Sportsbet and Melbourne Racing Club announce momentous five-year partnership
Sportsbet and Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) have cemented a five-year partnership, commencing on January 1, 2024.
The wagering giant and the metropolitan horse racing organisation have positioned the new deal as, ‘a move away from the status quo of racing and engage a new generation of fans through bold, fun and impactful activity’.
With brand synergies and a strong alignment in core values between the two organisations, the Sportsbet-MRC partnership aims to re-position the sport to new racing fans and also open up racing to more sporting audiences.
This will come to life across all touchpoints from digital, marketing, customer engagement, on-course activations and experiences throughout the year, with particular emphasis on key Carnival periods throughout the racing season.
The partnership encompasses all three MRC racetracks – Caulfield, Mornington, and Sportsbet Sandown – and is highlighted by Sportsbet becoming the naming rights partner for the Caulfield Cup Carnival and the iconic Caulfield Cup.
It will also feature:
- Sportsbet offering a $1 million prize for any horse that takes out the Sportsbet Mornington Cup and Sportsbet Caulfield Cup double in the same calendar year
- Sportsbet investing $125,000 into racing growth initiatives at Mornington racetrack
- Sportsbet making a $125k cash contribution to the MRC Foundation each year to support charities and local communities
- Australian-first LED technology for barriers to be rolled out early 2024
- Investment in growth of MRC Membership
- Enhancement of on course experiences for GA customers
Sportsbet and MRC have also declared their commitment to putting on the best trackside racing experience to the hundreds of thousands that come through the gates at each track every year.
Sportsbet CEO, Barni Evans, said it’s an exciting time for racing.
“Sportsbet is excited to partner with the MRC and we look forward to bringing to life our shared ambition of attracting new audiences to racing,” Evans said.
“We’re always looking to do more for the community and we’re particularly proud to be contributing $125,000 each year of the partnership to the MRC Foundation, supporting local communities and helping racing industry participants.
“The MRC is an incredibly successful and progressive Club who are doing great things to enhance the sport and we can’t wait to be a part of that.
Melbourne Racing Club CEO, Josh Blanksby, hailed the partnership as a fantastic opportunity to showcase innovation in new ways within the racing industry.
“This is the most significant partnership in the Club’s history, and we’re thrilled to be working with Sportsbet, Australia’s largest wagering provider to open up the sport to more audiences and futureproof racing on the sporting stage,” Blanksby enthused.
“We’re excited by the opportunities that partnering with a such an iconic brand in the sport and racing spaces presents, and we look forward to introducing a greater sporting audience to our racing product through Sportsbet’s impressive market share”.
