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All change in racing marketing after wholesale resignation of GBR board to make way for new 'expert' committee

The Cheltenham Festival is set to gallop into life on Tuesday - we've a few gallopers to note
Growing spectator levels and interest in racing will be a key aim for the new marketing committeeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Marketing British racing will become the responsibility of a new committee following the resignation of the Great British Racing (GBR) board on Monday. The six-person board met for the final time to approve the sport’s national marketing strategy for the forthcoming year, with a campaign due to be launched in May.

While the executive functions at GBR will remain the same, the board is to be replaced by a new marketing committee which will report into racing’s powerful commercial committee.

The streamlined marketing committee will meet approximately eight times a year and be formed of racing representatives and marketing experts from outside the sport.

Nick Attenborough, GBR chair since September, said on Tuesday: “It was always known to me at the outset when I became chair that the GBR board was going to be shut down, with the idea being that it would be in December.

“It is being replaced by a marketing committee, which I think is a positive step forward for the sport. It will be a smaller committee of industry people and some external marketing experts. They will meet more frequently than we have – we meet four times a year and they will meet eight times, I believe – and report into the commercial committee. The executive will remain the same.”

The marketing of British racing has come under increasing scrutiny in light of falling attendances, animal rights protests, dropping betting turnover, and the failure to effectively promote the premierisation trial.

Last month, the Levy Board committed more than £1 million to the cost of the second series of the racing documentary Champions: Full Gallop having released fewer funds to assist with the marketing of the sport in 2024. The documentary is set to be a “significant part of the promotion for next year”, according to Levy Board chief executive Alan Delmonte.

Champions: Full Gallop is set to be a key marketing tool for British racing in 2025
Champions: Full Gallop is set to be a key marketing tool for British racing in 2025

The creation of a growth fund for British racing has also formed part of the ongoing levy negotiations between racing and bookmakers.

During a Westminster Hall debate in October, sports minister Stephanie Peacock said a proposal increasing the levy rate by 1.5 per cent would involve the “majority” of any extra revenue going into such a fund.

Attenborough said the intention would be for the market committee to be operational by the end of the month, with any short-term decisions being made by GBR’s shareholders, the BHA, Thoroughbred Group and Racecourse Association.

He added: “I do hope it will make a difference. Having marketing experts on the committee will be important as it’s critical to get the marketing right at this moment. It’s always been important, but the sport must be marketed effectively. The marketing committee is going to look after the crucial campaign in 2025 and, hopefully, it should be up and running this month with the aim to launch the campaign in May.”


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Levy Board commits more than £1 million to ITV's Champions: Full Gallop after 'compelling proposition' from key stakeholders 


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Deputy industry editor

Published on inBritain

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