set up for this purpose, the performances of the most powerful stunts of the moment or the flying of “a backpack man” all over the straight spot … And the public is roaring.

In the evenings there are concerts and on weekends all MotoGP riders go through the same stage, where fans can ask questions. That is, the added value of an entry is devilish; for everyone. Take as an example, the difference in charging one of the tents that DORNA rents to merchants. At Le Mans, on Friday he invoiced 43,000 euros; on the same day at Mugello, 3,000.

Dorna is obviously no stranger to this situation and I know they are taking steps to reverse the current dynamics. F1 is one of those mirrors in which they look at themselves, reflected in the presence of some of their executives at their events “to see what and how” they are doing. An example of this is the introduction of the new ceremony before the national anthem playing career.

like heroes

But like any show, the main attraction of this one is based on the actors, and in MotoGP it’s the riders. The equality in MotoGP today is astonishing, which on the one hand is very good and something DORNA has worked hard for over the years, but on the other hand it conveys the impression that “almost anyone can win”, that is, it takes courage to victory … This is my impression.

Every sport needs a reference, and if there are duels with two or three, even better. And if they’re not siblings, even better. And I’m not defending the controversy, but the essence of the competition. MotoGP needs a Verstappen / Leclerc, a Nadal / Djokovic, a return to a Lorenzo / Rossi, a Márquez / Dovizioso …

And you also need heroes out of the way. Well, hero is not the most appropriate word, the fairest would be “famous”. As in F1, the desire to attend a GP needs to be more than just a driver’s supporter or die-hard fans. A GP has to be an event that even people who are completely unrelated to the sport want to attend. And that is achieved by linking it to reference figures from another field or other activities … as F1 does very well.

It’s true that the F1 public profile is very different to MotoGP, but it hasn’t been long since MotoGP has come close to eating F1 as a show. But in F1 they know how to react and go back and forth to a product that has lost appeal. This is what MotoGP seems to need to do right now.