RMG racecourses to receive £85.5m in rights payments
Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has said that the 34 UK racecourses affiliated with the company will receive a total of £85.5 million (€100.9 million/$110.1 million) in media rights payments for 2016.
The amount represents a 6% increase on the previous year, with payments to be made via licence fees and dividends.
RMG, which serves as the holding company for various media and data rights covering the racecourses, said payments were generated from a number of sources, including Turf TV, a betting shop service provider to licensed betting offices (LBO), as well as multi-platform subscription channel, Racing UK, and digital bet-to-view streams.
In addition, payments were generated by international television betting and pictures service GBI Racing, non-betting television sales overseas, a terrestrial television deal with commercial broadcaster Channel 4, and the Racecourse Data Company, which licences pre-race data.
RMG chairman Simon Ellen said: “The highlight of 2016 has been the strong growth in performance for our businesses with a significant step up from the performance recorded in 2015.
“The combined effect of strong performances from our LBO, streaming and international businesses has demonstrated, yet again, the benefits of aggregation for our shareholders.
“The increase in licence fees was important in enabling our courses to maintain a progressive policy in expanding prize money in a difficult Levy environment.
“The 34 RMG racecourses’ executive and sponsorship contribution to prize-money rose by £3.3 million in 2016.”
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