Ascot and Arena Racing Company agree new media rights deal with extension to Sky Sports Racing link-up

Ascot has agreed a new four-year media rights deal with Arena Racing Company (Arc) under which its betting shop rights will switch to The Racing Partnership (TRP) from SIS and which also extends its agreement with Sky Sports Racing.

TRP distributes live pictures and data from all 16 Arc courses, as well as Hexham, Newton Abbot, Plumpton and Ripon and a number of greyhound stadia, and Ascot will join it from April 1, the same date as Newbury from a previously announced deal.

Online and international betting rights – both tote and fixed odds – together with domestic pay TV, will come into the agreement from January 1, meaning racing from Ascot will continue to be shown live on Sky Sports Racing.

Arc chief executive Martin Cruddace said: "Alongside the recent addition of Newbury, we are delighted to welcome Ascot racecourse to The Racing Partnership with this agreement. It goes without saying that their portfolio of top-class fixtures across the year will be a huge asset to TRP and its customers."

Ascot had previously been unusual in having deals in place with the two rival rights operations, with Racecourse Media Group having previously looked after its betting shop rights.

The course's newly confirmed chief executive Alastair Warwick said: "We are pleased to be making this joint announcement with Arena Racing Company which will see our media and data rights distributed via The Racing Partnership.

"As part of this agreement, we also confirm today our extended partnership with Sky Sports Racing, which began in 2019. We look forward to working with our colleagues at Arc, Sky Sports and the other courses involved in these ventures, as well as with betting partners, to promote our racing across all platforms."

Newbury will feature on Sky Sports Racing from January next year following a five-year media rights deal announced in 2021.

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