SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Entain Plc will revamp its live racing offering across its entire sportsbook portfolio having secured an exclusive long-term media rights partnership with Arena Racing Company (ARC).
The exclusive partnership will see ARC deliver a new range of horseracing and greyhound media products for its UK flagship sportsbook unit of Ladbrokes Coral, as well as for its digital betting brands of Betdaq, Bwin and Sportingbet.
Furthermore, the partnership will aim to revitalise greyhound racing’s wider betting appeal, with Entain and ARC forming a new joint-venture maintaining the live broadcast rights of greyhound racing for a period of five years.
The horse racing media rights element of the Entain-ARC partnership will cover all UK raceday data and audio-visual coverage from ARC’s 16 UK racecourses including Doncaster, Newcastle, Chepstow and Lingfield Park. The deal, which also includes South African and Australian content, will start on 1 January 2022 and run through to 31 December 2029.
For greyhound racing, meanwhile, Entain and ARC have agreed terms to establish a joint venture that will launch on 1 January 2024 through to 31 December 2029 – becoming the ‘vehicle for licensing media rights’ to Entain and other domestic and international betting operators from ARC greyhound tracks.
“This deal between Arena Racing and Entain represents a new era of collaboration between the horse and greyhound racing industries and their bookmaker customers,” said Kevin Robertson, Managing Director of ARC’s Media and International Division.
“Both Arena Racing and Entain are committed to the future of greyhound racing, and under the new JV we will be able to sustain and reinvigorate a sport that has been through significant change over the years. The launch of evening greyhound racing on Sky Sports Racing in February is hopefully the first of many new initiatives to promote and enhance the sport.”
Entain branded its JV with ARC as a much-needed initiative for greyhound racing, which will be strengthened by a ‘single optimised UK schedule’ benefiting all stakeholders.
The JV partnership will cover broadcast of live greyhound fixtures across the ARC-owned ARC-owned stadia of Newcastle, Nottingham, Perry Barr and Sunderland and Entain’s greyhound tracks of Crayford, Hove, Monmore Green and Romford.
The Independent tracks within Greyhound Media Group (“GMG”) of Kinsley, Sheffield, Swindon and Yarmouth will also be included by Entain and ARC JV media rights.
“This is a progressive deal for greyhound racing, that will deliver a sustainable programme going forward, support greyhound welfare, and deliver more money into the sport,” added Adrian Bower, Entain Chief Procurement Officer.
“We have been looking for a long-term deal that delivers benefits to both parties, allowing us to focus on navigating the immediate challenge of Covid, while generating greater value for all.
“Ladbrokes and Coral are two of the biggest and longest-standing investors in, and supporters of horse racing and greyhound racing, and this significant commercial deal with Arena Racing is just further proof of our support for these two great British sports.”
