Ladbrokes Coral ends media rights dispute with ARC
New deal sees live racing from ARC tracks return to operator’s sites and shops after a six-month blackout
Ladbrokes Coral has ended the long-running media rights dispute that saw ARC racing meets blacked out in its shops and online.
The operator last night announced it had reached a new agreement with ARC to run its The Racing Partnership (TRP) video stream in the company’s shops and digital networks.
The new deal, reported to be for five years, is a “first of its kind” profit-sharing model, which incentivises both parties to “grow the appeal of British racing as a betting product”.
The TRP stream includes racing from 22 tracks around the UK, as well as South African racing.
Ladbrokes, Coral and Betdaq will all recommence online streaming “shortly”.
“We are pleased to have struck a deal with TRP that incentivises us to grow the sport,” said Ladbrokes Coral CEO Jim Mullen.
“Horseracing is part of our heritage and, despite the vast choice of sport to bet on in the modern era, it remains a core product for our business, so it is a positive development that once again all customers in shops and online can enjoy a full range of horseracing action.”
ARC chief executive Martin Cruddace said the deal was based on common sense principle and was a testament to the “symbiotic relationship” between racing and betting.
“We look forward to working with everyone at Ladbrokes Coral as we move into a new era of collaboration and co-operation,” Cruddace added.
Barclays’ Patrick Coffey said the deal was a positive for LCL, with the firm thought to have been losing market share to William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair thanks to its lack of racing.