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Racecourse Media Services (“RMS”)
is a new company founded by the 30 racecourses which own Racing
UK. The founding courses involved in the new venture are currently
offering equity participation in the company to other UK racetracks
enabling those involved with RMS to directly manage their
media rights in the LBO market.
The new venture has two core aims:
To offer bookmakers high quality content and comprehensive,
cost effective, competitive services.
To develop a stronger and more effective partnership between
bookmakers and racing to grow the value of horseracing content
in the retail customer environment.
Alphameric and RMS intend to use 2007
to pilot the new service and roll out a modern digital satellite
network to its customer base. It also intends to undertake
a number of customer trials to ensure the new service meets
expectations. A full commercial launch is scheduled for January
2008.
Alan Morcombe, Alphameric Group Chief
Executive, said: “We supply many of the business critical
systems to licensed betting offices in the UK and we can see
great value in this initiative for us and our customers. We
have a strong relationship with UK bookmakers and a reputation
for delivering value for money. Our goal with RMS is to ensure
the betting channel we deliver addresses the customers’
requirements and continues the value for money theme. At the
same time we see real opportunity to grow the market share
occupied by UK horseracing within bookmaking. In joining up
with RMS we have the solid base on which we can start to produce
a strong new betting channel.”
Simon Bazalgette, Executive Chairman
of Racing UK commented: “As a founding shareholder of
RMS we believe it is important that racecourses and bookmakers
develop a closer partnership to enhance the value of horseracing
to the betting shop customer. Competition in the supply of
content will bring innovation and efficiencies to the market.
Between us we have the necessary infrastructure and expertise
in place to enter the market on a very cost-effective basis.”
Background information:
Alphameric plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and
has for over 20 years provided a range of technology and operating
services to the bookmaking market including Electronic Point
of Sale (“EPoS”) terminals, screen systems, media
management and data services. Alphameric’s customer
base covers approximately 90% of British bookmaker shops including
the major bookmakers such as William Hill, the Tote, Coral,
Ladbrokes and BetFred. On the media management side of the
business Alphameric provides services to nearly half of the
smaller independent bookmaking market.
Racing UK acts as the media arm of 30
British racecourses, including Aintree, Ayr, Cheltenham, Chester,
Epsom, Goodwood, Kempton Park, Newbury, Newmarket, Sandown
Park and York. It operates a number of media businesses on
behalf of its member courses, including a subscription TV
channel to the residential market, and a broadband TV service
to bookmakers’ websites and to consumers via PC. Racing
UK also negotiated the industry deal with Channel 4.
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