LIBERTY MEDIA SPINS OFF, FOCUSES ON F1
Liberty Media is set to refocus F1 and MotoGP investments with a new spinoff, as Malone Steps in as CEO.
Key Leadership Change at Liberty Media
Nov. 13 – Liberty Media, the powerhouse behind Formula One, has announced it will spin off many of its non-motorsports assets to sharpen its focus on Formula One and other sports investments. In a major shift, John Malone, the company’s chairman and founding visionary, is set to step in as interim CEO following the retirement of longtime leader Greg Maffei at the end of 2024.
Maffei, who has overseen Liberty Media’s broad expansion across media, entertainment, and sports, will transition to a senior advisory role starting January 1, 2025, after nearly 20 years with the company.
Liberty’s Portfolio Realignment
As part of this strategic pivot, Liberty Media will retain its motorsports interests, including Formula One and MotoGP. At the same time, it plans to establish a new company, Liberty Live, which will hold its ticketing, events, and entertainment assets, including a 70-million-share stake in concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment.
Carlos Sainz at Miami Grand Prix 2024. GettyImages.
Liberty Live will also manage private assets, Quint (a ticketing and events unit acquired earlier this year), and associated cash and debt. According to Maffei, this separation will simplify Liberty’s capital structure, potentially boost stock liquidity, and improve trading dynamics.
End of the Tracking Stock Structure
Following the split, Liberty Media will no longer use a tracking stock structure, a change expected to offer shareholders direct ownership in Liberty’s businesses. The company estimates the spin-off to be completed in the latter half of 2025.
Broadband Spin-off and Charter Merger
In a related announcement, Liberty Broadband, a former Liberty Media subsidiary, revealed plans to merge with Charter Communications in an all-stock deal. Liberty Broadband will spin off its GCI division—an Alaskan telecom provider—before the Charter merger closes in mid-2027.
Malone’s Vision for the Future
Known for his strategic acquisitions, John Malone, 83, created the Liberty Media empire through innovative approaches in U.S. pay-TV and media consolidation. Under Maffei’s leadership, the company has expanded to include DirecTV, SiriusXM, Live Nation, and Formula One, establishing itself as a major player across entertainment sectors.
John Malone, Liberty Media Scott Eells | Bloomberg | Getty Images
As Liberty Media leans further into motorsports, investors are eager to see how this streamlined focus will fuel Formula One’s global growth and enhance Liberty’s core mission in sports entertainment.
Main photo: F1 Miami Grand Prix 2024. GettyImages.