Harness Racing New South Wales (HRNSW) today announced that it has reached agreement with Tabcorp on a number of significant initiatives that will strengthen the long-term commercial position of the NSW harness racing industry and provide greater certainty for participants, clubs and stakeholders.
The agreements deliver two key outcomes for the industry:
- Support for the implementation of the National Tote, creating larger wagering pools and enhancing the competitiveness of totalisator wagering across Australia.
- A two-year extension of HRNSW's media rights agreement with Tabcorp, ensuring the continued broadcast of NSW harness racing on Sky Racing, predominantly on Sky Racing 1, providing certainty of premium coverage for the industry.
The National Tote represents a significant opportunity to increase wagering turnover by combining liquidity across jurisdictions into larger betting pools. HRNSW anticipates that the greatest opportunity for growth will be in exotic wagering, where larger pools improve dividend stability, reduce volatility and provide greater confidence for punters placing higher-value bets. Win and place betting will also remain a focus.
Harness racing is particularly well suited to this environment. The industry's strong racing frequency, competitive fields and established customer appetite for First Fours, Trifectas, Quadrellas and other exotic bet types position it to benefit from the increased liquidity and attractiveness of a national wagering product.
HRNSW Chief Executive Peter Buckman said the agreements provide an important platform for the continued growth of the industry.
"These agreements deliver greater certainty for the NSW harness racing industry while positioning us to capitalise on future wagering opportunities. The National Tote has the potential to materially grow tote turnover, particularly through exotic wagering, which has traditionally been one of harness racing's strengths."
The extension of the media rights agreement also provides certainty that NSW harness racing will continue to receive premium national exposure through Sky Racing. Continued placement of NSW racing predominantly on Sky Racing 1 ensures participants, owners, breeders, clubs and sponsors retain access to Australia's leading racing broadcast platform, while maintaining strong visibility with existing punters and introducing the sport to new audiences.
The combined agreements reinforce HRNSW's longstanding partnership with Tabcorp and provide confidence for continued investment in the promotion, integrity and development of the NSW harness racing industry.
HRNSW MEDIA CONTACT:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA LIAISON MANAGER
arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando• (02) 9722 6600
