Irish Greyhound Racing is to get a financial boost from additional race meetings being broadcast live to retail betting facilities in Britain and Spain.
Three new race meetings from Irish greyhound stadia will be broadcast as part of an exclusive new agreement reached by the Irish Greyhound Board and SIS (Sports Information Services).
Under an existing agreement, Irish Greyhound racing is broadcast via SIS to UK and Irish betting shops from three stadia – Youghal on Monday evenings, Mullingar on Sunday afternoons and Tralee on Tuesday’s and Saturday afternoons.
This extension will add new meetings from Limerick on Thursday nights, Curraheen Park in Cork on Friday’s and an additional meeting from Youghal.
Ladbrokes and Coral will be among the first operators to utilise the more extensive service, broadcasting all of the new meetings to their betting shop estates.
No figures have been placed on the value of the new rights but Sport for Business understands that it will take the form of a straight fee paid based on the number of races, and not dependent on down the line increases in turnover.
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The broadcast will not impact on revenue from crowds at the stadia and is an incremental gain for the sport. We also understand there will be a straight line benefit to prizemoney for each of the races putting that benefit into the hands of owners and trainers.
The agreement is in line with the IGB’s Strategic Plan 2018-2022 which focuses on securing international business and investing in new technology.
“The business model for greyhound racing is changing and the IGB is embracing technology and developing new international business,” said Irish Greyhound Board Chairman Phil Meany.
“This agreement with SIS – a leading supplier to the online and retail betting markets – demonstrates the demand that exists for Irish greyhound racing internationally.”
“Ireland produces some of the world’s best greyhounds thanks to the quality of the bloodstock and Irish greyhound racing can become a global sporting product.”
A 2017 report by Economist Jim Power, The Economic and Financial Significance of the Irish Greyhound Industry calculated there are 5,058 full and part-time jobs within the sector with a further 7,313 greyhound owners deriving economic benefit.
The national industry contributes €300 million in additional economic activity with PAYE/PRSI contribution of €12.7 million per annum. Of the 16 stadia within Ireland, 15 are located outside Dublin which the report states, highlights the contribution to rural communities in additional jobs and spending.
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Image Credit: Steve Nash
