Thurles Racecourse may feature on Sky Sports Racing as talks continue in respect of a media rights deal for 5 Irish Racecourses that rejected the €47M annual deal agreed between AIR, Racing TV and the Sports Information Services and Racecourse Media Group. AIR – The Association of Irish Racecourses represents 21 of 26 racecourses including Tipperary.
The smaller group of 5 made up of Thurles, Limerick, Kilbeggan, Sligo and Roscommon are represented by UIR – United Irish Racecourses.
The Group is said to have asked Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to intervene on with Horse Racing Ireland(HRI) about the new deal which covers media rights up to 2028.
Under the deal each racecourse will receive revenue largely related to the betting turnover and streaming of it’s races.
UIR is not satisfied with the way the funding is to be distributed claiming the model favoured the bigger racecourses.
It was also unhappy that almost €7 million would be going directly to Horse Racing Ireland and that four racecourses owned by Horse Racing Ireland – Fairyhouse, Leopardstown, Navan and Tipperary will each earn a sum said to be worth 7 figures from the media rights deal.
Arena Racing Company and Sky Sports Racing say they are delighted that the opportunity to develop a partnership with the five United Irish Racecourses (UIR) is now possible.
