Racing UK, the UK's leading horseracing channel, has joined
forces with the Racing Post, the leading racing and sports betting newspaper, to
provide an innovative broadband service for potential partners from the online
sports and gaming industries.
Companies are being invited to tender for five licences offering
a combination of live coverage of Racing UK's entire media portfolio and
comprehensive racing analysis and form supplied by the Racing Post. The service
will also enable customers to bet online.
Successful bidders will benefit from prominent branding on the
new broadband service and they will also have the opportunity to integrate video
content into their existing websites.
The joint-venture follows a recent partnership between the
Racing Post and Racing UK for a dedicated Grand National race website earlier
this month. The site was a great success and in the nine days leading up to the
Saturday race recorded over 2.4m page impressions from over 157,000 unique
users. The site included analysis and form from the Racing Post alongside live
and archive video footage of the Grand National from Racing UK.
Racing UK is owned by 31 of the UK's premier racecourses and
broadcasts live all races at these courses, which include Aintree, Cheltenham,
Epsom, Goodwood, Newbury and Newmarket. It is unique as a sports rights holder
in owning and marketing its own media rights.
Simon Bazalgette, Executive Chairman of Racing UK said: "Our
partnership with the Racing Post is a powerful combination of video and data
which will allow horseracing punters to study form and view live races via
broadband.
It demonstrates how horseracing continues to be at the forefront
of new technological developments and will maximise revenue for the benefit of
the sport as a whole."
The Racing Post and its website www.racingpost.co.uk - the market leader
in the provision of horseracing information - is part of Trinity Mirror's
portfolio of high-profile sports brands.
Jeremy Reed, Managing Director of Trinity Mirror's Sports
division, said: "The strength and expertise of the Racing Post, coupled with
live pictures from all Racing UK's racecourses, will deliver an unbeatable
result for every punter."
Racing UK and the Racing Post have appointed Sportev, the
leading wireless sports agency who also have contracts with the FA Premier
League and England Rugby, to manage the bidding process.
