GoPro lands AFT partnership as company looks to rebuild after financial struggles
GoPro has secured a new presence in motorcycle racing, announcing a partnership with Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) as the action camera manufacturer continues efforts to stabilize its business following several years of declining sales and restructuring.
AMA Pro Racing announced July 22 that GoPro has been named the Official Action Camera Partner of Progressive American Flat Track. The agreement will place GoPro cameras throughout the series to capture onboard footage, behind-the-scenes content and race-day action for use across AFT’s broadcast, digital and social media platforms.
The partnership comes as GoPro continues to search for growth opportunities after reporting several consecutive years of declining revenue, workforce reductions and operating losses. As Powersports Business previously reported, the company has increasingly focused on expanding subscription revenue and strengthening partnerships that put its products in front of core enthusiast audiences, including motorcycle riders and racers.
“GoPro is a natural fit for Progressive American Flat Track,” Gene Crouch, CEO of AMA Pro Racing, said in announcing the partnership. “Our sport delivers speed, skill and intensity from angles few other forms of motorsport can match. This partnership will bring fans closer to our athletes and motorcycles while expanding how we tell the story of the championship across broadcast, digital and social platforms.”
For American Flat Track, the deal adds one of the best-known action camera brands to a growing list of commercial partners while enhancing the series’ ability to produce immersive content from rider and motorcycle perspectives.
The announcement comes ahead of one of the championship’s marquee stops, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where Progressive AFT will host two races at the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club. The Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT is scheduled for Aug. 8, followed by the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track on Aug. 10.
AMA Pro Racing also announced July 28 that NASCAR Truck Series pioneer Mike Skinner will serve as grand marshal for the Super TT event.
Skinner won the inaugural NASCAR Truck Series championship in 1995 while driving Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Chevrolet and went on to collect 28 Truck Series victories during his career. He later competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1997, and remains active in motorsports through SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and vintage racing.
“Racing has taken me to a lot of special places over the years, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is one of those events that has a life of its own,” Skinner said in the announcement. “To be part of it with American Flat Track and Jackpine Gypsies, around racers and fans who love this stuff the way I do, is something I’m really looking forward to.”
The Sturgis events are expected to attract large crowds during the 86th annual rally, providing GoPro with one of its highest-profile opportunities of the season to showcase its cameras to motorcycle enthusiasts.
For GoPro, the sponsorship represents another step toward reconnecting with the company’s original customer base. The brand built its reputation among powersports, cycling and outdoor enthusiasts, but has faced mounting pressure in recent years from smartphone camera improvements and increased competition in the action camera market.
