Scottish racing plans joint push
Scottish racecourses are joining forces for the first time in their history to launch a major marketing and sponsorship offensive to develop the sport north of the border.
The country’s five courses – Ayr, Hamilton Park, Kelso, Musselburgh and Perth – are to brand themselves as “Scottish Racing” and offer a range of combined sponsorship packages.
They plan to run a series of marketing campaigns to boost the sport’s appeal to women and under-25s, and pull in new support from the corporate sector.
Scottish Racing is also seeking to forge a partnership with the Scottish Tourist Board to attract UK and worldwide racegoers through a programme of “racing break” packages.
Ian Good, Scottish Racing chairman, says: “More than &£5m has been invested in on-course facilities across Scotland in the past three years and, with further improvements planned, racing now provides facilities which rival other sporting events.”
The initiative follows similar moves by the British Horseracing Board, which is planning to run a joint marketing campaign with the betting industry in an attempt to lure new racegoers.
It is in the process of presenting its proposals to the Levy Board marketing sub-committee, following a report by Michael Humphreys & Partners, which urged the sport to implement a full-scale marketing programme or face extinction (MW December 2 1999).
