With the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship’s future on the rocks, the federation has put out a plea for any party who would like to become the series’ promoter from 2025 through 2034. Those who are interested are urged to submit an expression of interest.

An expression of interest is a proclamation that one would like to commit to a a tender process. The process is divided into two stages, with the first being for the FIM to receive EOIs.

Besides basic details about the interested party, the EOI consists of explaining one’s credentials, their abilities, and more crucially their financial and organizational plans for the series. For example, an EOI could explain how to grow the championship like alternative power sources or the number of races outside Europe, along with a multi-year business plan that outlines how much the organizer is willing to commit.

Since being a promoter means one would hold commercial rights to the series, the EOI must also contain descriptions on access to fans and media. The business plan must also account for the ROI and investment from multiple groups like stakeholders, manufacturers, venues, and sponsors.

Once all offers are received by the deadline on March 21, the FIM begins screening each candidate. The federation hopes to find whoever “best serves the interest of the Championship and the interests of motorcycle sport in general.”

Once a promoter is selected, they will be required to sign a memorandum of understanding and a ten-year contract that is divided into periods of five years (2025–2029 and 2030–2034). Terms of the second half will be dictated by various Key Performance Indicators set based on how the first period went.

Among the promoter’s responsibilities will be “worldwide commercial explotation of certain rights” held by the FIM like the federation’s name and trademarks, finding a “reputable insurer” to cover riders and all series personnel, a reliable timing and results system, and covering all logistics.

The FIM lists the following as “minimum commitments”:

• The Promoter will be responsible for maintaining the traditional values, prestige and sustainability of the Championship and will use its best endeavors to enhance the Championship’s value, image and level of coverage on all media (e.g. to exploit and feed the official website of the Championship and the social networks related to the Championship, to ensure photos and footage sharing with the FIM after each event of the Championship).
• The Promoter will, at its own cost if necessary, use its reasonable endeavors to ensure free‐to-air television coverage of each event in the territory in which that event takes place.
• The Promoter will use its best endeavors to ensure a fair broadcasting exposure for all competitors and events.
• The Promoter will use its best endeavors to ensure that TV production (live or highlights if live will not be produced) of the Championship is shared on FIM-MOTO.TV platform.
• The Promoter will use its best endeavors to ensure a registration system for the riders willing to enter the series.

WESS Promotion, who organizes the Hard Enduro Championship, announced in February that the 2025 season cannot take place under its watch after KTM withdrew sponsorship. Despite KTM’s successes in virtually every form of motorcycle racing, the company and parent group Pierer Mobility have been in financial trouble since 2023.

Hoping to save the series, the FIM set out to find another promoter.

The 2025 season was supposed to begin in May with the Valleys Hard Enduro. Of course, whether the original eight-round schedule proceeds as planned will depend on whomever wins the promotional rights.

Featured image credit: Future7Media / Red Bull Content Pool