NEW REVOLUTION IN RACING COVERAGE PROMISED
SKY RACING, the media division of Australia’s premier gambling and entertainment group Tabcorp, today announced a revolution in the presentation of Australian racing,in partnership with Subscription TV providers FOXTEL and AUSTAR.
As part of the racing vision revolution, Sky Racing will launch two new channels inautumn 2010. Australian punters watching racing in hotels, clubs, TABs and at homewill have more choice and racing entertainment opportunities than ever before.
The launch of the new Sky Racing channels forms part of Tabcorp’s long-termstrategy to expand racing choice for its customers and to provide a superior showcasing service.The culmination of the strategy has been made possible through FOXTEL and AUSTAR’s channel expansion, with a new satellite giving it the capacity to do so.
Sky Racing, FOXTEL and AUSTAR have committed to extend and expand racing onFOXTEL and AUSTAR’s Subscription TV platform.
Patrick Delany, FOXTEL’s Executive Director Sales and Product Development said:
“FOXTEL offers you the choice of over 200 quality channels and with our just launched FOXTEL Next Generation we deliver control over what you watch and when you watchit through a free FOXTEL IQ, FOXTEL Download, more interactive services and a brand new electronic programming guide with great navigation enhancements.
We are delighted to be able to offer two new racing channels into the mix and know racing fans will love the greater breadth and depth of our racing coverage.”
Deanne Weir, Group Director of Corporate Development, AUSTAR, said: “SubscriptionTV is all about expanding the viewing choices we offer our customers. To this end, AUSTAR is committed to launching new channels, product enhancements and greatnew content.
“Racing is particularly loved by regional Australians, and we have a huge number of loyal racing fans who will be thrilled by this announcement.”
The objectives of the changes made to the delivery of racing vision are:
Provide customers with more choice on the nature and extent of racing they wish to watch.
Enhance the showcasing of the best racing product across the three codes of racing (thoroughbred, harness and greyhound).
Provide a new vehicle for the expanded export of Australian racing
Ensure some cost contribution to racing vision is made by customers of wagering operators who currently get a free ride.
Tabcorp’s Managing Director of Wagering, Robert Nason, said: “Sky Racing intends to create a platform for the presentation of racing that provides punters with choice and gives all racing codes the opportunity to present their product.”
The three Sky Racing channels will herald an era of greater coverage of Australian racing, expanded international racing and a superior global thoroughbred channel.
“Tabcorp has conducted extensive customer research and in providing expanded international racing coverage and more choice we will deliver what many regular punters have been asking for,” Mr Nason said.
The key elements of the racing vision revolution are:
Channel overview
Sky Racing1 and Sky Racing2 will be the core wagering channels and combined will provide vision of all races that will be wagered on. The launch of Sky Racing 2 will de-congest the existing Sky Racing schedule and allow for an expansion of wagering choice, with the addition of more domestic and international races.
Sky Racing1 and Sky Racing2 will also showcase the premier harness and greyhound events.
Sky Racing World will deliver a superior presentation of thoroughbred racing. The schedule will feature 12 hours of thoroughbred racing from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore and overnight racing from United Kingdom, South Africa and continental Europe. It will have an unrivalled stable of presenters and experts and the premier line-up of thoroughbred programs from Australia and the world.
Sky Racing Chief Operating Officer Brendan Parnell said: “We will package showcasing of all codes as customers have requested in a fast paced and revolutionary style.”
New presentation standards
New presentation standards will ensure state-of-the-art racing vision is delivered to patrons in commercial venues (TAB agencies, hotels and clubs), who will be treated to Tabcorp’s entire expanded wagering offer through Sky Racing1 and Sky Racing2.
Patrons in commercial venues will never miss a race and know at any time whether they are watching Sky Racing1 or Sky Racing2. The channels will essentially ‘talk to each other’, have distinct presentation values and be color coded.
New presenters
To help deliver new channels for Australian racing fans, Sky Racing today announced the appointment of key specialist presenters including respected international racingexpert David Raphael (Sky Racing World), Adam Hamilton (harness) and television sports presenter Ben Damon (greyhounds) to join a high quality team, which will include Matthew Browning, Ron Dufficy, Tony Brassel and Andrew Bensley. Further appointments to the Sky Racing team will be made in the coming months.
New racing shows
Sky Racing viewers can look forward to an enhanced range of ‘magazine’ and form programs, covering all three codes of racing.
New advertising policy
Sky Racing will implement a new code for advertising, which will cover the provision of wagering-related products and services on Sky Racing1, Sky Racing2 and Sky Racing World. The code of advertising policy will apply to all wagering operators and will be finalised once feedback is provided by regulators from around Australia.
New pricing arrangements
The pricing structure for the expanded Sky Racing offer will be announced closer to the launch of the new channels in autumn 2010. The new price structure will place the channels in a tier. However, Tabcorp intends to subsidise the cost of the new channels for its account customers.
Expanded interactive betting
All three channels will feature TAB ACTIVE – Tabcorp’s world leading interactive wagering service which allows TAB account customers in New South Wales and Victoria to place bets using their FOXTEL remote control. Once account customers have logged in to TAB ACTIVE, they will be able to switch between the channels without having to log in again.
Digital dividend for racing fans
In a further exciting development for racing fans, digital widescreen vision will be offered to hotels, clubs and TABs with the new Sky Racing channels. In comparison with analogue display of racing, digital will provide higher clarity and rich colors.
Sky Racing’s investment in digital radio will continue to reap rewards as Sky Sports Radio2 will broadcast* the additional racing. (*Digital radio is available in metropolitan Australia only).
Greater international export
Sky Racing World will act as the vehicle to grow the export and showcasing of Australian racing to more markets. Sky Racing World will be a thoroughbred showcase for existing export markets and can also act as an important channel for emerging markets in Asia and Eastern Europe.
Tabcorp is in negotiations with providers in seven countries to grow the export and showcasing of Australian racing. The racing codes in Australia will share in the benefit from greater export of Australian racing as they reap product fees from international wagering on their events.
“Sky is already taking Australian racing to 18 countries with six services every day. The addition of a first class showcasing service will provide more global viewers and higher returns for Australian and New Zealand thoroughbred industries,” Mr Nason said.
SKY RACING – THE FACTS, THE NUMBERS
Sky Racing is currently broadcast to 2.2 million Australian homes and more than 5,000 commercial venues.
Sky Racing is the most watched channel on the PayTV platform for Men 40+ (Sat/Sun midday-3pm) and is consistently in the 3 most watched channels on PayTV on Saturdays (12 to 5.30pm) for Men 25+.
Sky Racing’s average weekly Pay TV reach is in excess of 700,000 viewers. TVN’s reach is approximately 220,000 viewers.
Sky Racing has a strong female viewing franchise: 28% (metro) and 33% (regional). TVN’s female audience is 22%.
As well as homes and commercial venues, most content on Sky Racing is available through Virgin Live2Air on most domestic Virgin Blue flights, Skyracing.com.au and tab.com.au, 3G mobile phones through Optus 3 and Hutchison.
In 2008-09 Sky Racing covered 65,324 races from 2,503 thoroughbred meetings, 1,606 harness meetings and 2,367 greyhound meetings.
On any day, Sky Racing may be receiving simultaneous transmission from up to 20 tracks, making it quite a logistical achievement seven days a week.
Sky Racing broadcasts to many regions around the world. The global coverage reaches about 350 wagering outlets and millions of home viewers in North America and the Caribbean, 500,000 homes and TAB outlets in New Zealand, 14 million homes and many betting shops in the United Kingdom, all pay TV homes and hundreds of betting outlets in South Africa as well as sites in Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Bali, the Philippines and the Middle East.
Sky Racing markets and exports Australian racing on behalf of Australian race clubs. The Australian racing industry received more than $6 million from these export arrangements last year.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS MEDIA RELEASE CONTACT:
Nicholas Tzaferis
External Communications Manager, Tabcorp
T: +61 (0)3 9868 2529 M: +61 (0)400 028 110
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Emma Rackley
Group Manager, Corporate Affairs, AUSTAR
T: +61 (0)2 9394 9806 M: +61 (0)422 823 000
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Adam Suckling
Director Policy and Corporate Affairs, FOXTEL
T +61 (0)2 9813 7593 M +61 (0)419 205 488
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