Zug, Switzerland / Munich, Germany, 23 July 2008 – Infront Sports & Media has announced the formation of an official marketing partnership with BMW Motorrad Motorsport, further extending Infront’s growing involvement in the sector of motor sport.
BMW Motorrad is returning in strength to the international motor bike racing world, 50 years after its success with the famous Sports Boxer. From 2009 onwards, BMW Motorrad will compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship (World SBK), the world’s leading production motorcycle event.
The partnership agreement with Infront covers all marketing rights (except the sponsorship rights for the oil category) for the newly formed BMW Motorrad Superbike team for three seasons 2009-2011, with strong renewal options.
The first World SBK Team from Germany
BMW Motorrad Motorsport has been created with the aim of streamlining and uniting BMW Motorrrad racing activities under one roof, creating a focused organisation with unparalleled skills, know-how and resources.
For the Superbike World Championship, BMW will rely on a brand-new BMW S 1000 RR 4-cylinder model, created with victory in mind. More than 100 BMW employees are dedicating their time and resources to winning the Championship within due time. BMW trusts it has all the necessary skills and resources to become a Superbike World Champion: Innovative technology, modern design, the best personnel and the financial resources.
World SBK is the only racing series where the highly sophisticated racing model has a direct relationship with the product in the show room. The involvement of BMW will add weight, prestige and diversity to the series.
The first confirmed rider for the team is Rubén Xaus, the winner of the last SBK round at Misano, and the first ever Spaniard to win a World SBK race. At the age of 30, he is an established and combative rider with great passion and enthusiasm for racing. He has been a World SBK regular since 1998 and has taken 34 podiums, including 10 victories. The second rider, a pilot of similar popularity and experience, will be confirmed shortly.
Sponsorship Opportunities
The sponsorship opportunities on offer include the exclusive Premium Partner package, which includes name association with the team, supported by three Official Partners and three Technical Partners.
The package of sponsor rights for all three categories is comprehensive and includes on-bike branding and logo insertion on rider and team clothing, as well as team properties and premises such as motor homes, trucks, garages, etc. In addition, a BMW Motorrad sponsorship offers a grand variety of activation possibilities and brand associations. Infront will work closely with all sponsors to maximise the impact of their involvement and make perfect use of the opportunities provided.
Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director of BMW Motorrad, said: “We are very much looking forward to competing next year. The Superbike World Championship is becoming increasingly attractive to us, with four new venues including the USA, enhanced television coverage, the prospect of a cumulative television audience of two billion per season and a dedicated fan base. All these elements have encouraged our involvement. Now we strongly want to be back into racing to demonstrate our ability to compete. In parallel, we fully trust Infront to successfully support our team efforts on a commercial level.”
Stephan Herth, Infront’s Executive Director Summer Sport, said: “Our partnership with BMW is another endorsement of Infront’s successful diversification into the field of motor sport. We are delighted to be working closely with one of the world’s top brands - we want to make this a text-book demonstration of the sponsorship benefits of Superbike racing by utilising our international sales network.”
BMW Motorrad Racing – A success story since 80 years
BMW started motorcycle racing in 1925 on the legendary R37. In 1929, it set the first speed world record. It set another breathtaking new speed world record in 1937, with Ernst Henne, at 279.5 km/h. In 1937, “Schorsch” Meier won the legendary “Senior Tourist Trophy” on the Isle of Man for BMW, the first ever non-British rider to take this trophy. From 1954 onwards, BMW won a total 19 world championship titles in sidecar racing. BMW has also won the legendary Paris – Dakar Rally six times.
In 2001, BMW founded the BMW Motorrad Boxer Cup, later followed by the Power Cup. This series was held as a support programme for MotoGP. More recently, in 2006, BMW HP2 Enduro and Megamoto dominated several international events. In 2007 BMW successfully entered selected races for the World Endurance Championship like the 24 hours of Le Mans and the Bol d’Or.
About FIM Superbike World Championship
FIM Superbike World Championship is the only road racing World Championship using production motorcycles. The 2008 series is the 21st racing season in the history of the event consisting of 14 races staged in 12 countries. 28 permanent riders from eight countries compete in the Championship. The series is one of the sport’s fastest growing and most promising properties; highly popular with fans, manufacturers, broadcasters and commercial partners. It is promoted by Rome based FGSPORT Group and governed by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). World SBK has an established fan base of considerable size, with more than one million ardent fans attending the races in the circuit stands. More than 30 broadcast partners ensure worldwide live, delayed and highlights coverage in more than 170 countries and territories.
For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer
Manager, Communication & PR
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press@infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com
Rudolf Probst
Corporate and intergovernmental Affairs
Communication BMW Motorrad
Tel: +49-89-382-22088
Fax +49-89-382-28567
Mobil +49-171-2293189
Rudolf-Andreas.Probst@bmw.de
www.press.bmw.com
