Annual Review and Outlook 2019
data to tailor and target our customer communications. We are also committed to investing in technologies that can help us to achieve our goal – again within the parameters of our resources. For example, a Racecourse Media Group (RMG) project will allow sectional timing and horse tracking to come much more to the fore as part of engaging and informing people, and we are not short of ideas involving the likes of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and e-sports. I remain of the view that there would be significant mutual benefit of an official technology partner. MEDIA AT THE HEART OF OUR FUTURE As a wholly-owned cooperative of racecourses who invest significantly back racecourses working together for the long-term works for racing. At a time there are challenges, the more we can do this across all racecourses and stakeholders the better off the sport will be. At a time when there are challenges, RMG is rolling out products and innovations that can help to grow the value of racing to betting operators, with greater returns for the sport in the process. We are also benefitting from the major shop window provided by our partnership with ITV. In 2018 and since, ITV Racing has increased its into British Racing, RMG is a great model of how
reach amongst the British public, grown the number of viewers tuning in more regularly to watch our sport, and won awards for the quality of their programming including a BAFTA for their coverage of the Randox Health Grand National. In return, British Racing provides ITV with their most extensive sports content, which they have stated also delivers well for them commercially. In 2018, racing coverage on ITV main channel saw average audiences 44% higher than in Channel 4’s final year and significantly, its audience share was 63% greater than achieved on Channel 4. ITV’s strategy has been to use its ITV4 channel to showcase much of its sports content and this
channel has enjoyed strong growth in its average audience, with the last 12 months being on a par with Channel 4's in terms of like-for-like fixtures. FOR THE THRILL OF IT SINCE 1750 Developing and realising the commercial potential of our brand is a strategic priority for The Jockey Club. We are on an excellent trajectory on the back of brand identity work and an official partners programme. Several exciting avenues for future development have been identified, provided we are in a position to invest in them and reap the returns from doing so. For example, currently we are exploring a range of brand licensing opportunities both domestically and internationally.
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