RMG warns of 'significant' impact from pandemic after unveiling latest results

The 37 British racecourses represented by Racecourse Media Group (RMG) earned more than £100 million in media and data rights payments last year, but the company has warned its performance in 2020 would be "significantly affected" by the Covid-19 pandemic.

With low prize-money levels and transparency over media rights revenues the subject of considerable focus in the sport, RMG said its affiliated tracks, which include those under the Jockey Club banner, Goodwood, Newbury and York, were able to make executive prize-money contributions of £60.5m last year – down 0.7 per cent on the record set in 2018.

Overall media and data rights payments reached £106.7m in 2019, down from £109.7m the previous year, a fall attributed to the closure of betting shops which accelerated last autumn following the government's crackdown on FOBTs.