Owlerton Stadium is set to benefit from the expansion of overseas TV broadcast rights for greyhound racing.
The deal was reached between ARC (Arena Racing Company) – which represents the media interest of the GMG (Greyhound Media Group) – and two overseas media rights bodies, which operate in countries including Australia and Greece respectively.
As part of the agreement, Owlerton will be broadcast twice weekly down under over the course of the ARC agreement courtesy of Tabcorp – the Australian television distributor and wagering organisation and one of the world’s largest publicly-listed gaming companies in the World.
It means that race meetings from Owlerton when they are scheduled in the afternoon are now being shown on the other side of the world in pubs, clubs and TAB outlets across Australia, and will also be available for home viewing.
As well as the agreement with Tabcorp, a media rights contract has recently been agreed with Greek production gaming and casino giant Vermantia based in Athens.
As a result of the deal being struck between The Racing Partnership (TRP), which represents 12 tracks across the UK and Vermantia, racing at Owlerton will be broadcast to around 3,500 outlets across Greece.
This news increases the opportunity for the promotion of greyhound racing in the UK – and with it Owlerton Greyhound Stadium and the opportunity to develop its international market.
John Gilburn, managing director at Owlerton Greyhound Stadium, said: “This is a huge step for Owlerton Stadium, as well as the UK greyhound racing industry as a whole.
“Deals like this effectively safeguard the medium to long-term future of the industry and provide a vital income stream to venues such as Owlerton, income which will enable us to continue expanding and develop locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
“We’re very excited about the future for racing at Owlerton Stadium, with news such as that of this fresh TV rights deal further enhancing the stadium’s reputation on a global scale.”
Brent Dolan, operations lead at the Greyhound Media Group (GMG), said: “This is great news for the UK greyhound racing industry.
“We’re delighted that the new TV rights partnership is in place and we’re excited in what the future may hold, both for Owlerton Stadium and for the industry in general ”
For more information on Owlerton Stadium visit owlertonstadium.co.uk or call 0114 234 3074.
