Today we bring you part two of the interview with Giuseppe Luongo, the President of Youthstream, the company that promotes the Motocross World Championship on behalf of the FIM.

Today he talks about the financial aspects and where the sport might be heading in the future.

Sponsors thinking of business

Q: Part of the promoter’s work is introducing money in the series via the sponsors. What has Youthstream done in this aspect?

A: Youthstream is well aware of this need. I can briefly list some of the multinational companies investing in the World Championship because of our promotional work: Red Bull, Monster Energy, Teka, Hyundai, Braun, Rockstar, Welcome to Istanbul and Casino Bonver have all entered the series where they can see business opportunities. There are many like them, and none of them are leaving, they are actually reinforcing their presence for the future. Next year we will have other big sponsors joining forces with us and with other two teams.

Our work is to create a bigger and better World Championship with more and more TV and media coverage, we have created a great stage where manufacturers, teams and riders can show themselves and attract important sponsors, and we want to continue improving this.  Keep in mind that only 10 years ago the majority of riders were privateers and some teams had a staff of 2 – 6 people working for them from a van of a maximum of 6 to 8 metres, today most teams have 10 to 20 people working for them, a minimum of 1 semi-truck (18 metres) and in many cases teams have a second semi-truck for their hospitality.

Q: Overseas events?

A:  I personally believe that for the value of the FIM Motocross World Championship the overseas events are very important, it’s essential to go to growing markets where there are possibilities of many spectators and the possibility to attract more and a wider variety of sponsors, we believe it’s positive for the teams and for all participating in the World Championship – but the Japanese manufacturers are making a strong lobbing against this, and this is unacceptable because in reality they use the World Championship to promote their products all over the world and develop their motorcycle, but then they tell the teams that they only have a ‘European budget’.

Q: What do you dream for the Motocross over the future 10 years?

A:  You have to take this just as my dreams:

To have 18 Grand Prix events including USA and/or Brazil and/or Russia and/or China and/or India and/or Indonesia and/or Australia and /or South Africa, and 12 in Europe.

To see 12 teams in MX1 and 15 in MX2 all with 2 riders.

To see all the manufacturers officially present with one team in MX1 and one team in MX2.

To have the live TV coverage not in Europe, in the Middle East and in Asia, but instead covering the five continents like we already have with the worldwide live coverage on Internet via Freecaster.

To have at least one big sponsor per team like TEKA, Red Bull, Braun, Hyundai, Casino Bonver, Monster, Arcese, Mormaii and Welcome to Istanbul.

To increase the quality of the infrastructures and the welcome for the fans at Grand Prix events.

To have a lighter and less powerful bike for the MX1 class so that riders are able to enjoy and play on the bike and allow the rider ride the bike, and not the bike ride the rider!

If you give me a wand I will do this today, but we do not have a wand therefore we have to all work very hard together to maybe one day achieve these goals.

Interview by Daniele Rizzi

Photos by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com