Irish racing could return to Sky Sports in 2024 after five tracks reject RMG/SIS media rights deal
The Irish media rights saga took a spectacular twist on Tuesday when five of the country's 26 tracks rejected a five-year deal worth €47 million a year, meaning some action could return to Sky Sports next year.
At an extraordinary general meeting of the Association of Irish Racecourses (Air) held at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, all five members of United Irish Racecourses (UIR) voted against the deal on the table from Racecourse Media Group and Sports Information Services, leaving Kilbeggan, Limerick, Roscommon, Sligo and Thurles to negotiate a separate deal, presumably with Arena Racing Company which will mean Irish racing could return to Sky Sports Racing in 2024.
Paul Hensey, chief executive of Air, admitted that unanimous agreement on the deal would have been preferable, but said that only a relatively small percentage of fixtures will be lost from Racing TV as a result of the five tracks rejecting the contract.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inIreland
Last updated
Copy- Albert Bartlett steps in to back handicap hurdle series with €100,000 on offer for final at Punchestown festival
- Pat Smullen charity raceday raises €240,000 as it evolves into regular fixture in racing calendar
- Tom Gibney, Jimmy Mangan and Ger Keane among the nominees for honours at HRI awards in Dublin next month
- Flooring Porter set to take fittingly unusual route to the Grand National
- 'It should not have happened and won't happen again' - IHRB chief responds to damning €80,000 investigation
- Albert Bartlett steps in to back handicap hurdle series with €100,000 on offer for final at Punchestown festival
- Pat Smullen charity raceday raises €240,000 as it evolves into regular fixture in racing calendar
- Tom Gibney, Jimmy Mangan and Ger Keane among the nominees for honours at HRI awards in Dublin next month
- Flooring Porter set to take fittingly unusual route to the Grand National
- 'It should not have happened and won't happen again' - IHRB chief responds to damning €80,000 investigation