RMG to help Qipco British Champions Day be watched all around world

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) is set to deliver a full global viewing and betting experience for Britain’s most valuable race-day, Qipco British Champions Day (QBCD) at Ascot, on Saturday.

British Champions Series Ltd (BCSL), organisers and owners of the £2.54m Qipco British Champions Day, has entrusted RMG to exploit the fixture’s key media rights.

The FOX Sports network, which is "capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend" will show the fixture for the first time in the US, while other major networks include SuperSport in Africa, ESPN in Latin America and the Caribbean, Match in Russia, TV Poland and the Dubai Racing Channel, which serves the Middle East and North Africa.

The race-day will also enjoy a sizeable shop window in the Far East, with the Green Channel making the action available in 40m homes, while Hong Kong will be well served by TVB, Cable TV, Now TV and the Hong Kong Jockey Club's platforms.

In addition, the Group’s Racing TV International will distribute the event to betting operators around the world.

For the first time, the fixture will be a “World Pool” event, which means Racing TV International, working closely with BCSL, the UK Tote and Ascot, will deliver a truly worldwide betting audience through the Hong Kong Jockey Club and RMG’s international network of pool operators. RMG intend to facilitate more World Pool events, from their courses, over the coming years.

QBCD will also be available in ‘real time’ (less than 1 second) on the vast majority of betting operators’ streaming platforms, while the day will be shown in the about 8,000 betting shops in UK and Ireland, served by SIS, via RMG’s affiliated LBO business, Racecourse Retail Business.

The Group’s domestic TV channel, Racing TV (Sky 426), will be showing all six races live, alongside racing from Catterick, Market Rasen, Stratford-on-Avon, Leopardstown and Ballinrobe.

A fully produced, dedicated channel, focusing solely on QBCD, will be available to view on Racing TV Extra (available via RTV Apps and the website), and deployed on bookmakers’ websites. Coverage starts from 11.30am.

RMG will also publish all the latest video, news, racecards and results on its digital platforms.

Rod Street, Chief Executive of British Champions Series, said: “During these exceptional times, the broadcast of horseracing has taken on even greater significance and we’re delighted that our partnership with RMG will take our world-class event far and wide in terms of both viewing and betting.”

Martin Stevenson, acting CEO of RMG, said: “RMG is delighted to team up with British Champions Series and ensure QIPCO British Champions Day receives the truly worldwide audience of race-fans and bettors which the event clearly merits.”