ASCOT DEAL CREATES CONCERN FOR ITV
ASCOT racecourse’s decision to end their contract with Racing UK and sign up with the new Sky Sports Racing channel sparks speculation about ITV continuing to broadcast from the track.
ITV’s contract with Ascot ends in 2020. Sky Sport, which replaces At The Races, will start broadcasting from Ascot in March.
An ITV source described the situation as “bizarre”.
Guy Henderson, Ascot’s chief executive, said: “Ultimately, Ascot, as a statutory racing trust, operates to deliver the best racing we can, the best facilities we can and the best on-course and off-course customer service we can.”
Sky has clearly become serious players in the world of racing. They secured the rights to broadcast the St Leger, Welsh Grand National along with the Breeders’ Cup, Arc de Triomphe and the Melbourne Cup.
Ascot, which hosts the best five days of Flat racing in the world at their royal meeting, may now be under threat for terrestrial television viewers.
“Part of our mantra is to try and grow racing, and bring more racing to more audiences,” said Ascot Chief Commercial Officer Juliet Slot.
“Royal Ascot is played out on the world stage, and so within the Sky network and their 14 million subscribers, we aim to bring racing to that audience and hopefully encourage them to visit and follow racing.
“We think it is a real opportunity for us.
“We are looking forward to marketing racing to that audience and helping to grow our sport.”