Negotiations For UK Horseracing Media Rights Enters Final Furlong

It is thought that the Go Racing consortium, made up of Channel 4, BSkyB and Arena Leisure will win the media rights to racing at the UK’s 59 racecourses. Following months of wrangling, the Racecourse Association (RCA) yesterday advised its members to sign up to a two week “exclusivity period”, during which time the contractual details will be thrashed out along with a timetable for the sale of terrestrial and interactive rights for a ten year period. Guaranteed payments to racecourses over the decade will be £320m, with £80m spent on promotion and marketing.

The decision effectively freezes Carlton Communications, whose subsidiary Carlton Racing had tabled a similar bid, out of the negotiations. Angus Crichton-Miller, chairman of the RCA said, “It has been very difficult to pick between two excellent bidders. Ultimately the more certain broadcasting coverage that Go Racing could offer was the deciding factor.”

Channel 4 guaranteed terrestrial coverage of racing as part of the consortium’s proposal. The door will also be opened to online betting, as a dedicated Go Racing channel with interactive global betting facilities, is to be run through NTL. A decision from the 59 member courses of the RCA is expected by 15 December this year.

BSkyB: 020 7705 3000 Channel 4: 020 7396 4444

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