TV rights clause could save Toseland
Added on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
TV rights clause could save Toseland
British rider James Toseland could see his MotoGP career saved by the BBC according to speculation from Misano, after his manager Roger Burnett confirmed discussions between the Yorkshireman and Pramac Ducati.
Toseland, who is out of contract with Yamaha Tech 3 at the end of the season, has yet to be offered a deal to remain with the satellite team as Yamaha continue to monitor the progress of WSB rider Ben Spies.
Spies, who signed a two year contract with Yamaha which would cover him in both WSB and MotoGP, could be fast-tracked into MotoGP early if he secures the WSB championship at the first time of asking this season. With current Tech 3 rider Colin Edwards reportedly offered a contract for 2010, that would leave Toseland out in the cold should Spies switch series.
But speculation is mounting that Toseland could yet be saved from the MotoGP axe due to a clause in BBC Sport’s television rights contract, which allegedly allows the broadcaster to renege on their contract if the premier class series does not feature a British rider.
Such an arrangement would prove to be a commercial disaster for MotoGP rights Dorna who, having already made positive inroads into the UK market since Toseland’s arrival, sold exclusive live television and online broadcasting rights to the BBC as part of a five year deal at the start of the season. Those fears have prompted a number of reports that the series promoter is offering teams a financial incentive to take on the Brit and keep him in MotoGP.
That could pave the way for Toseland to make the switch to either Pramac Ducati or to an as of yet new privateer team that is looking to enter the series, thought to be the FB Racing Team that is expected to be present at the season finale in Valencia.
“It’s a difficult situation because things have changed week by week. The current situation is that Yamaha have asked the team (Tech3) to make Colin Edwards an offer for next year,” Burnett told BBC Sport at Misano.
“And that means the second place in the team, which is James’s at the moment, has to be kept open in case they want to bring Ben Spies here. Speculation is that Ben Spies may come here next year and, commercially, that might be a good decision for Yamaha.
“You don’t need to be Einstein to work out the other opportunities for James which are Pramac Ducati and, potentially, a new team coming into the series which is of interest.”
Are Yamaha and Tech 3 handling their rider’s contract situations fairly? Discuss this and any other MotoGP matter in the Insidebikes Forum.
