Betting Business Bulletin 23 July 2017

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Deal done: Ladbrokes Coral in agreement to end TRP blackout

Ladbrokes Coral and betting shop channel The Racing Partnership (TRP) this week signed a media rights deal that ended a near seven-month commercial stand off between the two sides.

The news means Betfred is the only major betting shop operator not to have signed up to the new service.

The deal, believed to be for five years, means action from all Britain’s courses will be shown again in the Ladbrokes Coral’s retail estate of 3,820 betting shops.

Racecourse group Arena Racing Company is the driver behind TRP and its chief executive Martin Cruddace said: “We’re delighted to have agreed this deal with Ladbrokes Coral.

“It’s testament to the symbiotic nature of racing and betting that we’ve been able to agree a deal based on sound commercial principles for both parties. I’m very grateful for the patience and support of my shareholders.

“We look forward to working with everyone at Ladbrokes Coral as we move into a new era of collaboration and cooperation.”

TRP said the deal is a first of its kind, being based purely on a profit-share model, while Ladbrokes, Coral and Betdaq are also set to re-commence streaming of TRP content.

However, it is not clear what will happen to the Ladbrokes betting shops that were closed on six of Arena Racing Company’s tracks as a result of the stand off.

Ladbrokes Coral chief executive Jim Mullen, said: “We’re pleased to have struck a deal with The Racing Partnership that gives us a joint incentive to grow the sport.

“Horseracing is part of our heritage and, despite the vast choice of sports to bet on in the modern era, it remains a core product for our business, so it’s a positive development that once again all our customers, in shops and online, can enjoy a full range of horseracing action.”

From the start of the year, six Arena Racing Company courses –Doncaster, Lingfield, Southwell, Windsor, Worcester and Wolverhampton – switched from SIS to new channel TRP, followed from May 1 by Fakenham, Hexham and Towcester.

A further 13 courses are set to join the service from the start of 2018, including Chepstow, Newcastle and Uttoxeter.

William Hill and Paddy Power signed up to the new channel but Betfred and Ladbrokes Coral did not, meaning their customers were faced with blank screens when the racecourses involved were in action.

Betfred declined to comment on any TRP negotiations but it is understood the two parties remain at an impasse, with no further discussions having taken place recently.

SIS sign up more dog tracks

TRP is expected to offer a rival greyhound service to SIS next year having partnered with the Greyhound Media Group, a collective of non bookmaker-owned venues.

As part of that escalating commercial battle, SIS last week confirmed widely-anticipated media rights deals with Doncaster and Harlow as it continues to position itself to provide greyhound content to high street bookmakers from the start of 2018.

The agreements with the two tracks cover exclusive rights to distribute their live pictures and data and to stream to online operators worldwide and follows the recent announcement of similar agreements with Central Park and Henlow greyhound tracks.

Paul Witten, product director at SIS, said: “Following our announcement last week of deals with Central Park and Henlow, we’re delighted to announce the agreements with Doncaster and Harlow greyhound tracks.

“This is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to the UK greyhound industry, and to strengthening our greyhound offer for our customers.”

SIS also has the four Ladbrokes Coral tracks – Crayford, Hove, Monmore and Romford – signed up. It is thought SIS is aiming to broadcast more than 40 meetings a week from January onwards.

Course bookmakers and Jockey Club Racecourses resolve row

A row between Cheltenham and on-course bookmakers appeared to have been resolved at the 11th hour last week when legal action by the layers was dropped.

The case against the course’s owner Jockey Club Racecourses was due to reach court last week, but the fact it will not has left some on-course bookmakers critical of the settlement.

The action brought by the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers (FRB) – an umbrella organisation covering three on-course bookmaker trade bodies – centred on which bookmakers were able to stand in the Courtyard ring at Cheltenham and how that would affect any new betting areas (NBAs) courses might want to open.

Cheltenham had used the Courtyard for just the festival in March and the Open meeting, but when JCR decided to use those positions for other fixtures they were offered to the bookmakers who already held those festival pitches.

However, the FRB said positions in the Courtyard should instead be populated on a one-for-one basis from the Tattersalls and rails lists and set about taking legal action, which has been ongoing for more than two years.

Earlier this year course bookmakers were informed that the FRB had retained money from the data payments it received from SIS and TurfTV “in order to fund the current Cheltenham Courtyard legal action”, which caused anger among a number of operators.

Neither side wished to comment on the settlement other than from a joint statement in which JCR said positions for any new betting areas would be selected as the FRB wanted, that no existing or new NBA would be closed and that JCR would not introduce new pool betting facilities in the immediate proximity of existing or new betting areas.

However, those pledges did not apply to the Courtyard or to The Hill at Epsom.

Chris Hudson, president of the British racecourse Bookmakers Association, which split from the other trade bodies in 2015, called on the FRB to explain themselves to bookmakers.

He added: “We’ve achieved very few additional benefits from this costly and divisive action.”

What’s happening this week

Bookmaker results season starts on Thursday when Ladbrokes Coral issue a post-close trading update.

Morgan Stanley said that although the figures would be up against a tough comparison with Euro 2016 having taken place last year, they still expect “robust results nonetheless”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][bsf-info-box icon=”Defaults-envelope-o” icon_size=”32″ pos=”left”]For more information about Racing Post’s B2B services, contact us or browse more of b2b.racingpost.com.[/bsf-info-box][vc_column_text]Racing Post B2B caters for all digital content requirements across web, mobile, tablet and retail. But we are more than just a data provider – we enhance raw data with the best and most recognisable content authored by the biggest names in sports betting. Racing Post B2B offers an unrivalled worldwide content portfolio for bookmakers and media associations. Acknowledged throughout the racing and gaming industries, the Racing Post creates bespoke products suited to your audience that will enable your company to maximise profitability by offering unique data, editorial or multi-media solutions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]