Sky Sports-owned At The Races (ATR) has entered into a multi-year turnover-based streaming and data deal with Betfred, covering a wide range of horseracing content from the UK.Under the agreement, Betfred will gain access to live streams and raceday data across ATR’s UK horseracing content. The deal will shift pricing of each product from a pence-per-stream basis to one where ATR will receive a share of turnover on all bets placed.
ATR will use its wholly owned streaming platform Sport Mediastream to deliver coverage and data content to Betfred.
“Our partnership with Betfred is one to which we attribute great value and we are naturally delighted that this deal will not only deepen this relationship but unite us in working together, with a common goal, to maximise turnover on our horseracing product,” ATR chief executive Matthew Imi said.
Rakesh Chablani, managing director of Betfred.com, added: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with ATR and we look forward to working together in growing our horseracing product.”
The move comes amid a debate about the future of streaming partnerships between operators and racetrack operators. While the tracks are increasingly in favour of a turnover-based model, bookies are concerned that this could erode margins or even lead to a coverage blackout, should operators cease offering live streams of certain race content.
Bookmakers have also raised concerns that such a move could force them to drop promotions such as best odds guarantees, and this could in turn lead to a decline in customer spend.
The Racing Partnership, the media arm of UK racecourse operator Arena Racing Company (ARC), is said to be in favour of turnover-based agreements and could move to implement the changes on a widespread basis.
