sponsorships

Tsubaki becomes Official Global Supplier of MXGP

Tsubaki becomes Official Global Supplier of MXGP

Tsubaki becomes Official Global Supplier of MXGP

[PRESS RELEASE] Infront Moto Racing and Tsubaki are proud to announce their partnership that sees the Japanese manufacturer of premium motorcycle chains become an official global supplier for MXGP. 

Tsubaki has long been familiar with competition, both on and off-road. From race wins to world titles, to Dakar victories and claiming top spot at the Isle of Man TT: Tsubaki chains are engineered to meet and exceed the demands of the best riders and racers in the world. Becoming a global MXGP supplier underlines Tsubaki’s connection with competition, and it means the brand will be more visible for MXGP fans around the globe.

Raoul van Oosterwijck, Manager Motorcycle Department Tsubaki
“Becoming a global supplier for MXGP is a logical step in our journey. We have been involved in the technical side of the sport as team supplier for many years. Through this partnership the Tsubaki brand will become more visible for fans all around the world, while our motocross-specific MXC chain will prove itself on the track.”

David Luongo, Infront Moto Racing President & CEO
“Tsubaki is an established name inside the world of motocross, and we believe through this partnership we can contribute to the visibility of the brand worldwide while relying on a strong partner for the world championship.”

At Motorcycle Marketing, we’ve been working closely with Tsubaki since 2024, supporting their presence in the motorcycle market through social media marketing, advertising campaigns, and website content. This press release is part of that ongoing collaboration, helping to share their latest developments with the wider industry. If you’re looking for support with your own marketing, content, or PR within the motorcycle industry, feel free to get in touch—we’d be happy to explore how we can help your brand grow.

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red bull rookies cup riders on race track

Marketing strategies for a new racing team

red bull rookies cup riders on race track

Marketing strategies for a new racing team

Starting a new racing team in a prestigious series like MotoGP, WorldSBK or MXGP presents an exciting opportunity to capture the attention of sponsors, media and potentially millions of motorcycle riders worldwide. In this guide we will explore how to successfully market a new team, with a multifaceted approach that leverages various marketing channels, engages with fans, and creates a strong brand identity.

Several new teams have been launched to participate in the championships mentioned above in recent seasons, whilst the arrival of new series such as the WorldWCR (FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship) and the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup have led to the creation of many new racing teams.

Mission and brand

Before even beginning to create the digital assets and wider marketing material to promote your team it’s important to define the team’s identity and mission statement.

Perhaps the new team is an independent unit which is being established to promote young talent from a specific country/region such as MLav Racing, which is now in its third season giving opportunities to British riders at World Championship level. Or maybe it’s a new full factory effort from a manufacturer aiming to win at the highest level, with elite riders onboard from the word go, such as Monster Energy Triumph Racing in the 2024 MX2 World Championship, or Ducati MXGP with Tony Cairoli.

Or it might be a spin-off from an existing racing structure, venturing into a new electric championship and aiming to advocate for the promotion of EV technology.

The clear definition of what the team stands for, what its aim is and how it must present itself, will affect all the steps that follow from a marketing perspective. That will include establishing the brand of the team itself and the associated aesthetics such as logo, bike livery, rider and team uniforms, the design of the website and many other visual elements. 

Taking an example from the new WorldWCR championship, the Sekhmet Racing Team are very clear about their values on their website, with founder Maddi Patterson stating, “Once the visor is down, nothing else should matter. Enter Sekhmet International Motorcycle Racing Team. We do things differently, because we can. The team epitomises drive, determination, bravery and single-minded resilience.”

With a clear mission and clear goals defined, it is then easier to set out on the journey of recruiting riders, attracting partners and making the assets you will need to market your team successfully.

Rider recruitment and securing sponsorships

There will be a number of factors that impact your ability to attract riders to the project, including budget, your existing network of contacts in the sport, the guarantees you can give around the competitiveness of your racing package and the stability of your commercial structure. In addition, riders will be assessing who you have working for the team on the sporting and technical side, as compared with your competitors.

The choice of riders to represent your team will be fundamental to the on-track performance, but also to the commercial success of your structure, based on their marketability and capacity to generate media exposure and sponsorship interest. Rider recruitment should take into account all those considerations, including sporting ability, professionalism, potential upside in terms of talent development, ability to communicate well with media and partners, existing digital/social media reach and your gut feeling on whether they will be a solid, helpful person for you and your staff to work with.

An important question to answer is, ‘Can you collaborate with riders to collectively bring sponsors to the team?’ Securing sponsorships and strategic partnerships is vital. Successful new teams are able to combine the power of underlining their overall appeal to sponsors (and the target audiences of their sponsors), along with strategic recruitment to attract the right type of riders to subsequently attract the desired level of commercial partners.

This may not be an easy balance to strike from day one, but the learnings you take from your first season of competition will be invaluable as you approach your second and third seasons, in terms of defining realistic budgets, working with riders who deliver both sporting performance and commercial value and over-performing on driving ROI to your sponsors and suppliers.

You should specifically identify brands that align with your team's ethos and create compelling sponsorship proposals that emphasise the mutual benefits of collaboration. Put yourself in the shoes of the decision makers on the sponsor side and consider how to provide them with what they are looking for by backing your project. Check out this article which guides potential sponsors on what they should look to achieve from committing to back a team or rider.

You can deliver value for your sponsors by ensuring they are featured prominently across your marketing channels, uniforms, bike livery, pit box and hospitality truck. Your team can create co-branded content with sponsors and you can ensure that they are well looked after when it comes to rider access and hosting them at team events and races.

Most championships already have strong teams in place when it comes to attracting sponsors and giving them the requisite VIP experience at races. In many cases championship organisers can advise new teams how to get up to speed with sponsorship liaison and managing corporate hospitality, so seek to make strong connections with your colleagues at championship level.

Taking care of your sponsors long term will pay dividends and is vital to marketing any racing team successfully. Your sponsors will help you grow from day one and if you have the right partners they can be powerful allies in growing your structure, reaching bigger audiences and increasing fan engagement.

Creating relevant content

In order to promote the team professionally you will need a basic archive of initial photos and videos to use on the team’s website, social media channels, to share with sponsors and to distribute to partners and media.

Photos should include studio shots of your riders and team staff in uniform, with sponsor and partner logos clearly visible. Likewise, professionally shot ‘reportage’ style shots from training sessions, team events, track events and races of your riders and staff at work are highly useful assets.

You should also make a plan for which video content you’ll produce before you launch, before your first race and what you’ll shoot (or get access to) at races. You may choose to create a mix of interviews, teasers, race highlights, sponsor focused videos and behind-the-scenes or documentary style content, mixing things up with a combination of 9x16 portrait format for reels or stories and 16x9 landscape shot longer social media videos.

Here on the Motorcycle Marketing blog we’ve previously covered the topics of How to make the most of video & photo shoots and How to create a content calendar which provide highly relevant tips here.

Whether you’re producing photos or videos at the racetrack or at other events, it’s vital to have strong pre-production, production and post-production plans to ensure you get the most from your riders and staff. Meanwhile, many championships have specific rules over the use of race footage and it’s important to understand those regulations and abide by them, making the most of whatever you are allowed to use.

If you need help with planning, producing and publishing photo and video content, feel free to contact Motorcycle Marketing for a no obligations consultancy session. Our team have produced and published content for the likes of MotoGP, WorldSBK and the Dakar Rally and we also have plenty of experience working with new teams and start-ups.

A strong digital presence

At the core of your digital marketing plan there should be a well-produced website which serves several functions. You will not need a complicated, expensive or elaborately programmed site, so beware of website development companies trying to sell you something you don’t need.

Incorporating the branding, logo, mission statement and visual content mentioned above your site should have some specific sections and content. The site should include a well-presented homepage, a news/updates section, a team page (with rider and staff profiles), a newsletter sign-up function and an About Us page which communicates the background and mission statement of the team.

It should also have a sponsors/suppliers page, a contact page and links to your social media channels. If you are planning to sell merchandise a solid Shopify store can easily be plugged into the site. Create a photo or video archive on the site, only accessible to fans and media who register with you to gain access to the contents. The website should be quick to load, mobile friendly and SEO optimised.

Winning on social

Creating a social media strategy from zero does not need to be complicated, but there will be some ground rules to follow as this article on just that subject sets out. The MotoGP World Championship publishes social media content on Facebook, Instagram, X.com (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitch, WhatsApp and Telegram, but for a team, especially a new team, it is wiser to focus on three or four channels to start with.

Instagram, Facebook and possibly LinkedIn, YouTube and/or TikTok (depending on your objectives and target audience) may be just what you need to get started. Work out which social platforms are most important for your team and from there you can build a content calendar and recruit the right internal resources, or external agency to produce and publish the relevant content per platform.

The basic key metrics to work towards on social will be audience growth, reach and engagement and those will be important to analyse and optimise for as you look to enhance the brand power of your team and its ability to deliver value for your stakeholders and commercial partners.

Press and communications

For managing press and communications efficiently – which is essential for any professional racing outfit - many teams rely on a combination of a full-time press manager (or indeed department depending on scale), plus assistance from a specialist agency, such as Motorcycle Marketing.

Effective media relations are vital when it comes to building your team’s profile and communicating positively with journalists and content creators. The goal should be to develop a comprehensive media kit, be on the radar of all relevant media contacts nationally and globally and maintain regular communication with media to secure consistent coverage.

Your press team should be adept at creating and distributing press releases and newsletters, organising launch and sponsor events, handling media at races, providing media with all relevant assets they request and handling requests/opportunities for interviews with your riders and team staff. 

Before Trackhouse Racing joined the MotoGP grid full-time for 2024, they pulled off a notable coup by signing Davide Brivio as Team Principal. Not only is Brivio one of the most experienced and respected figures in the paddock, in addition to his management and technical sporting knowledge, he is a master when it comes to media relations, easing the work of the Trackhouse press team behind-the-scenes.

Bringing it all together

In summary, marketing a new racing team in any national, regional or World Championship requires a strong brand, intelligent recruitment, strategic partnerships, robust content production, active fan engagement and effective media relations. The teams we have mentioned in this article have effectively used various marketing strategies to establish and promote their presence in a highly competitive racing scene, by using the tactics as set out above.

For further related reading check out our guide on What to consider when starting a new brand from scratch or contact us today for a free introductory session on how we can help your brand or team hit your marketing goals.

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New opportunities for brands as female racing takes off

New opportunities for brands as female racing takes off

New opportunities for brands as female racing takes off

The launch of the exciting new Dorna-backed FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) is an exciting landmark for female riders. In this article we’ll look at what the new series and a growing female presence on the racetrack means from a commercial perspective and how brands can get ahead of the trend. 

The start of the WorldWCR at Misano in mid-June is an exciting new chapter for female participation at the elite level of road racing. It presents an opportunity for the sport, its key stakeholders, riders and associated brands to promote riding motorcycles to women around the world.

24 riders on Yamahas and Pirellis

The championship will see the riders battle on Yamaha R7 bikes equipped with Pirelli tyres alongside the WorldSBK races at six rounds in 2024, including visits to Donington Park, Portimão, Balaton Park, Cremona and Jerez. All the races will be streamed live and for free on YouTube.

The entry list of riders includes competitors from 18 different countries including Australia, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, UK and USA.

It’s a truly international field and the potential for the championship is massive, especially given Dorna’s pending takeover by Liberty Media, the incoming new owners who have made positive noises about how important the WorldWCR could be in their plans for expanding the sport.

WorldWCR part of a wider Dorna plan

This insightful analysis by Octagon on the opportunities for brands following Liberty Media’s acquisition of MotoGP and Dorna does not specifically focus on the WorldWCR, though it is excellent reading for any brand manager considering a partnership in the sport.

Here on the Motorcycle Marketing blog we have also previously covered related topics such as how to ensure maximum sponsorship ROI in racing and the effectiveness of racing as a marketing tool for manufacturers.

Dorna’s official promotion of the new series states, “As a dedicated space for women in professional racing, the WorldWCR breaks stereotypes, increases representation, and inspires the next generation. Celebrating skill and passion, it establishes a new platform where talent takes centre stage and breaks barriers.”

Plenty of sponsorship ‘white space’

Yamaha and Pirelli have already demonstrated their support by becoming involved right from the word go, but the championship does not yet have its own title sponsor. Many of the teams participating are still looking for sponsors, backers and official suppliers themselves and that presents early opportunities for brands looking for exposure.

2018 WorldSSP300 Champion Ana Carrasco - the only woman to have won a title at World Championship level competing against men – is one of the favourites for the WorldWCR trophy in its inaugural season.

She told worldsbk.com, “The Championship is a very positive idea; it’s important that Dorna and the FIM try to help all female riders. We’re not many and it’s important to get that help. For me, to be in this Championship was also important because for the first time ever, everyone is trying to push the female riders. I’m one of the top female riders around the world so I think it’s good for me to try and be in the Championship in this first year.”

Carrasco is already a star in her own right, a role model to younger female riders across the globe and a Monster athlete. She has partnerships with the likes of Alpinestars, Arai and several more small brands from Spain and Italy, yet is perhaps still undervalued commercially by the larger companies – especially with such a good chance of winning the first ever WorldWCR.

The likely challengers in the first season

So, who are Carrasco’s rivals and fellow challengers for the title? Telling that story is the job of Dorna and the motorsports media. It’s a task that the team here at Motorcycle Marketing will also be involved with as we produce profiles and interviews with the riders on the 2024 WorldWCR grid for the official website.

It was recently announced that the talented Maria Herrera - a regular Moto3 and WorldSSP point scorer and ambassador for the likes of Airoh, Alpinestars, DHL, Oakley and Trek – will be a part of the championship. Herrera has that star quality and the talent to take the fight to her compatriot Carrasco.

The pre-season test at Cremona also provided an indication of who the faster women and contenders for victories will be. Roberta Ponziani, Sara Sanchez and Beatriz Neila were all quick, whilst Australia’s Tayla Relph made history by topping the first ever WorldWCR test session.

Relph then spoke to worldsbk.com, saying, “There’s not enough representation in Australia, we race against the men. I didn’t have a lot of role models in racing growing up, so if I can just convince one more woman to get involved in this sport in Australia, that’s a World Championship to me.”

That quote perfectly captures the positive mood around the WorldWCR and highlights just what a good opportunity it presents to commercial partners at the championship, team and rider level.

Where else are female riders excelling?

Away from road racing at the World Championship level the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup is now in its second season promoting sustainability with mixed teams racing electric dirt bikes in iconic venues. Brands such as Honda, Stark Future and Seven are involved, with female riders competing in partnership with male teammates. There are several strong national MX championships around the world, whilst the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship inaugurated in 2005 has produced incredible off-road talents such as Kiara Fontanesi and Courtney Duncan.

In Rally-Raid the inspirational Vanessa Ruck (AKA The Girl on a Bike) made history earlier this year by becoming the first British woman ever to finish the epic 13-day 6000km Africa Eco Race. 

Helping female riders break down barriers

Supporting pioneering athletes such as those mentioned above provides great value for brands. Offering sponsorships to female racers can significantly boost their careers, their profile and potentially their ability to perform at the highest level, while also promoting the brand in a highly positive light, reaching specific audience demographics. Sponsorship deals can include financial support, providing equipment and well-defined and organised promotional agreements to make the investment worthwhile for both parties.

Partnering with female motorcycle influencers away from racing can also amplify a brand’s reach and credibility amongst both female and male riders. Influencers and brand ambassadors who are not full-time athletes often have more flexibility in terms of the content they can create and can be identified by niche to promote brands to specific segments of motorcycle enthusiasts.

Riders such as Bea Eguiraun, Alina Cateyka, Runa Grydeland, Leonoor Fischer and, of course, Itchy Boots are experienced brand ambassadors and content creators, who know how to represent brands professionally and impactfully.

Females in Motorsport & More Than Equal

For industry professionals interested in promoting and following the progress of women in the motorcycle and motorsports industries we highly recommend following the excellent Females in Motorsport group on LinkedIn or Instagram.

They describe themselves as, ‘Global racing stars and TV presenters to mechanics and wind tunnel technicians. Females in Motorsport is a volunteer-run platform aiming to share as many stories from those working in the industry as possible. We started out as just a small idea in our bedrooms and now we have reached over 25 million people across our articles and social media platforms.’

Meanwhile, crossing over to four-wheels the David Coulthard backed More Than Equal campaign is an admirable initiative working towards the goal of getting female drivers into F1 and ultimately towards producing an female F1 champion. Tellingly, their marketing material includes the assertion that, ‘56% of female fans are more likely to purchase products from companies who support women in sport.’

Plenty of room for growth

In the motorcycle industry the upside to investment in women’s racing and marketing to women is huge. Visor Down quoted UK government data updated to 2022, for example, showing that the percentage of female motorcyclists in the country was under 14%, whilst for France the most up to date figures from Statista show that number as below 16%. In short, there are a lot of potential future female motorcycle riders out there who are not yet two-wheel converts.

As female participation in motorcycle racing increases, brands and manufacturers have a unique opportunity to engage with this potentially rapidly expanding market segment. By addressing the needs and interests of female riders, companies can support the evolution of the sport, foster brand loyalty and drive sales.

If you’re interested in the commercial opportunities surrounding female racing or simply wish to connect more with the female motorcycling community contact the experienced team here at Motorcycle Marketing today for a free consultancy session.

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Sponsorship logos on the MotoGP motorcycle of Jorge Lorenzo.

How to ensure maximum sponsorship ROI for your motorcycle brand

Sponsorship logos on the MotoGP motorcycle of Jorge Lorenzo.

How to ensure maximum sponsorship ROI for your motorcycle brand

Sponsorship remains a strong tactic for brands in the motorcycle industry to expand their reach, engage with customers and drive sales. This edition of the Motorcycle Marketing blog delves into some key strategies for ensuring maximum ROI for your motorcycle brand with sponsorship. 

With members of the Motorcycle Marketing team having expertise from working on prestigious events like the Dakar Rally, MotoGP and the WorldSBK World Championship - where sponsorship plays a pivotal role - there's a wealth of knowledge in our crew on how to make the most of these opportunities for your brand.

We also attend all the major European motorcycle industry events each year such as EICMA, Motorcycle Live, ABR Festival, MOTORbeurs Utrecht, Salon de 2 Roues and MaxlRIDE, which together attract hundreds of thousands of riders in person and a huge media presence. Sponsorship and securing brand visibility at these events requires planning and well-considered execution.

Getting your sponsorships right and maximising ROI

One of the most effective ways to quickly gain huge exposure through live events and get a direct line of communication with your target audience is through sponsorship.

Worthwhile sponsorship in the motorcycle industry entails meaningful partnerships that resonate with the target audience and align with a brand's values. Brands sponsoring events, championships, teams or individual riders should look beyond the initial financial commitment in order to maximize their investment. This could involve collaborative advertising and marketing campaigns, exclusive access for fans, co-created content or co-branded merchandise.

Alexandra Puig Rom is an experienced member of the Motorcycle Marketing team who has worked directly with brands at live events to optimize their sponsorship agreements, for example when collaborating with our founder Thalassa van Beek on the PETRONAS Motorsports account at MotoGP races. 

When it comes to maximising sponsorship deals around racing and live events Alexandra states, “Simply placing your company logo on a bike, or a rider’s helmet or leathers provides visibility and awareness to any brand, but there's much more that you can and should do beyond that. First and foremost always add into your sponsorship agreements the option to make content with the riders, team or event that you sponsor. This can be content for social media and also for commercials or campaigns, such as photoshoots with your product.”

The values of those you sponsor should align with your values

Alexandra adds, “Professional riders and teams are familiar faces, everyone knows them or at least your target audience will, so if your brand or product is seen together with them this automatically makes your brand or product a familiar one. This association also happens with values: your chosen rider's values will be transferred to your brand.”

“Ask them to make your product visible, to use it, not only during live competition but also during their free time. It's not only about awareness but also consideration and even conversion. ‘People's subconscious works like this: if this rider uses the product it is good, so I'm going to use it too.’” 

She concludes, “Include in your sponsorship agreement some time with the riders and team principles for your brand's events. Having them at product presentations, exhibitions, or even in a Meet & Greet with stakeholders means having more participation, more visitors or simply just making your stakeholders happy.”

Different sponsorship options around live sport and events

When planning how to gain visibility for your brand there are a plethora of sponsorship and partnership options available to you.

If you’re going to sponsor a rider, some initial research should reveal whether the individual or their management team are easy to work with and even whether they actually like the commercial side of the game. Can you play it smart and pick a rising star, a rider who can grab surprise poles, holeshots, podiums or wins? 

Maybe you want someone whose riding style is particularly spectacular rather than a consistent winner or maybe you want someone whose personality stands out from the crowd. Jack Miller in MotoGP ticks both those boxes. 

Or are you looking for a rider of a specific nationality, in order to gain traction in a defined market? If the U.S. market is key to you, you could pick out a rider such as Garret Gerloff - currently the only American rider on the WorldSBK grid - or Mason Klein, a young Californian who has impressed at the last two editions of the Dakar.

Sponsoring teams and championships

When it comes to working with teams again the opportunities are numerous and know-how is crucial in terms of spotting the right partnerships for your brand. Is a title sponsorship right for you, or are you better off as an official supplier?

Could you strike a deal to sponsor the team in specific championships or key markets? LCR Honda have offered an interesting model in MotoGP for many years, switching up the prominence of their main sponsors depending on the location of their races.

Sponsoring championships rather than teams or individuals can also be advantageous. Working with event organizers such as Dorna, who run MotoGP and WorldSBK, ASO who organize the Dakar, or Infront Moto Racing, who manage the rights of MXGP, may give you the type of global exposure your brand needs and give you access to negotiated racing content. These organisations have dedicated teams to assist their sponsors with activating agreements and achieving maximum reach with their branding.

For manufacturers themselves, their commitment to go racing - and their choices of which riders and team principles to employ - is in itself a huge investment. Their choice of marketing professionals and press officers can also have a big impact on the perception of their brand in racing and the brands that sponsor their teams. Chinese-backed brand Kove have quietly arrived in road racing and have also impressed in recent Dakar performances, though they are yet to make a big splash with European audiences about their racing activities.

Spin-off projects gain further visibility

With the Ténéré Spirit Experience – which Motorcycle Marketing manages the comms of – Yamaha have taken a different approach, allowing them to gain exposure around Rally-Raid racing whilst also taking VIP customers into the heart of the action. This is another step on from sponsorship in terms of gaining exposure with key audience segments.

Yamaha also organize competitions such as the Yamaha R7 Cup and their on-road and off-road bLU cRU series, which help the brand resonate further with customers, create their own action and racing narratives and discover the next generation of racing talent. Red Bull have made a similar investment with the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup over many years and with the various racing series they organize or support.

Smaller brands can start with initial ventures into sponsorship, event organisation and event partnerships in order to create that all important link with both ‘off-line’ and online audiences.

Away from racing it’s also important to understand how the major motorcycle industry events work, which type of customers/riders they attract and how to increase your visibility if you’re sponsoring or exhibiting at those events.

The team at Motorcycle Marketing have the expertise to assist your brand with identifying the right events and championships for your brand to sponsor or to get involved with, depending on your objectives, your target demographic and the products or services you offer.

Measurement and analysis are crucial

Tracking metrics such as social media engagement, website traffic and brand sentiment around sponsorship and racing - or other live events - allows brands to gauge the effectiveness of their efforts and make informed adjustments for future sponsorship initiatives. Companies such as datapowa can help match brands and potential sponsors with sports ‘properties’ in the motorsports industry in order to reach a desired audience and measure the effectiveness of those sponsorships and partnerships over time.

In conclusion, sponsorship in racing and at live events represents an invaluable opportunity for motorcycle brands to elevate their presence, engage with specific rider segments and drive business growth.

If you need help gaining additional visibility for your brand, you can arrange a free consultancy session with the Motorcycle Marketing team to see how we can potentially collaborate and help you achieve your goals.   

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