The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Network Ten have entered a new five-year agreement for $100 million, the biggest in the VRC’s history.
The partnership deal, effective from 2019 to 2023, comprises a suite of Melbourne Cup Carnival media rights, including free-to-air TV, internet, social media, mobile, OTT (Over-The-Top) and HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) within Australia.
Under the new arrangement Ten will broadcast the four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival live – AAMI Victoria Derby Day, Lexus Melbourne Cup Day, Kennedy Oaks Day, and Seppelt Wines Stakes Day.
Ten has also agreed to terms with Racing.com to provide live coverage of all races across the Melbourne Cup Carnival on its channels and the Racing.com app. The live vision streaming rights for Wagering Service Providers are excluded from the deal with Ten.
The broadcaster previously held the television rights to the Melbourne Cup Carnival for 24 years from 1978 until 2001.
VRC chief executive officer Neil Wilson said: “During the comprehensive tender process Network Ten proved itself to be the best partner to take us into the future. This partnership will extend the Melbourne Cup Carnival to be visible across the network, across platforms and across the full year. In addition, it gives us the opportunity to engage new and growing audiences to our Carnival and to the sport of racing.”
Seven Network will remain the VRC’s broadcast partner for the 2018 Melbourne Cup Carnival
VRC Chairman Amanda Elliott said: “While we are excited about this new stage for the Club, our heartfelt thanks go to the Seven Network, a valued and close Cup Week partner of ours for 16 years. Seven has broadcast the Melbourne Cup Carnival to millions of Australians and has played a pivotal role in assisting in growing the event into the global phenomenon it is today.”
Outside Melbourne Cup Carnival, Group 1 racing from Flemington can continue to be viewed on Seven until at least the end of June 2020.
Ten CEO Paul Anderson said: “We are extremely excited that the Melbourne Cup Carnival is coming home to Network Ten. Our Network has a rich history with this world-class event having been the broadcaster of the race that stops a nation for over two decades. The Melbourne Cup Carnival is one of the most prestigious horseracing events in the world, and Cup Day is iconic, not just in the sporting calendar, but for all Australians.
“Ten is home to some of Australia’s most loved programming and talent. As part of this landmark media rights partnership, all the thrill and excitement of the Melbourne Cup Carnival story will live on Network Ten across the entire year, and be showcased in new ways across our various platforms, including those of our parent company CBS.
“We have a clear alignment between our audiences and everything the Melbourne Cup Carnival has to offer. We are looking forward to working with the Victoria Racing Club and establishing one of the best sporting partnerships in the world.”
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Top Photo: Neil Wilson and Paul Anderson