attheraces agrees contracts to provide UK racing overseas

London
28th May, 2002

  attheraces, the horseracing media rights company owned equally by Channel 4, BSkyB and Arena Leisure, has secured an agreement with Satellite Information Services (SIS) to provide live racing pictures and audio from its 49 contracted racecourses to a number of overseas jurisdictions.

    attheraces has licensed SIS to supply Austria, Belgium, the Caribbean,Germany, Holland, Italy and Sri Lanka for a term of two years from 1st May 2002. These agreements represent income of over £7 million per annum for attheraces, its shareholders and SIS.  This income accounts for a substantial proportion of the annual rights fees payable to the racecourses.

    Glyn Williams, Commercial Director of attheraces, commented: “We are delighted to conclude contracts with this first group of recipients of live UK racing under our rights agreements and to be providing the service through SIS.  It will further develop awareness and interest in UK racing and in overseas territories, and will greatly expand our market.  We are
currently negotiating with other territories around the world and hope to be able to announce further agreements later this year.”
 

For further information please contact:

Simon Cooper:
020 7291 1692 / 07973 150034

Hannah Walker:
020 7291 1690 / 07971 598287