The Texan downplayed the idea that MotoGP and Liberty-owned Formula One would eventually host races on the same weekend at his Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Austin is the only U.S. round for MotoGP, but it attracts a much smaller crowd compared to the Formula One grand prix held there. Liberty, based in the U.S., recently announced their takeover of MotoGP’s parent company Dorna. Currently, Formula One has three grands prix in the United States. “We’re very excited about it, probably more than anyone,” Epstein, the Circuit of the Americas CEO, told reporters on Thursday. “MotoGP has come to the U.S. and hasn’t received much attention. Once they leave, that’s it, and you don’t hear about it for another 51 weeks. We’re just waiting for more people to discover it. I hope we benefit greatly from this purchase,” he added. Epstein also mentioned that Liberty doesn’t need to change the sport, but rather increase its visibility through broadcast agreements and social media. “Right now, there are enough fans for one race. Even then, it’s not a sellout. There aren’t enough fans for more than one race,” he stated. When asked about the possibility of MotoGP and Formula One sharing a weekend at the circuit, Epstein acknowledged the complications. “They both have different sponsors, activations, and manufacturers. From that standpoint, we would be overwhelmed. Additionally, there would be a lot of track signage changes required. It’s possible, but I’m not sure if it’s likely,” Epstein explained. On the Formula One side, Epstein announced that COTA was offering fans the opportunity to profit by selling back their early bird general admission tickets for $350. This is an unusual promotional strategy. Over 10,000 of these tickets have already been sold for $299 each, and Epstein is confident that they will be worth much more once the concert lineup is announced later this month. He believes most fans will hold onto their tickets. In the past, headline acts for the concerts have included Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Pink, and Billy Joel. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin)
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