MA will have a greater involvement in operating the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) in 2014. Image: Keith Muir.

Motorcycling Australia (MA) will take a larger role in the operations of the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) in 2014, the deal schedule to be outlined next week.

CycleOnline.com.au can reveal that MA will be in charge of administration duties for the ASBK series, with current promoter International Entertainment Group (IEG) focusing on event logistics, promotions and marketing.

Sources suggest the finer details of the arrangement will be sought through next week.

The news comes following a lengthy process that almost saw the ASBK series unite with the Australasian Superbike Championship (ASC) for next year, that series run by Australian Road & Track Rider Promotions (ARTRP) and sanctioned by the Australian Auto-Sport Alliance (AASA).

According to ARTRP general manager Terry O’Neill, during a very positive five-hour meeting on Wednesday, 13 November, a “handshake” agreement was made between ARTP and MA, following MA’s commitment that an agreement could be reached upon meeting in Sydney.

O’Neill told CycleOnline.com.au it was anticipated an announcement of the two series combining would be made on Monday, 18 November, however MA later reneged on plans to enter an agreement during its board meeting on Wednesday, 20 November.

O’Neill was advised of MA’s decision on Thursday afternoon, 21 November, now solely dedicated on promoting the revamped ASC series in 2014. MA’s decision officially halted ongoing discussions that commenced in April this year.

It’s the second time this year that plans to merge the series have collapsed in the closing stages of negotiations (click here for details on prior merger collapse). IEG was then confirmed to be the promoter (click here for more), before negotiations opened again.

It is understood that tensions rose between MA and IEG when general manager Yarrive Konsky announced revisions to the 2014 ASBK series structure including the reduction of entry fees to $100 and a scaled back ruleset via Facebook without the approval of MA’s road race commission – a major reason in the merger negotiations reopening.

Motorcycling Australia CEO David White also officially confirmed today that the ASBK and ASC will remain separate in 2014 in a detailed announcement emailed to CycleOnline.com.au and distributed via social media.

“Some weeks ago Yarrive Konsky (IEG) from his own initiative opened negotiations with ARTRP to bring the two major Australian Road Racing series together,” White commented.

“Yarrive went to Sydney and met with the ARTRP representatives on the 29th October 2013. That meeting was positive and I had a telephone conference that evening with the attendees at that meeting.

“The discussion sounded very promising and involved ARTRP running the combined series and Yarrive would be engaged by ARTRP in a sponsorship role. A letter of offer was made to Yarrive but the conditions appeared very onerous for him.

“After the initial hard work of bringing together the two series ARTRP immediately started to distance themselves from Yarrive.

“The MA president Stephen Foody and myself attended a meeting with ARTRP on Wednesday 13th November 2013 to discuss the contents of a memorandum of understanding forwarded to MA by ARTRP on Wednesday 30th October 2013.

“That meeting was productive but ARTRP were anxious to get a press release out prior to all the conditions of the memorandum of understanding being confirmed. Negotiations continued with email exchanges until the MA Board Meeting of the 20th November 2013.

“At the board meeting it was agreed the conditions for the combined series were not in the best interest of the superbike championship. The matter was further considered by the board with a finite decision made on the 22nd November 2013.

“I do not wish to go into detail nor do I want to berate ARTRP. Both organisations worked very hard to find mutually acceptable common ground but in the end this could not occur. Put simply there could not be agreement and that is the end of the matter.”

White also commented on the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club’s (ARDC) departure from the ARTRP consortium that includes the the Australasian Superbike Company (AUSCO), Winton Raceway, Wakefield Park Raceway and AVE TV. The ARDC hasn’t been involved with ARTRP for a number of months, according to O’Neill.

“Furthermore during these negotiations MA had not been told of an impending change in the shareholding/directors of ARTRP,” White added. “It is important to know exactly who you are dealing with.

“I, on behalf of MA, am extremely confident MA and IEG will collectively conduct the best road race championship that is possible in Australia for 2014 and beyond.

“MA acknowledges there have been shortcomings in previous years of the ASBK but these will be rectified for 2014 and beyond with a closer involvement in the series by MA. Further information will be available over the next few days.”

O’Neill is also expected to make an announcement on the matter in the coming days on behalf of ARTRP.

MA is yet to confirm dates for the 2014 ASBK series, with more information promised to be released on “Monday or Tuesday next week” – that announcement set to confirm the joint operation of the series between MA and IEG.

Meanwhile, ARTRP has released its calendar and series structure for the 2014 season (click here for ARTRP’s initial announcement).

The Motorcycle Road Race Development Association (MRRDA) has also confirmed it will host a national-level summer-based series in 2014, commencing in October and spanning through April 2015 (click here for details). It’s believed at least one factory team is seriously considering contesting that series.