Bad news for British MotoGP fans – you’ll have to pay to watch next year

British race fans won’t be able to watch MotoGP world championship road racing on the TV next near, now BT has outbid the BBC to broadcast the sport.

In a short-sighted move that is sure to have a negative effect on the popularity – and awareness - of MotoGP in Britain, this will also mean the end of the stellar Steve Parrish-Charlie Cox coverage that has been so brilliant for the BBC.  It also looks as if Eurosport will be cut out of the deal.  So, whatever way you look at it, there will be no free viewing for next year’s MotoGP on the TV.

BT, who paid MotoGP owners Dorna gazillions for the rights will offer ‘free’ viewing to its broadband subscribers.  Other mere mortals will have to pay to view or subscribe.  Either way, it will cost.  BT have announced the sub fee - but it’s not clear if you’ll be able to pay to view as a non-subscriber.

Of course, I am pissed.  And I reckon this is short-termism – it won’t grow the sport.  Pity – as this year’s racing has shown how absolute brilliant MotoGP is … proper, thrilling, physical, light years away from Formula 1 that is increasingly looking like a cheapo video game.

The money-grabbing boss of Dorna, Carmelo Ezpeleta says this new pay-to-watch move is like the switch from the ‘old’ 500cc world championship to MotoGP. 

He thanked the BBC for its MotoGP TV coverage over the past ten years, but says the sport needs to move on, as it did in switching from 500cc machinery.

The BBC broadcast MotoGP since 2003, with exclusive UK rights from 2009 onwards. However, despite a 'competitive bid', Dorna has decided to move MotoGP from free-to-air by signing a five-year exclusive contract with BT Sport.

Said Ezpeleta, “The BBC has been very good for us. The UK is a mature market and now with the possibilities we have in our TV production, BT Sport can give to us what I think the British fans and everybody needs,”

“I want to say thank-you very much to the BBC. They helped us to grow in recent years. But now is a new moment. It is the same as when we changed from 500cc to MotoGP.”

The premier-class used 500cc two strokes from its inaugural 1949 season until the end of 2001, when the new four-stroke 'MotoGP' machines made their debut.

BT is yet to launch its new sport channels, which will be free for its broadband customers and cost £15 a month for non-broadband customers. Nevertheless, Ezpeleta has no qualms about the quality of the future coverage.

British Eurosport has access to live race weekend coverage, with the exception of the MotoGP race. The satellite channel also looks to have been left out in the cold.

Still don’t know who will present BT Sport's MotoGP presentation: it’s possible some existing BBC and Eurosport members are tipped to be signed, while BT has said it wants at least one former racer on board.